Everyone knows that sitting for hours in the office is bad for the back, but we rarely do anything about it. Backcare Awareness Week, which runs from 6 to 12 October, is a good time to change your usual office chair for one that offers better ergonomic support. But there are a lot to choose from, so to help you out, here’s our pick. 1. Humanscale Freedom Office Chair, £999, John Lewis With a backrest that automatically adapts to your body shape and headrest that moves according to how far you recline, the Humanscale Freedom Office Chair offers the latest in ergonomic technology. Plus, the snug cushions mould to the shape of your body. At nearly a thousand pounds, it’s a lot to cough up for a chair, but worthwhile if you want one of the best on the market. 2. Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair, £925, John Lewis If you are a design buff, this is the one for you. The Museum of Modern Art in New York has an Aeron in its permanent collection, so its design credentials are well established.
But this chair is not just pretty to look at – its cushions are made from Pellicle, a high tech material which avoids heat build-ups, helping prevent muscular discomfort. 3. Comfort Operator Chair, £49, Office Furniture Online It’s not a thing of beauty, but the Comfort Operator Chair is good value for its specification. The three levers allow you to vary the height of the chair and tilt the back rest and seat. Also, the curved foam provides good ergonomic support. This is the reliable Volkswagen – rather than the flashy Ferrari – of the office chair world. Available with or without arms. 4. HÅG Capisco Saddle Chair, £291, Wellworking If you find yourself fidgeting in your usual seat, try the Saddle Chair. The unique design, modelled on a horse rider’s saddle, allows you to sit equally comfortably whether facing forward or turned to the side. Free movement does not have to cost the planet though – this product is made from recycled car bumpers. 5. Classic Balance Ball Chair, £80, amazon
You are sure to be greeted with a few raised eyebrows when you bring this into the office, but bemusement could soon turn into envy. Not only is the Classic Balance Ball Chair comfortable, but the act of balancing on it also gives you a powerful core-strengthening workout. 6. Herman Miller Sayl Office Chair, £383, Wellworking Effective spine and neck support needn’t result in a sweaty back. Inspired by the design principles of suspension bridges and modelled on a ship’s sail, the webbed chair back allows good air circulation, keeping you cool. Comes in four colours. 7. Markus Swivel Chair, £130, Ikea This is one of the cheapest executive style office chairs on the market. Offering easy height adjustment and a lockable tilt function – plus a headrest for good neck support – you get all the basics for a reasonable price. Also, this product comes with a 10 year guarantee, so it won’t risk your hard earned cash. 8. Back App Ergonomic Stool, £556, Back2
When you sit on the Back App your feet are placed on the footboard rather than the floor. This allows the chair to rotate around as you move, allowing a greater freedom of movement than that offered by conventional office chairs. At first this can make your lower back feel tired, but after a week or so this should go away. For wacky style with green credentials, go for the HÅG Capisco Saddle Chair. If you are on more of a budget, the Comfort Operator or the Markus Swivel Chairs are your best bet. Office chair technophiles with money to spend should consider the Humanscale Freedom. But for sheer workmanship and iconic design, the Aeron is my top pick. IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing Teknik Cobham Luxury Mesh Back Executive Chair Home Office
Special Offers and Product Promotions Also check our best rated Office Chair reviews 79,230 in Office Products (See top 100) in Office Products > Furniture & Lighting > Home Office Furniture > Chairs & Sofas > Desk Chairs Date First Available17 Aug. 2012 Mesh High Back Extra Padded Grey Swivel Office Chair with Head Support & Adjustable Arms (Grey) Chair Mat Hard Floor Protection PVC W900xD1200mm Clear/Transparent Hi-tek mesh back executive chair with breathable seat and adjustable lumbar function. Padded height adjustable armrests and headrest. Fully synchronising mechanism with weight tension control. See all 22 customer reviews See all 22 customer reviews (newest first) the back doesn't adjust forwards enough, the headrest is too low and the lumbar support slipsComfortable for long periods and well made. Fits my big ass quite well. It's not that good a chair in my opinion. The quality is good bit I just can't make it comfortable for actually working.
Easy to put together. Love the way it reclines. Lasted so well, just returning it's replacement a model that just didn't match upall my friends and family hate to seat on it! !.very good delivery and helpful company thats way i didn't return, One of the most comfortable chair I've ever had. Home & Garden > Home & Garden Home & Kitchen > Furniture > Home Office Furniture > Chairs & Sofas > Desk Chairs Stationery & Office Supplies > Furniture & Lighting > Home Office Furniture > Chairs & Sofas About Best Sellers in Desk Chairs These lists, updated hourly, contain best-selling items.You do not have the Flash or Quicktime plugin and your browser does not support HTML5 video. Office chair buying guide We offer a wide range of home office chairs, from simple stools for web surfing, to complex ergonomic seats for long hours at your desk. With so much choice, our guide makes buying the perfect chair easy – all you have to do is assess your needs and working style.
Watch the video above for more information on chair ergonomics. If you're considering installing a proper home office, we offer a fitted office service in our shops - find out more. Ergonomics is the application of scientific information to the design of objects, systems and environment, making them more efficient and comfortable to use. Ergonomically correct and comfortable seating should provide stable body support in a varietyof postures. In addition, the design of the workplace and furniture should encourage a certain amount of movement and changing of posture. The main requirements for good seating are that: circulation in the thighs is not restricted, the posture requires little muscular effort to maintain, the loading (stress) on the spine is minimised and maintains the natural S-shape of the spine without the need for muscular tension. A good work chair should be: fit for the intended purpose, enabling you to move freely and carry out tasks comfortably and efficiently
able to accommodate everyone who intends to use it, regardless of size or shape supportive of your body in a number of comfortable postures suited to your workstation, especially the height of the table or desk and the layout of the equipment on it. How long will you be using the chair for? occasionally - less than 2 hours a day working part-time between 2 to 4 hours a day more than 4 hours a day - more or less full time The longer you’re using the chair, the more adjustable features you’ll need. All the adjustments should be within easy reach and you should be able to operate them, while seated, with minimal effort. Lumbar support is essential if you’re going to use the chair for long periods Will anyone else be using your chair? If s/he is quite different to you in height, weight and build, then you’ll need a chair which easily adjusts for each of you, and has height-adjustable lumbar support. This is the most important feature.
Your feet should rest flat on the floor without compressing the back of your thighs, otherwise you’ll restrict blood supply to your lower legs and feet – resulting in tired and possibly numb legs. When you’re working at a table which can’t be adjusted in height, adjust your chair according to the height of your table, lowering the chair until your elbows are just above the table top. If your feet still don’t rest flat on the floor, get a footrest. If the seat depth isn’t adjustable, it should at least allow you to sit right at the back of the chair without pressing the backs of your knees. You need to sit right at the back of the chair to use the backrest correctly and support your lumbar. It’s essential that the chair has a backrest with an appropriate size and shape, to support the lower and middle back properly without restricting arm or shoulder movements. The backrest should help you to maintain the natural S-shape of your spine when you’re sitting.
Tilting the backrest allows you to adopt different postures, e.g. upright, or semi-reclined. When you sit on a work chair, the angle between your thighs and back should be around 95 to 105 degrees so that your abdomen and chest are open and not compressed. Opening up more of the angle between your body and thighs lets you breathe better, sending more oxygen to your muscles. The human body isn’t designed for static postures, especially sitting. The longer you work, the more important the chair movement becomes, such as the ability to recline. It’s better to make small movements in the chair rather than continually fidgeting. Such chair movements depend on your weight, so office chairs should ideally have auto weight adjustment. If not, you should be able to adjust the tension of the backrest, so that you’re in total balance whether you’re upright or leaning back, and able to maintain good posture without having to exert excessive force. If you’re going to spend some time in the chair, you need to support the weight of your arms.
Fixed height armrests are fine for occasional use, but for extended use, they should adjust, at least in height. Height adjustable arms can be lowered to go neatly under the desk when the chair’s not in use. The best ergonomic chairs will allow you to change the width between armrests to suit your body width, so that they are close to you where you need them. If the armrests prevent you getting close to the table or desk, you’ll end up sitting at the front edge of seat and not be able to use the backrest correctly, losing lumbar support. This is also a very important feature. When you’re working, you may need to reach other parts of the table or desk. If the chair doesn’t swivel, you may have to frequently twist your back to reach – not good for your back. The seat, armrest and backrest should be padded firmly enough to support you, but should feel soft enough for you not to feel pressure points, or the hardness of the chair frame, on the base of the two prongs of your pelvis.