Er-go-nomics

Ergonomics is a word that gets tossed around in office culture all the time.  It’s a prime concern of the 20th century: how do we, as workers, improve our body’s relationship with our workplace to promote alertness and health?

Based on the Alexander Technique, doctors and engineers have approached seating in new and exciting ways, experimenting with things like angles, cushioning, tilt mechanisms and back support (to name a few!) in the quest to build the perfectly supportive chair.  Gone are the days of the overstuffed executive chairs and the painful plastic nightmares that greeted us at every workstation!

But what, exactly, does ergonomics mean to you?

Synchro-waterfall-back edge-ergo-what?!

It means a better awareness of your body.  Pay attention to how you sit, how you breathe and how you shift and fidget throughout the day.  Are your feet touching the floor?  Do you lean forward or slouch back in your chair?  Do your arms dangle or are your elbows up around your ears?  Are you slumped to one side, or sitting up at rigid attention?  Where does most of your weight land on the seat?  All of these things influence our body’s muscle memory, and poor back support and improper body position can lead to serious, long-term spinal damage.

When you go to buy a chair, apply this knowledge to what you’re looking at.  Not every person needs the massive task chair with imposing headrest and sixteen positioning levers.  Similarly, not everyone can sit on a curved stick with a cushion on top.  I’m exaggerating, but the point is clear: go with what your body needs.

And when in doubt, educate yourself.  Ask for literature and definitions – don’t just buy something that says “synchro-tilt high back” without understanding what these terms mean.  It may look cool, and everyone may be buying it, but it may not be right for you.  We at Sit Correct are happy to answer questions, run side-by-side comparisons and educate you on your seating needs.  Give us a call or email us your questions and we’ll make sure you can buy with confidence.