Desk Chair Nightmares

Desk Chair Nightmares

Lurking in every home, in towns across the country, there are desk chairs being used that are just plain out to get you! I don’t know who originally bought them, or when they were pushed up to our work stations, but regardless of the how, when, or why, they simply need to go!

Here is a list of what I consider “chair disqualifiers”:

1. The chair has fixed arms that do not allow you to get close enough to your work surface or computer monitor. This leaves you bent forward—straining your back, neck…and your eyes.
2. The chair is a fixed height and your feet are either not reaching the floor fully (the chair is too high) or your knees are higher than your hips (the chair is too low). Low back pain can result in either case.
3. The chair’s sitting surface is too long which is placing excessive pressure against the back of your lower legs. Overtime this aggravates the nerves and soft muscle tissue in your legs—not to mention decreases the blood circulation to your lower legs.
4. The surface of your chair lacks cushioning. Wooden chairs may have a visual appeal, but your buttocks (and sciatic nerve) would tell a different story from their vantage point!

What do I look for in a desk chair? Moving parts, baby! I want my chosen chair to be adjustable in height, seat cushion slope, seat back tension/position, all while having arms that are adjustable, removable, or better yet, absent.

When a desk chair at work or at home is shared, it’s even more crucial that every person who sits in that seat is able to customize that chair’s support. If you ignore your “desk chair nightmare” and continue to use your old mainstay, be forewarned—all sorts of physical health problems may begin to crop up. So do yourself a post-Christmas favor, invest in a good desk chair and turn what could become a physical nightmare into a sweet (comfortable) dream.