Orthopedic chairs

Why you might want an adjustable task chair

There are a number of reasons why having an adjustable task chair is a good idea and all of these reasons are based around the fact that different tasks and different sized people have different requirements.

Accepting this, it becomes clear that the greater the number of adjustable features, the more precisely the chair can be customised to the user and the seated tasks in question. Getting good orthopedic support is important if you are going to remain in a seated position for several hours every day.

Essential features

A typical task chair is an office style chair and most of these chairs will have some degree of feature adjustability to make them as ergonomic as possible.

The critical features that every task chair should (must) have are seat height adjustment and backrest angle adjustment. Without these options it is unlikely that most people will be able to achieve a comfortable and “task appropriate” sitting posture.

Seat height is vital because it is difficult to work if you cannot place your feet “flat” on the floor. Equally, if the seat level is so low that your knees are lifting off the seat (i.e. the angle between the upper and lower legs is less than 90 degrees), then this is not healthy.

Backrest angle is one of personal preference, but it is also influenced by the nature of the task that is being performed. As an example, using a computer and keyboard should be quite comfortable with the back being angled backwards. Writing however requires the body to lean forwards and when this is the case the backrest may be more comfortable with a much more vertical incline. In both cases the advantages of an adjustable backrest become obvious.

Additional features of a task chair

In addition to seat height and backrest angle, there are many other chair components that can be adjustable and all will add to the orthopedic quality of the chair’s support. Which features a chair includes will normally be dictated by how much the chair costs with the more expensive chairs offering a greater degree of posture customisation.

The extra features to look for include the following.

Seat angle or tilt – this is an important adjustment that allows the angle or incline of the seat to be altered. This means that you can have the seat tilted down at the front and up at the back, or vice versa. This should be a high priority position changing option.

Seat slide – some of the better ergonomic chairs have a seat that will slide backwards or forwards. This makes it possible to get the front edge of the seat positioned perfectly in front (but not pressing against) the inside of the knees. This is particularly important for people who have either long or short legs.

Lumbar support – Different people have different views on the merits of a lumbar support in the backrest of the chair. The advantage is that it can be adjusted or inflated (depending on how it works) to fill the inner curve in the lower back – hence offering extra support. The problem can be that, if the level of this lumbar support does not coincide with the back of the individual seated on the chair, the feature can be wasted or even detrimental. For this reason a lumbar support will work best if the chair backrest has height adjustment.

Backrest height adjustment – Having a height (sliding up or down) adjustable backrest makes sure that one, that full length of the back is supported and two, any lumbar projection or bolster can be accurately positioned.

Other features that may be altered include armrests (e.g. height and horizontal angle), a head rest, and the springiness of the chair (i.e. the way it reacts when you sit on it or change position).

It is also a good idea to look for an ergonomic chair that has a waterfall eat. This simply means that the front edge of the seat falls away ensuring that there is no pressure on the underside of the knees or the front of the thighs.

This task chair - avoiding back problems page offers some advice on how to reduce or remove back ache and discomfort if you spend a long time sat working from a task or office chair.