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We are no longer an agrarian society. Nor do most of us herd sheep or cattle for a living. So, if we're not planting something or chasing after animals, how are we spending our time? We are spending it parked in an office chair behind a desk. No matter your job description, it is very likely that you spend a significant amount of time sitting down. And, let me tell you, that lowly piece of furniture can make life very pleasant or unpleasant depending upon the way it's put together. So when you buy a chair you should look for seven separate points (actually nine but I combined a few of them to make it less intimidating).
1. Get a seat with hydraulic controls, which gives you ease of adjustment. This will encourage you to adjust it "on the fly" rather than just put up with that annoying ache in your lower back.
2. A seat back that adjusts up/down and forward/backward. This will allow you to fit the seat to your back rather than your back to the seat.
3. A seat back that is shaped to push your lower back forward out of a slouched into a straight position.
4. A seat pan that is rounded in the front. This will help to take pressure off the underside of the leg allowing for better circulation. It also should tilt forward/backward.
5. A five-roller base for stability. This gives you confidence that the chair will not tilt over when you extend your body and arms out trying to snag that last doughnut.
6. A seat that adjusts in height allowing you to control the amount your knees are flexed.
7. A seat that is an appropriate size for your body. Not too big or too small but just right.
So what do you do with all of these gizmos? Use them to achieve good postural alignment:
1. That means the seat back should gently support the curves of your lower back. Also note that in order for the seat to do its job you must sit all the way back in your chair (repeat throughout the day).
2. The seat pan should angle your thighs slightly downward in relation to your torso (i.e., the angle of your torso to hips should be greater than 90 degrees).
3. The seat height should keep the angle of your knees at 90 degrees.
If all of this seems somewhat complicated it is and it isn't. A whole science called ergonomics is dedicated to figuring out how exactly to make this work. However, with a little experimentation and review of the points above you should be off to a good start.
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