Which office chair is suitable for people with back pain?

• What does ergonomics mean?
• The best ergonomic chairs for the office
• Features of office chair suitable for back pain
• The best material for ergonomic chairs
• How to understand which office chair is more suitable for back pain?

Back pain is a very common problem among employees, especially for those who work long hours in the office. Although it seems that the spine of the body is in a good position while sitting, the fact is that a lot of load is placed on the back while sitting in a chair. For this reason, having an ergonomic chair that is suitable for back pain is essential; So that it provides the necessary rest to our spine and back so that it does not get too much pressure. It is estimated that 85% of people over the age of 50 suffer from episodes of chronic back pain. This issue is one of the main reasons for sick leave in companies.
Sitting all day can cause severe spine problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck and back pain, constant headaches, and other health-related problems. Using the right ergonomic chair for back pain can help prevent these problems.
Not all chairs on the market are the same; Therefore, sometimes it is worth investing more to ensure its durability and optimal effect on health; But what points should we pay attention to when choosing a chair for back pain? In the rest of the article, we will first define the term ergonomics and then we will examine the features that an ergonomic office chair should have.

What does ergonomics mean?

Ergonomics is the knowledge of studying and optimizing the interaction between people and the products, environments and systems they use. Work ergonomics seeks to improve the relationship between people and their work environment, especially the equipment they use. The field of ergonomics usually involves designing devices around the user's physical capabilities and comfort. Such products, such as office chairs or computer accessories, are often described or marketed as ergonomic, meaning that these products are designed to minimize physical effort and discomfort and maximize efficiency.

The best ergonomic chairs for the office:

The best ergonomic chairs are those that support our spine well; We must take care especially of the lower back, which bears the most stress. An ergonomic chair helps us maintain a healthier posture and thus prevent back pain.
To achieve this goal, having a suitable chair for back pain is not enough. In addition, we ourselves must maintain the correct body position while sitting on the chair, so an ergonomic chair will help us achieve this goal. Using an ergonomic chair that adapts to the body's spine allows us to avoid back and neck discomfort, helps reduce absenteeism due to physical injury, and improves work performance; Therefore, our choice to buy an office chair becomes a very important decision. 

features of an office chair suitable for back pain:
 

BIFMA Association, which consists of commercial and institutional furniture manufacturers; In 2002, this association first presented a set of ergonomic guidelines for office furniture, which were updated in 2019 and contained the following points:
1- The depth of the seat of the chair: it should be enough so that the back of the knees does not touch the chair.
2- The height of the seat should allow the user's feet to rest on the floor or footrest.
3- The width of the seat: it should be enough for the user to sit on it properly and feel comfortable.
4- Back: It should match the shape of the user's spine. It also has a lumbar support that maintains the lordosis curve of the lumbar spine.
5- The support of the arms: it must be adjustable up and down as well as inside and outside. This feature helps to reduce the pressure on the neck, shoulders and back.
The association also recommends that an ergonomic chair provides a healthy range of motion. The seat and the support should create different modes. The backrest should be tilted back from 90 degrees to at least 115 degrees. To tilt the back of the chair, keep in mind that the angle between the trunk and the thigh should not be less than 90 degrees.

Another feature that should be considered for an office chair suitable for back pain is that it is not fixed; It is better to choose a swivel chair with five legs. A healthy chair for our back should have an adjustable backrest. The mechanism that is usually located on the side of the chair allows you to adjust the support according to the needs of your body at any moment and fix it according to the position you want to adopt. This position causes much less pressure on the body's spine.
In addition, an ergonomic office chair should provide us with ease of movement and dynamic sitting; That is, we are not in the same position when sitting on a chair at different times, but we can change our body position at will. Frequent changes in position prevent negative lateral pressure on the intervertebral discs. Also, the fatigue caused by this pressure will be much less.
The height of the seat should also be adjustable according to the user. The height of the seat for a person with a height of 150 cm will not be the same as the height of a person who is 180 cm tall. We also need height and angle adjustable arms in the office chair. In this way, we can adapt it perfectly to our size, our arms rest and suffer less stress.
For the comfort of the neck area, we can also duse a headrest on ergonomic chairs; This feature allows for a comfortable position suitable for the neck.

The best material for ergonomic chairs:

The material of the ergonomic office chair is as important as the features. To choose an ergonomic office chair, first of all, we must consider the upholstery, this is the part of the chair that is in contact with the body and must be of good quality.
Although there are different types of office furniture with different materials, it is worth investing in a durable, resistant and quality cover. The back of the chair is heavily used and should be made of materials that prevent or absorb perspiration.
Typically, all ergonomic chairs have some type of breathable fabric. These chairs have a good level of wear resistance so that their continuous use does not cause wear and tear. There are also lace fabrics in the market that allow better air exchange.
The type of foam with which back pain-friendly chairs are made is also important. Injection foams offer higher quality because they last longer without changing shape. In this way, you will have more comfort when using the chairs for a long time.
The material in which the ergonomic office chair is made must also be resistant; Some of them have aluminum covers that give them more lightness and resistance. The chair must support our weight for a long time. For this reason, it is important that the material from which it is made is resistant.

How to understand which office chair is more suitable for back pain?

Choosing the right chair for back pain can be very difficult. There are many options and models in the market. That is why, based on several decades of experience in the field of office furniture manufacturers, we suggest what elements should be observed in choosing a suitable ergonomic chair. If an ergonomic office chair has the following conditions, it will be a good option to prevent or reduce back pain caused by continuous sitting:
• A star-shaped base that gives it stability and prevents it from swaying.
• The height of the seat can be adjusted.
• Also, the support can be adjusted vertically and back and forward so that you have maximum comfort.
• Wide seat, so that you are not under pressure while sitting.
• The material in which the chair is made is strong and durable and can bear your weight well.
• The material of the seat and support should be soft and at the same time resistant to wear and be able to pass air.
• Have an adjustable handle.
• If desired, it can be installed behind the head for neck comfort.