The Best Ergonomic Chairs for Sydney’s Offices
An ergonomic chair is designed to provide maximum support and comfort while sitting. There is a range of different ergonomic chairs catered to suit different people’s needs and personal preferences, which we’ll go through below. Deciding which one is best is often a matter of trying out different types to see what works for you.
As experienced commercial interior designers, the team at Vestra commonly help businesses in Sydney improve workplace ergonomics during office fit out and refurbishment projects. This includes helping to source ergonomic chairs as well as technologies like sit/stand desks and creating office layouts that encourage incidental movement.
What to Look for in an Ergonomic Chair
Finding the right ergonomic chair is dependent on your stature and the type of work you’re doing. Some basic things to look for include and adjustable height and adjustable backrest to allow you to keep your feet flat on the floor, thighs horizontal and arms horizontal at desk height.
Lumbar (lower back) support is essential. This prevents slouching during prolonged sessions of sitting. The backrest should also accommodate the curve of the spine well. The lumbar curve on an ergonomic chair rounds out forward while the thoracic curve rounds out backward. All components should be adjustable to suit different body types.
Kneeling Ergonomic Chair
These chairs use a modified kneeling position and typically have no back. It instead features a forward-slanting seat with a resting pad for your shins/knees, encouraging you to keep your spine straight. While seated, your hips are positioned forward, aligning the back, shoulders and neck. Your weight should be distributed between your pelvis and legs, decreasing the load on the spine.
Saddle Ergonomic Chair
A saddle chair looks just like a horse saddle. Some saddle chairs have backrests, however, most don’t. The idea is that this style of chair allows your legs to drop and widen, creating a stable posture. The position is described to feel between sitting and standing. Adding these chairs to your commercial interiors can help users strengthen back muscles while preventing slouching.
Exercise Ball Ergonomic Chair
These chairs are designed to encourage active sitting and incidental movement with a sturdy ball taking the place of a traditional seat. This slight bouncing movement helps stimulate circulation and keep your muscles active. This reduces stress on your back as well as fatigue while making it difficult to slouch.
Avoid Always Sitting
No matter what kind of chair you include in your commercial interiors, you should aim to avoid sitting in it all day at work. Another ergonomic alternative is standing desks. Standing in one spot for long periods can become strenuous, however, so providing the option for both is ideal.
By installing stand-up desks that are easily adjustable during your commercial interior fit out, you can offer staff the best of both worlds. This means you can incorporate both sitting and standing throughout your work day depending on what suits your current energy level and tasks.
Contact Our Commercial Interior Designers in Sydney
Whether you’re looking to renovate or upgrade your current office or complete an entirely new office fit out and refurbishment, get in touch with the experts at Vestra. We provide exciting commercial interior fit out projects across Sydney. Contact us today to find out more or get started
