| Before you go out and buy a chair for your office | | | | This is a feature of chairs called recliners. If you go for |
| because you like the look of it, you should realize that | | | | a recliner, make sure that the base is stable, so that |
| not all chairs are equal. An office chair should be seen | | | | you do not go over. A five-pronged star shaped base |
| as an ergonomic piece of health and safety apparatus, | | | | is the most common design, but there are others too. |
| although that does not mean that it does cannot be | | | | The base is usually on five casters to obviate the |
| attractive too. I will explain what you should look for in | | | | need to stretch and lean, if you need to get to a |
| an ergonomic office chair over the next few | | | | near-by filing cabinet. |
| paragraphs. | | | | The seat or the seat pan is important. These are |
| The most essential feature of any chair that you will | | | | adaptable on some more expensive chairs, but it is |
| have to use for a lengthy interval of time is the height | | | | better to test these features 'for fit' on those that are |
| of the seat itself off the floor. You most restful | | | | not. The leading edge of the chair should be rounded |
| long-term seated posture is with your thighs parallel to | | | | so as not to interfere with your circulation. For the |
| the floor and your feet flat on the floor. If you cannot | | | | same reason, there should be a decent gap between |
| find a chair to fit your proportions or if the chair will be | | | | the leading edge and the back of your knees. |
| used by various people, then you will have to obtain an | | | | The seat should be at a comfortable incline, one that |
| adaptable one. | | | | suits you. Most chairs have seat pans that are parallel |
| The chair should be adjustable while you are sitting on | | | | to the floor, which suits most people, but a reclining |
| it in order to make sure that you get it right. The old | | | | chair remedies this problem automatically, as they |
| fashioned method was to wind the seat up or down | | | | recline forwards and backwards. The fabric of the |
| on a screw by spinning it round and round. The | | | | seat should be one that breathes and is comfortable. |
| modern method is to pump it up hydraulically. | | | | This is one of the reasons why leather is favoured. It |
| There has to be a back to the chair, a stool is no good | | | | should also be padded and easily cleanable. |
| for long term seating. The back rest should incorporate | | | | While not absolutely necessary, arm rests can be |
| a lumber support. This lumber support ought to be | | | | useful for reading or taking a few minutes break. Good |
| adaptable too. It must go up and down, but some can | | | | arm rests will be height (and some even width) |
| be blown up as well. The back rest should also reach | | | | adjustable. With your arms by your sides, the arm |
| to the head, if it does not suit, then there should be an | | | | rests should reach your elbows. |
| adaptable head rest. Often there is a tilt device, which | | | | These suggestions are given in order to reduce the |
| allows the sitter to assume different postures for short | | | | possibility of strain and injury to those who spend |
| lengths of time. | | | | many hours at a time working at a desk. |