Desk Chair Nightmares
Lurking in every home—in towns clear across the country—are desk chairs which are just plain out to get those who sit upon them for any length of time! You may not know who originally bought them, or when they were pushed up to your work stations, but regardless of the how, when, or why, those harm-inducing chairs simply need to be replaced!
Here’s a list of what I consider to be “chair disqualifiers”:
- The chair has fixed arms which 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.
- 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 when you’re seated (the chair is too low). Low back pain can result in either case.
- The chair’s sitting surface is too long which is placing excessive pressure against the backs of your lower legs. Overtime this aggravates the nerves and muscles in your legs—not to mention decreases the blood circulation to your lower legs.
- 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.
So, what do I look for in a desk chair? Moving parts, baby! I want my chosen chair to be adjustable—in height, seat cushion (base) slope, seat back tension/position—all while having arms which are adjustable, removable, or better yet, absent.
When a desk chair at work or at home must be shared, it’s even more crucial for every person who sits in that seat to be able to customize the 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. Do yourself a favor, invest in a good desk chair and turn what can become a physical nightmare into a sweet, and comfortable, dream.