The importance of the right office desk chair with lumbar support
Many people who work in an office or at a desk experience back pain at some point from long hours in front of a screen and/or poor posture. Having the right ergonomic office or desk chair to suit your body type, and setting up your seating position correctly is the key to staying pain free. At Abbotts Office Furniture we often get asked about lumbar support; what it is, and how to choose an office chair with lumbar support to prevent or fix lower back pain.
What is the lumbar?
The lumbar is the lower part of you spine, below your middle back or thoracic spine. It is one of the main areas of your spine that is effected when you spend a lot of time sitting. The area includes the verterbrae, the disks between the verterbrae, muscles, ligaments and blood vessels.
Why does sitting cause pain in your lower back?
Prolonged sitting in a chair puts excess strain on the lumbar area of your spine. In fact, sitting puts more pressure on the back than standing. It can lead to slumping, a rounding of the shoulders, extension of the lower back, and sitting on the buttocks, rather than high on the sit bones. Even if not experiencing pain, extended sitting and poor posture can lead to disc degeneration over time.
How to support you back
So, what you can do to avoid injuries and support your lumbar spine? There are two main areas to focus on: the quality and features of an ergonomic office chair with lumbar support that adequately supports your lumbar spine, and regular movement of your body.
The ergonomics of your office chair
The shape of your back has a natural S curve and the objective when you are sitting is to maintain this natural curve. When you are sitting with the right back support, your hips, ears and shoulders should all be in line.
Because everybody is a different size, the best type of chair will give you the ability to adjust the lumbar support, the backrest and move the chair up and down to get the setup right.
Once you get your chair, you’ll need to make some adjustments.
How to adjust your office chair
Here’s a quick guide to adjusting your ergonomic chair:
1.Adjust the height of your chair
Move the chair up or down to get the right height. Your chair needs to be at a height where you elbows are comfortably at a 90 degree angle and your hands rest comfortably on your keyboard. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees also at a 90 degree angle. If your feet do not touch the ground, you may need a footrest or alternatively adjust the height of your desk.
2. Adjust the lumbar support
If your chair has adjustable lumbar support, adjust it so that the back rest fits comfortably into the curve of your back. If the lumbar support is too low, you will end up slouching. If the lumbar support is too high, you will end up arching your back.
3. Adjust the headrest
If your chair has an adjustable headrest, this can help prevent head and neck strain.
4. Adjust the arm rests
If your chair has arm rests, adjust them so your arms and shoulders are relaxed. The arm rest height need to be exactly where your arms are positioned naturally.
The best ergonomic office chair for lumbar support
We get asked this question all the time, which goes to show how many people are in pain and are looking for a better quality chair. There are lots of options for ergonomic chairs with lumbar support. Below you’ll find our top recommendations.
Madrid High Back Chair
The Madrid High Back Chair is one of our best ergonomic office chairs with lumbar support. It is fully adjustable, with a mesh backrest and sliding seat feature. This chair has a level 6 rating, which is the highest rating from AFRDI (Australian Furniture Research & Development Insitute). That means the chair has been thoroughly tested and has received the highest rate for durability, safety and ability to be adjusted for comfortable sitting.
Merida Medium Black Chair
The Merida Medium Black Chair is another one of our best sellers and is fully adjustable with adjustable back height, adjustable back and seat angle for lumbar support, and slide seat feature. The seat has optional arms rests.
Ergo Air Ergonomic Chair
The Ergo Air Ergonomic Chair is another of our best selling options, providing quality lumbar support. It is fully adjustable, has a slide seat feature, and the lumbar support is adjusted via a pneumatic lumbar pump.
It’s not just about your chair.
Once set up, many people think they need to remain in the same position for the whole time they are seated at their desk. But we are not designed to sit in the same position for long periods without moving. Avoiding injury at work requires us to move regularly across a range of natural motions. That means taking breaks frequently, walking around and doing things that keep your back and core strong and flexible.
While a good seating position and posture is important, it is also important to be relaxed while you are at your desk, and that means being able to shift and adjust your position to remain comfortable. A good office chair will be strong, able to withstand regular shifts in body position, and will move with your body, allowing swivelling and back and forth movement.
Advice for getting the right ergonomic and lumbar support in your office chair
If you need assistance with a new office chair that suits your requirements, we can help. We are one of a very few office furniture stores in Melbourne where customers can purchase online and visit our showroom to see our range. We provide lots of friendly advice to help choose the chair, and we offer delivery.
You can browse and purchase from our online showroom. If you have any questions, call us on 1300 917 260