As you continue to work from home at your DIY desk set up, you may have begin to feel the strain that sitting for prolonged periods of time can put on a body. If said strain has led you to wonder whether its worth investing in a better more ergonomic office chair, the answer is yes.
While we were doing our best during the first couple of months to get creative and adapt with what we have to make the most out of our space we have reached the point where we may actually be here for longer than originally expected.
Makeshift set ups can cause many problems including back, shoulder and wrist pain.
Despite the fact that sitting requires less effort than standing or walking, sitting for prolonged periods of time puts a great stress on the spine and neck especially in the Lumbar area. Chronic stress overload (strain and sprain) of the ligaments, muscles, joints and fascia can be a potential mechanism of pain while sitting. Pain occurs secondary to local inflammation of soft tissue increasing nocioception stimulation. Poor postural habits and prolonged stationary positions without regular breaks can lead to injury.
Back pain is one of the most common work-related injury and is often caused by ordinary work activities such as sustaining prolonged positions or heavy lifting. Poor body mechanics (slouching in an office chair), prolonged postures, repetitive motions and fatigue are major contributors to injury. Applying ergonomic principles can help prevent back pain and injury.
A good office chair will help you maintain a neutral posture. Make sure you align your back against the back of the office chair and seat back to lightly touch the back of the head without forcing neck into flexion. Keep feet flat on floor, ankles and knees at 90 degrees, Arms at your sides, elbows at 90 degrees, wrists are supported and neutral. This position will be slightly different on each person so the best way to find neutral posture is with an adjustable chair- one that is intuitive as possible.
When looking to buy a good chair here are some things to look at:
Adjustability: make sure the seat height is adjustable to keep your hips at knees at 90 degrees with feet flat on the floor while you work
Backrest: make sure the backrest provides maximum support to sit comfortably- a mesh back is flexible, dynamic and breathes. It adjusts to temperature changes to keep you cool and comfortable
Stability: check for a five point base to ensure proper stability in the chair
Lumbar Support: an adjustable lumbar support helps to maintain neutral spine while minimizing the compressive forces
Other features to consider: look for features that will help someone do their job better. Adjustable armrests are good for computer operators. Try to determine a suitable width of armrests to the user.
Even though the right ergonomic chair can help alleviate pain as you sit throughout the day while you work from home it is still important to take frequent breaks and continue working on postural retraining exercises.
By: Dr. Carmel Bachar