Complete Guide to Buying Office Chairs imageWhen setting up a workspace, whether it is at home or in a dedicated office, there are many different factors to consider. An office needs to be set up in order to maximize productivity, creativity, and...Read More about Complete Guide to Buying Office ChairsErgonomic chairs (drafting) or ergonomic drafting stools sits you "higher" than your ergonomic desk chair where you would mainly be typing away at your computer. Drafting chairs or stools were originally used by architects for drafting on large desks that were inclined to accommodate the large draft paper sizes. Today, these drafting chairs and stools are commonly used at bar height work stations by draftsmen, retail stores, and internet cafes etc. The ergonomic principles of sitting also apply to drafting chairs - back support, elbows leveled with the desk, eyes leveled with the monitor etc. See also correct posture at a computer. Hence, a lot of the ergonomic features seen on regular office chairs have also been incorporated into drafting chairs.
The distinct difference between an ergonomic chair (drafting) and regular ergonomic desk chair, aside from the height adjustable features, is the ring around the stem of the ergonomic chair (drafting) to support the user's feet such that their legs are comfortably positioned at a 90 degree angle. Height adjustment of the ergonomic chair allows the user to adjust the height to achieve an ergonomic position for the back, arms, body and legs. See also Choosing (adjusting) the Perfect Ergonomic Back Chair. The designs of ergonomic drafting stools and chairs are also similar to regular ergonomic chairs with a variety of materials and colors (mesh back, leather, fabric). See our favorite ergonomic drafting chair. A few popular sites that offer descriptions and prices include Go back to Ergonomic Computer Chairs. Return from Ergonomic Drafting Chairs to Ergonomics Info HomeDrafting chairs were originally designed for use by architects and engineers, who need to sit for long hours at an end at drafting tables in order to come up with plans and sketches.
Eventually, however, the use of drafting chairs were extended to other people who are also required to be on their chairs for long durations so they could work, such as secretaries, writers, data-entry workers and such.Good drafting chairs are always designed with ergonomics in mind. Ergonomics, also called human engineering or biotechnology, is an application of scientific knowledge in the workplace. In ergonomics, the aim is to increase workers’ productivity and at the same time minimize the injuries sustained by these workers’ bodies in the execution of their work.Ergonomics is a catch phrase in offices nowadays, and those who want to sell office and industrial furniture are sure to tag the word “ergonomics" to their products just so they could sell more briskly. So, the drafting chairs you may end up buying may not exactly conform to ergonomic standards. It is therefore important to examine the drafting chairs you would purchase before shelling out the cash to see if they really are ergonomic.
What should you look for when buying drafting chairs? The first thing that you should take note of when you are in the market for drafting chairs is that they should be comfortable. If the body is comfortable sitting on the chair despite working for long hours, the chances for sustaining work-related injuries are minimized. The chair will provide ample support for the muscles of the back, the arms and the legs, and will not hamper the circulation of blood in the body.The drafting chairs that you should buy should also have ample room for the girth of the body. If it pinches at the hips, you should then look for a bigger one. Drafting chairs should be of the right size for your body so it would be comfortable and the flow of blood inside the body will not be hindered.When purchasing drafting chairs, you should see to it that they are adjustable to fit the length of the leg and the height of the arms. They should also have foot rings. When sitting, the feet should remain flat, whether on the floor or on a raised platform.
This is supposed to keep the blood circulation going unhampered in the body. The arms should also be parallel to the ground to prevent the development of carpal tunnel syndrome.Good drafting chairs also have ample cushioning on the end for supporting the knees, on the curve for the small of the back, and on the seat itself for supporting the weight of the person sitting on it. The cushioning in drafting chairs is important because it prevents the muscles from going sore because of sitting down for so long, particularly for the lower back and the buttocks. The padding on the end of the chair is supposed to prevent the back of the knees from getting pinched, which would prevent the blood from flowing freely through the body.Other features that you can look at when buying drafting chairs are its recline and tilt, as well as the seat pan angling.Choose your drafting chairs wisely not just so you could get a good buy, but also to protect your body from work-related injuries. We are unable to process your request at this time and apologize for any inconvenience.
If this error persists, please contact us so that we can assist you. To contact us regarding this matter, or for any assistance you may require, click here. To return to the Home Page, click here.The wrong chair = real health problems. (Total read time: 8 minutes) In this post I’ll cover how I identified the best high-end chairs in the world, which I ultimately chose, and the tangible results that followed. In January of 2005, I found myself on a veranda in Panama after the usual afternoon rain, dreaming of the upcoming year and reflecting on lessons learned since leaving the US. Maria Elena, the matriarch of the Panamanian family that had adopted me, sipped her iced tea and pointed at my bruised feet: “Tim, let me share some advice I was once given. Buy the most comfortable bed and pair of shoes you can afford. If you’re not in one, you’ll be in the other.” I followed her advice upon returning to CA and the results were sudden: Plantar Fasciitis disappeared, as did shoulder impingement after switching from coil-spring to foam-layered mattresses.
But what about chairs? On January 4th, 2009, I tweeted out the following: “Is the Aeron chair worth it? http://tr.im/2uxd Do you have any fave chairs for extended sitting and writing?” Even though I’m financially comfortable now, I didn’t grow up spending a lot of money, which I’m thankful for. To this day, I’ve never paid for first-class airfare for myself. Not that it isn’t worth it — I just can’t do it. Similarly, I had trouble believing a chair could possibly be worth $850-$1,200, but my back pain led me to pose the question to the omniscient Interweb. More than 95% of Aeron users replied with “yes, absolutely”, but it wasn’t the only chair with a cult-like following. Four of the five are manufactured by Herman Miller (HM) and Humanscale (HS). Prices are from Amazon, as are the star reviews, but discounts of $200-400 can be negotiated with dealers. Both eBay and Craiglist offer similar discounts. In descending order of popularity:
1. Aeron (Fully loaded) (HM) – $879 (1 review; average review: 5 stars) Used at NASA mission control and tech start-ups worldwide.2. Mirra (fully loaded) (HM) – $829 (14 reviews; average review: 4.5 stars) Note: the Herman Miller sales representatives I spoke with preferred the Mirra seat feel for shorter legs vs. the Aeron. Easier to adjust: Mirra is about 9 revolutions from loosest to tightest settings; 3. SwingChair – $495 Recommended by a strong contingent of writers, including one of my favorite visual storytellers, Kathy Sierra. I like the design concept, but I would suggest other forms of “core exercise”. 4. Liberty (HS) – $899 (6 reviews; average review: 3.5 stars) 5. Freedom Task Chair with Headrest (HS) – $999.99 (1 review, average: 4 stars) Used at the FBI and by other governmental agencies with three-letter acronyms. 6. Embody – $1,800 list price (negotiated with dealer: $1,200-1,300): Basis of chair design – sitting is bad;
Even in locked position, it still has some backward flex at the top position. No forward tilt option. For personal testing, I also added a Swiss-ball chair (Isokinetics Balance Ball Chair – $75) to the mix, as seen below: Surprisingly, the Isokinetics chair is more comfortable than most fixed chairs I tested, though there is some minor… ahem… testicular compression that isn’t nearly as pleasant as it sounds. If you don’t have jewels to worry about, this chair could well be an ideal cost-effective choice. The chair I most wanted to test was the Mirra, which seems to have the best combination of price point (bought used or via eBay) and multiple 5-star reviews. Not to mention it’s also the name of one of the best BMXers of all time. In the end, I bought a used C-size (technically a bit too large for me) Aeron for $450 on Craigslist. I’m impatient and didn’t want to wait over the weekend to schedule sittings for other Herman Miller chairs with a certified dealer.
Once I have some conclusive comparable data, I want closure.I’m 5′ 8″ and 170 lbs., but the C works with no problem. 1) The lumbar support is — by far — the primary determinant of comfort or pain. I’ve lowered this adjustment and found that maintaining the natural S-curve through pressure on the lower back is what prevents pain most consistently. Comfortable sitting time is now 7-8 hours vs. less than 2 hours, with no ill after-effects. Sliding lumbar support on the Aeron. 2) Seat height (and secondarily, depth) will determine the rest. If the flats of your feet don’t make complete contact with the floor, you will move your hips forward and slouch, eliminating the S-curve in the lower lumbar. If your seat is too low and your knees are above your hips, you will shorten the habitual range your hip flexors (negative neural adaptation) and end up with severe lower-back pain. Aim to keep your hamstrings parallel to the floor, and if the seat is too long for your femur (thigh bone) — as is mildly the case with my C-size Aeron — just separate your knees a bit.
If you’re not wearing a tight skirt, I’ve found a basketball of space between the knees to provide the best lateral stabilization, which reduces torso fatigue. Take off heels when sitting at a desk, lest you end up with hot calves and Quasimodo-like posture. Not good for mating. If you are wearing a tight skirt, I suggest taking up the Japanese tea ceremony and sitting on tatami side saddle. It’ll be more comfortable than crossing your legs all day.True, I’ve thought more about chairs in the last few weeks than anyone should, but I do it to save you the trouble. Benefit from my OCD so you can obsess on other things. 3) Using a 3′ long and 6″ diameter foam roller three times per day for 5 minutes can eliminate persistent middle-back pain from mediocre chair use; conversely, it can extend your comfortable sitting time by 30-40%. Knowledge workers often log more ass-in-seat time than sleep. Coders, in particular, are often subjected to a steady diet of Mountain Dew and hunching for 12+-hour marathons.
I don’t put in these hours, but I found myself with severe mid-upper back pain from using a non-adjustable chair and craning over a desk that was too low, even for 30-60 minutes per day. Two doctors suggested various therapies, but a quick experiment (placing a laptop on top of a dresser and writing while standing for two days) proved that posture was the problem. In less than a week following my switch to the Aeron, all upper middle-back (lower trapezius, rhomboid major) pain disappeared completely. The results: better output during work and writing, faster and deeper sleep, and a huge smack on the forehead. Why the hell didn’t I do this earlier? In my case, was it worth it at $450? Particularly looking at the value of time per hour and the lost income due to doctor visits, massage, etc., this is $450 I should have invested years ago. Odds and Ends: Twitter Giveaway WinnersThe travel bag and Fujitsu color travel scanner are gone. More giveaways coming here this week…