Working in a traditional office or a coworking space requires you to sit in a chair/couch for long periods of time. Research shows that slouching and similar postures while sitting can cause backaches, headaches and poor concentration. Hence it’s important to have an ergonomic office chair that supports the lower back and promotes good posture. Even in an coworking space, sitting at sofas, lounges etc. doesn’t always promote good posture and can be detrimental from a health perspective over time.
A 6-page report from the Continuing Education Unit at Herman Miller found a lot of important things. A good office chair provides proper lumbar and pelvic support which puts less stress on your lower back muscles. It also found that the more we sit, the higher our risk of herniated discs and other back troubles.
A good chair with proper support gives better posture, easier breathing, and lesser fatigue. Some features to look in an office chair include:
- Seat Height: A seat height that ranges from about 16 to 21 inches off the floor should work for most people. This allows the user to have his or her feet flat on the floor, with thighs horizontal and arms even with the height of the desk.
- Seat Width and Depth: The seat should have enough width and depth to support any user comfortably. Usually, 17-20 inches wide is the standard.
- Lumbar Support: The lumbar spine has an inward curve, and sitting for long periods without support for this curve tends to lead to slouching (which flattens the natural curve) and strains the structures in the lower spine.
- Seat material: The office chair seat and back should have enough padding to be comfortable to sit on for extended periods of time. Having a cloth fabric that breathes is preferable to a harder surface.
There are very few coworking spaces that keep this in mind while designing their spaces. With many MNC’s jumping on the Coworking bandwagon, it should be a key factor while choosing their space.