On average adults will spend upwards of 9 years of your life sitting in an office chair. With this astronomical number it makes sense to invest in the best chair for you. There are a lot of options available with any adjustment you can imagine. The question is, how do you find the perfect fit? With just a couple of key factors we can help you find the chair that was made for you.

The first thing to consider is purchasing a quality chair. I know it can seem enticing to go with a cheaper option, but in the long run you are only hurting yourself, and I mean that physically. With the wrong chair, you can suffer from chronic back pain, strain on your knees, and suffer from fatigue due to poor posture. With that said, there are great ways to get a quality chair that will work within your budget.

The second thing to consider is the overall fit of the chair, just like in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, is it too big, too small, or, just right? You want the chair that is just right, with chairs that are too small it becomes uncomfortable and will result in bad posture. With a chair that is too big, it will not fit you right and any support you would have gained will be in the wrong place, causing strain on your back and knees. Many options in chairs are available from low profile chairs to bariatric big and tall chairs, a good qualified chair specialist should be able to help you find the right one.

An ideal fit takes the following into account and should be considered when choosing your chair. First, establish the best height for the chair in relation to your work surface. Next, make sure that your feet are flat on the ground and your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor. After you have established the chair height and proper knee placement, next adjust the seat depth. A quality office chair will offer a seat slider to allow you to obtain the proper seat depth which would be about (3-5) fingers from the back of your knee to the seat of the chair.

Once you’re seated properly in your chair, now it is time to work on your posture and getting the proper back support. Once again, this is where a quality office chair comes into play. Choosing a chair that is focused on ergonomics will allow for you to have a proper back rest with an adjustable lumbar support.

Lastly adjust your arm rests. Finding the optimal height and position is key. The arm rest should barely touch your elbows when they are bent at 90-degrees when resting your hands on your keyboard or mouse. You may want to consider a keyboard tray if you feel your keyboard needs to be lower and closer to you. This will also naturally push you back from your monitor, which protects your vision.

With the steps above in mind it is time to decide what chair would be best for you. There are many options available that should work within a variety of budgets.

A new, high-end chair can easily run you $800- $1,000. If that is not in line with what you are looking to spend, you do not need to sacrifice quality. We offer a wide variety of pre-owned, brand name chairs to choose from. The most notable and well known chair that offers a wide variety of functions is the Herman Miller Aeron Chair. New they start at around $800 for a basic model, by choosing pre-owned you can get the same chair for around $425. Another option would be a Steelcase chair, we have many models in stock that offer a wide variety of adjustments. Another well known manufacturer, dubbed the “ergonomic king” is Humanscale. These chairs have minimal button and levers, but is designed to move and conform to your natural movements as you work- no adjusting needed.

If you need help to find the right chair, please feel free to stop by our showroom and one of our design/sales associates would be happy to help you select the perfect chair.

Written By: Asia Armstrong, Account Manager/ Designer