| Are modern office chairs just getting too difficult to set | | | | The first of these is seat depth adjustment and is quite |
| up and adjust? In a private survey some years ago | | | | an important consideration for anyone who isn't of |
| conducted by Herman Miller they discovered that a | | | | average height. The reason is very simple, it allows |
| large percentage of office chair users frequently only | | | | you to set the chair's seat depth to match your leg |
| ever adjusted the height of their and were unaware of | | | | length and make sure you are properly supported and |
| how to use the other adjustments. | | | | comfortable in your chair. |
| We're going to take a look at the trend for | | | | The other area is height adjustable arms, not that |
| complicating office seat design, the essential features | | | | everyone likes to have arms on their chair and is this |
| that you need, a few extras that would be nice to | | | | includes you then that is fine. |
| have and finally some products that have simplified the | | | | However, for those who do prefer arms, go for height |
| adjustment process. | | | | adjustable arms as they allow you to adjust your arm |
| By the end of this article you should have a good | | | | positioning to minimize the risk of RSI. |
| understanding of what adjustments you really need on | | | | Finally, let's consider some models that have made |
| an office chair. | | | | their adjustment as simple as possible. |
| So, why is it that office seating seems to be getting | | | | One manufacturer that has gone a long way to do this |
| ever more complicated and difficult to adjust? A lot of | | | | is HÅG of Norway. All the adjustments on their |
| this probably goes back to the launch of the Aeron | | | | chairs are by color coded levers and their products |
| ergonomic chair in the mid nineties. Here was a chair | | | | come with a little guide book to explain how they work. |
| that could literally be adjusted to the user's exact body | | | | Humanscale have also produced an excellent product |
| shape and weight. | | | | in their Freedom ergonomic chair, this too is simple to |
| This probably wrong-footed a lot of office chair | | | | set up and things like the user's weight are |
| manufacturers who responded by adding all sorts of | | | | automatically compensated for by the chair's |
| bolt on goodies that really weren't necessary or useful. | | | | mechanism. |
| To keep it simple what are the essential features that | | | | If you are prepared to think out of the square you |
| your office chair must have? | | | | could always try something like the Kneelsit ergonomic |
| Well obviously any office swivel chair needs to be | | | | computer chair. It's completely different to a |
| height adjustable by means of a pneumatic gas lift, this | | | | conventional office seat but is nonetheless an excellent |
| is one thing that isn't complicated to adjust on most | | | | alternative to a conventional office chair. |
| chairs. | | | | So, to summarize keep things as simple as possible, go |
| Next, the back height should be adjustable so that you | | | | for the essential features we discussed above and |
| can position it to give your back, particularly your lower | | | | avoid silly gizmos like mountainous sculpting to the chair |
| back, good healthy support. | | | | back, air bags etc. |
| The ability to adjust the chairs tilt tension is something | | | | Hopefully, you now know exactly what to look for in |
| you should insist on as this allows you to set the chair | | | | an office chair and won't be blinded and confused with |
| for your own weight requirements. | | | | irrelevant features that serve no real purpose.Take |
| And these are really the only essential features you | | | | sometime to look at the alternative products I |
| need, however there are a couple of additional | | | | mentioned by visiting my website via the link below, as |
| features you may consider, particularly if you are very | | | | there's loads of additional information to be found there. |
| tall. | | | | |