5 Health Benefits of Ergonomic Chairs

Research has proven that sitting all day is extremely bad for your overall health. Studies have shown that sitting for extended periods, over time, can lead to higher rates of: high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, dangerous blood glucose levels, slow blood circulation, colon cancer, obesity, lower back pain, cardiovascular disease, and even death. Given this information, common sense tells us that standing or being active instead of sitting all the time would help your health.

For many who work in office jobs, however, sitting all day is the only option. In these cases, how do you work to minimize these health issues in the office? The answer is ergonomic chairs. An ergonomic chair is a chair designed to suit a person’s size, workspace, and the tasks they complete at their workspace. They are more supportive and more adjustable than typical chairs. You should be able to adjust a good ergonomic chair’s height, seat tilt, backrest tilt, backrest depth, and the synchronization of the seat and backrest.

Here are 5 health benefits to having ergonomic chairs in your workplace:

1. Increased morale—Investing in ergonomic chairs will show your employees that you care about their well being and physical health. Employees who feel they are being cared for will be happier about their jobs and less stressed, which is good for mental health and cardiovascular health.
2. Reduced back pain—Ergonomic chairs have adjustable backrests, which are separate from the seat of the chair. Employees can adjust how far forward they want the backrest, whether they want the backrest to move with them or provide more support, and how high they want the backrest. The backrests can extend high enough to support the entire back, spreading the pressure evenly throughout your whole back.
3. Reduced neck and shoulder pain—Some ergonomic chairs contain added neck rests, which can relieve pressures of having to hold up your neck all day long. For those without neck rests, the backrests can extend high enough to at least support the shoulders, reducing stress and pain throughout the day.
4. Increased blood circulation—If you are sitting in a chair all the time that is too high for your feet to touch the ground, blood will not be able to flow through your legs properly, which can lead to problems such as blood clots, tingling, and cramping. Ergonomic chairs are adjustable so that each user can sit comfortably with their feet on the ground.
5. Less pressure on hips/buttocks—Ergonomic chairs are made to be firm enough to be supportive, but also comfortable enough to relieve the pressure on your hips and buttocks caused by sitting. With more back support, less of your body’s weight will be forced onto your lower body.

In addition to ergonomic chairs, it is also important to have good posture and take short breaks throughout the day to get your blood flowing and stretch. Ergonomic chairs are a great start to improving the health and well being of your employees. To learn more about what ergonomics can do for your office, click below.

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