Many ergonomic office chairs lack the adjust-ability needed to fully support the back and legs. Back pains develop after only a matter of hours when you must slouch forward to work on your computer. You can also develop pains in your lower back if the back of your chair leans too far back. This is because the spine curves between the lower back and upper parts of the torso, so both the lower and upper back need support to prevent muscles from clenching from the strain.
This is an all too common occurrence in the American office place. When companies look for new office furniture and cubicle workstations, they tend to get in a hurry and focus most of their attention on workstation design. Whoever oversees purchasing office furniture –usually an office manager, facilities manager, or human resources director—devotes the bulk of the budget toward desking systems, conference tables, reception areas, and cubicles. He or she then uses the rest of the budget to order office chairs, assuming that any model labeled “adjustable” will do the trick so long as its cost is not too high.
This is a dangerous assumption that can negatively impact productivity and directly degrade employee health. Chairs that do not fully support the back and legs will create such discomfort in workers that they will constantly have to get up to reduce the stress on their bodies. This impacts workflow and damages morale, which in turn can total significant losses over an extended time period.
Leg pains will develop if workers are sitting in seats that are too high off the floor. In order for the legs to remain comfortably supported, a worker’s feet should be flat on the floor at all times. Employees who are exceptionally tall or short may not be able to adjust their chairs to the proper height because the chair is designed only with people of average heights in mind. Cubicle World can help you find ergonomic office chairs that will accommodate persons of all body types.
Back pains result when the backrest is either poorly designed or lacks the adjustability necessary to keep the worker at a 90-degree angle from the floor. One common misperception is that a tilting backrest is better because it reclines like a living room chair at home. This can pull muscles in the lower back and create severe aches and pains after long periods of leaning back. The backrest should follow the S-curve of the human spine and have just enough “give” to cushion the weight of the upper body. However, it should also provide a firm enough support that muscles in the back remain relaxed throughout the workdayay.
If you have received complaints from your employees that their office chairs are uncomfortable, don’t let anticipated costs lead you to delay replacing those chairs immediately. Cubicle World can supply your office with new chairs that are competitively priced against those found in office supply stores. Each one of these models is rated for an 8-hour work day, and each one of them features height, backrest, and armrest adjustments that will keep the feet flat on the ground, the back at a 90-degree angle to the legs, and the forearms even with the desk surface.
Email us pictures of any office chairs that workers have complained hurt their backs and legs. If you like the look of that chair, we can find you something similar that is also ergonomically sound. That way you will not have to replace every chair in your office all at once, and you can keep your interior design consistent while improving conditions for your employees. Call now to get started.
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