Did you know that about 70% of America's workforce sits on the job? Add to that the time most of us spend sitting down doing non-work tasks such as eating, studying, watching television, and driving. Americans today spend a lot of time sitting and it's taking its toll on our bodies. While most people believe it is relaxing, sitting is actually hard on the back because it transfers the full weight of the upper body onto the buttocks and thighs. Sitting, especially for long periods of time, can also cause increased pressure on the intervertebral discs- the springy, shock-absorbing parts of the spine. It's also hard on the lower extremities since gravity pools blood in the legs and feet and creates a sluggish return of blood to the heart. In addition, most people do not use good body mechanics while sitting. Improper sitting posture can not only cause physical discomfort but also contributes to serious health problems, including: Proper seating in a well-constructed ergonomic chair can help reduce fatigue and discomfort, increase blood flow, reduce the risk of injury, and increase productivity.
What is an Ergonomic Chair? Whether a chair is to be used at a computer workstation or in front of a machine on the factory floor, it must be well suited for the tasks at hand and must fit the worker's size. Many chair manufacturers use the word "ergonomic" to describe their products, but you might need to look further than the label to see if it truly incorporates ergonomic guidelines. The following recommendations can help you choose a chair that will increase comfort and reduce the risk of injury: Use a chair with casters (a pivoting roller or wheel attached to the bottom of the chair) and a 5-point base to make movement easier and minimize tipping. Nylon carpet casters are usually standard, but soft wheel casters are available for hard surfaces such as linoleum. Rubber locking casters are useful on stools to prevent tipping. You may also want to choose a chair that swivels easily. The seat pan is the part of the chair that supports the majority of the your weight.
Choose a chair with a cushion made from dense, small-cell foam padding or spring coils (this usually involves purchasing a chair over $250.00). Inferior cushions that loose shape or compress can cause discomfort, imbalance, and hip and back fatigue. The seat pan should be at least one inch wider than your hips and thighs on either side. In addition, the front part of the seat should slope down slightly (this is called a waterfall front) and allow a fist size gap between the back of your knees and the front edge of the seat pan to reduce pressure on the back of your thighs. Also, look for a chair with tilt adjustments that allow for a forward working posture or a reclined posture. A seat pan with a sliding mechanism is also a beneficial feature. This allows small and tall users to adjust the distance of the seat pan from the backrest. Adequate lumbar support is the most crucial element of a backrest. Inadequate lumbar support places excess pressure on the spine. The backrest should either be small enough to fit into the small of the back, clearing the pelvis and back of the rib cage, or curved to provide adequate support.
Many chairs come with a built-in lumbar adjustment, which can be adjusted by turning a knob on the side of the chair. This is best if more than one person will be using the chair. You may also want to look for a chair that has back supports that are large enough to provide mid-back and upper back support as well. Adjustable height and width are absolutely necessary when purchasing a chair with armrests. The armrest should be made of a soft material and should be at least 2" wide to provide adequate surface area. Almost all chairs come with some type of seat height adjustment. This is probably the single most import adjustment mechanism on a chair. It allows you to adjust the chair so your feet can rest properly on the floor while your upper body is properly aligned with your tools such as a computer, display monitor, or keyboard. While hydraulic adjustments are standard on most chairs, pneumatic adjustments are a nice feature as they allow you to adjust the seat height while you are sitting on the chair.
Make sure the mechanism to adjust the seat is easy to reach. Chair Recline or Tilt Adjustability The chair recline or tilt adjustment changes the angle of the entire seat relative to the floor. As with backrest angle adjustability, a reclined chair transfers some of the upper body weight to the backrest of the chair. Keep in mind that locking the backrest in one position isn't recommended or beneficial. Footrest - in most cases you should not need to use a footrest. However, if you need additional foot support choose a free-standing floor-mounted support that allows you to rest your feet in front of you in a comfortable position. Fabric - when choosing a chair, keep in mind cleaning and maintenance of the chair when making your choice. Cloth upholstery is the most common covering but may not be easy to keep clean. Vinyl or leather covers are easier to clean but don't breath as well and may make your legs warm. In addition to using a chair that allows you to sit properly, there are other precautions you can take to minimize discomfort and injury while sitting:
Most importantly, take frequent breaks. Stand up, stretch, and take a few deep breaths. This will help increase your blood flow and reduce fatigue. Be aware of your posture during your sitting time. Correct yourself if you find you are slouching or moving out of the correct position. Small changes like these can go a long way to keeping yourself comfortable and healthy.Sitting is one of the worst positions for the body to maintain. After just 20 minutes hunched over in a chair, blood pools in the legs and immense pressure builds on the spine. Now, imagine the effects of sedentary workdays long term. For employees at startups and tech companies, our jobs are desk-bound (that is, until treadmill desks are affordable in bulk). So, it's a good thing that expert's tips to prevent serious injury are rather simple — take frequent breaks and stand as often as possible. Prolonged sitting causes discomfort, numbness and spine misalignment. Holding the body upright also increases tension in major muscles and joints.
All that means stationary time at work can lead to cardiovascular disease (because of less blood flow), tightened hip flexors, shortened hamstrings, pinched nerves and many physical injuries in the long run. New York City chiropractor Dr. Jan Lefkowitz treats pinched nerves, spilled discs, carpal tunnel, back pain and stiff necks full time. His Body in Balance chiropractic office resides in the corporate heart of Midtown NYC. The majority of his clients work 50 to 80 hours weekly. Body pain, herniated discs, nerve problems and painful joints are direct results of long office hours, says Dr. Lefkowitz. When you're sitting, the spine is under a lot of pressure. Our bodies were made to stand, so maintaining the seated position is physically stressful. "The weight is distributed in a standing position," says Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., a health psychologist at Stanford University and a leading expert in neck and back pain. That's not the case with sitting. McGonigal explains, "When you sit, you distort the natural curve of the spine, which means your back muscles have to do something to hold your back in shape because you're no longer using the natural curves of the spine to lift yourself up against gravity."
Around 80% of Americans will experience chronic pain in their lifetime as a result, she says. Desk work is putting a huge mental and physical stress on our bodies. Bad posture makes the sitting disease even worse. Slipped discs is a direct result. "When the posture breaks down, it causes a lot of spinal problems," Lefkowitz says. "If you are sitting down with bad posture and you're slouching, you can only handle 20 minutes of that before it deforms your ligaments." Good posture when sitting maintains the three natural curves of a healthy spine. The neck is forward, the upper back has an outward curve and the lower back is inward. Elbows are at the sides of the body and shoulders are relaxed — holding shoulders upright for a long time will strain the area. "The main point is avoid slouching, you have to sit up straight and sit all the way back in your chair," Lefkowitz says. "The chair should be tucked in close to desk. And, you need lumbar (lower back) support."
Inexpensive remedies are available. Either roll up a thick sweater or use a small pillow behind your back to allow your lower back to curve inward. Aim to insert it in between the small of your back and the chair. Another recommendation to avoid pulling muscles or causing pain is simply standing every 20 minutes or so. It's the most important thing desk workers can do to give the body a break from a long held position. "That will push the blood out of your legs and will prevent ligaments from getting strained," Lefkowitz says. "It starts to stretch out your ligaments." Simple stretches at your desk such as twisting, turning the head from side-to-side and chin tucks upward towards the ceiling will also help. "Those movements, doing them very regularly, at least once an hour, for 60 seconds will do more to relieve chronic pain than going to a yoga class once a week," McGonigal says. Stand at least every hour at your desk. Do simple stretches throughout the day such as placing your hands on your lower back and stretching backwards.