The Ergonomic Task Chair Guide & Discussion

[mkawa]

yes, please!!

chronic lower back pain is one of those soft tissue boogiemen that is very easy to acquire but very difficult to treat, as it has so many etiologies and no easy answers. you can either stop using your back until it goes away :| spend a year or so strengthening your core while your back hurts with every _extremely tricky exercise that is just as likely to injure it more as strengthen the muscle_, or you can take NSAIDs every day, complain and be miserable, as you're only treating the symptom, and NSAIDs make you grumpy because they're incredibly hard on your stomach.

to recap, yes please!!

[fxtannier]

I bought a Steelcase leap chair version 2 around a year ago. I really like the customizability of the chair especially the seat as it can be adjusted forward and backward. I thought chairs couldn't get any better after sitting on one for five years until I decided on try the one I bought at "room and board store". I bought mine new but I think they can be purchased used for a really good price. There are quite numerous reviews online about the chair.

[thegunner100]

Okay, here are some quick notes based on journal articles that I've read:

Prolonged sitting is bad for you even if you have a well designed, ergonomic chair. Try to reduce the amount of sitting as much as possible.

Even if you have an ergonomic chair, it is very beneficial that you make full use of the features and adjust it so that it fits your body and environment.

It is recommended that people take a 5-10 min break to walk around and stretch each hour. Some researchers suggest even longer breaks. They didn't quite specify if the breaks should be done continuously or split between several periods in an hour.

Sitting up straight is no longer the most "ergonomic" way to sit. It is actually better to adjust your sitting positions every once in a while so that you can relieve pressure on one muscle group and unload it onto another.

Standing workstations can help reduce musculoskeletal symptoms. especially when used in conjunction with ergonomic chairs. People can try to alternate between sitting and standing for maximum effectiveness.

Other notes on things that I didn't do as much research on:

Exercise is important! However, choosing the right kinds of exercise is important. Certain exercises (such as heavy weightlifting) can worsen back pain.

Stretching is also important, but you have to do it properly. (see this post). Same for Yoga.

One journal article found that jack knife stretching increases hamstring flexibility.

Improving hamstring flexibility can reduce lower back pain.



That all being said... I miss my Amia . I've just been using this leather task chair that I got from my uncle and my back gets pretty sore by the end of the day.

[asgeirtj]

http://jysk.dk/kontor/kontorstole/gold/kontorstol-suldrup-memory-skum-gra

I'm considering this chair, how do you guys like it? I'm on a pretty small budget.  I'm a small guy so a chair with small back is cool, also it looks like it has good back support.  I have 3 chairs at home, 2 leather comfy premium chairs and 1 super basic chair which doesn't even have an arm rest and I use the super basic chair just because it supports my back better. 

[mljs54]

Bumping this thread.

I'm looking to replace my Aeron after about 3 years.  My Aeron is just nowhere near as comfortable (for me, at least) as my Leap v2 at work.  Suffering from all the usual complaints like poor leg circulation and back support.

How different is the Amia from the Leap?  I'm primarily asking because I like the look of the Amia more than the Leap (seems less bulky) and not because of the price difference (seems pretty minor anyway for a big investment).

How does the Sayl compare to the Leap and the Amia?  The overall design is awesome and fits well with the rest of my furniture.  Really digging the color options you can pick as well.

Thanks in advance!

[thegunner100]

Between the Leap and the Amia, the leap is/has:

heavier and has a bigger max capacity.
can have a headrest
variable tilt lock
lumbar support firmness adjustment
the top of the leap's back is tilted slightly more back than the amia
I believe the leap's back also has a bit more cushioning

I think that if you already know that you like the Leap, then stick with it since budget isn't a concern.

[tp4tissue]

gyz. whc chr dis.

[pr0ximity]

Been looking for a while and finally pulled the trigger on a new chair for the home office. A local office reseller is having a liquidation sale and mentioned they have a few Leaps, so I thought I'd check them out. Found a Leap V2 with the 3D fabric in grey with a grey frame, thing looks gorgeous and it's really a dream to sit in. With their sale, came to $185 and it looks like it's been taken care of really well. Sanitized it when I got it home and really could not be happier with it! Between the Leap and my 55g Realforce, I doubt there's much more I need to be comfortable. Perhaps new headphones, but my HD555's have been going strong for something like 6 years.

My previous job I sat in an Aeron for a couple pf years and never had any complaints, however I think the Leap's support and adjustability is much more my style. I don't think I ever had the Aeron tuned quite to my liking throughout the entire time I had it, however the Leap feels like it fits me like a glove immediately. I think as others have mentioned it's just the two chairs have different ideas about how they should work. The Aeron I would forget I'm sitting in while the Leap reminds me with a comforting hug.

I have been using a Steelcase Leap for a few years and really like everything about it except the stock armrest pads which I have since modified.

What modifications did you do (or are other people familiar with)? I was underwhelmed with the armrest pads at first, but I think they're growing on me. Time will tell I suppose.

[kurplop]

I have been using a Steelcase Leap for a few years and really like everything about it except the stock armrest pads which I have since modified.

What modifications did you do (or are other people familiar with)? I was underwhelmed with the armrest pads at first, but I think they're growing on me. Time will tell I suppose.

I didn't like the feel of the rubber-like armrest and I thought the padding was not ideal so I replaces the pads with larger and softer pads I made. I used a yoga mat as padding and wrapped it with fake leather. Looks as good now as when I did it and is super comfortable.

Comparison of stock and modified armrests


And at the desk

[bcredbottle]

.

[jacobolus]

Does anyone have experience with saddle chairs? Are they really easier on the back?

After your trolling in the other threads, I set geekhack to ignore your posts, but I was curious what you might have to say here so I took a quick peek.

Anyway, the particular saddle chair in your picture (Salli Multiadjuster) is quite nice, my favorite of 6 different saddle seats I tried (at least, I think that’s what the picture is... there are several different Salli chairs and they all look pretty similar). You can adjust the separation and angle between the two halves, and also tilt the seat forward and back and of course raise/lower it, so it accommodates a pretty wide range of people sizes. All that adjustability comes at a cost though, it runs >$1000 new, and there’s not much used market for weird ergonomic chairs.

I like saddle seats for a couple hours, but I also occasionally like having a backrest, so they’re not ideal for me. They do a good job supporting a sitting position with a more open hip angle, straighter back, and proper forward tilt of the pelvis than a standard office chair. But they offer no support for any kind of reclining position.

As I mentioned upthread, I really enjoy the HÅG Capisco chair, which supports a saddle-type position among several others, but also has a backrest.

[bcredbottle]

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[Mohfuu]

Hi guys.

I'm wanting to buy a new chair, but I have a very thrifty disposition.

I'm just wondering if buying a high-end chair, like a herman miller or such, is advised for or against on sites like ebay or amazon ect.

On one hand, I want a cheap chair but on the other hand I don't want a defective one. I'm just wondering if any of you have any insight about this.
Have you bought a chair from ebay/amazon? how much did it cost? was it defective?

[pr0ximity]

Hi guys.

I'm wanting to buy a new chair, but I have a very thrifty disposition.

I'm just wondering if buying a high-end chair, like a herman miller or such, is advised for or against on sites like ebay or amazon ect.

On one hand, I want a cheap chair but on the other hand I don't want a defective one. I'm just wondering if any of you have any insight about this.
Have you bought a chair from ebay/amazon? how much did it cost? was it defective?

Honestly if you want a deal find an office surplus store around you. They post deals on craigslist all over the place usually if you don't know where to look, and that way you can go check them out in person before you buy, not to mention getting something like a 70% discount usually.

[jacobolus]

Mohfuu:

My first recommendation is, find which chairs you like. Don’t just buy one of these blind, before sitting in it and working for a few hours (or ideally a week or two).

Once you know what you like, you can decide how important the warranty is, and shop around a bit to figure out the prices of various chair sources.

[katushkin]

gyz. whc chr dis.

(Attachment Link)

I've only just checked back into this thread.

That is a Humanscale Freedom.

We have been using them for the last 4 months or so at work and they are ****ing awful.

[Merlijn]

After 20 years my trusty Herman Miller Eames Soft Pad chair is showing its age. The wheels need replacing and the adjusting handles need to be fixed. In that regard I thought it was time to look for a better task-oriented chair. The last week I have been reading up on different chairs online and the consensus seems to be Herman Miller or Steelcase chairs.

I looked for Herman Miller Aeron resellers in the neighbourhood (Switzerland) but the cheapest I found it, was for 1400€ which doesn't even include adjustable arms and lumbar support. Although the Aeron seems to me like a great chair, it doesn't seem to be worth 1400€. That is why I am now looking at Steelcase chairs as it is much easier to test them and buy them here in Switzerland. I have an appointment next week in a showroom of Steelcase to test the Leap and the Gesture. The Gesture was not mentioned in this thread but it seems like a very good chair, specifically built for the "modern" seating-habits.

On that note, I wanted to ask what you guys can recommend me for a chair below 1000€. Please keep in mind that availability here in Switzerland isn't great.

[awakened]

A couple of years ago I got into a a motorcycle accident & got my back all fused up. so my lower back pain is unlike any other from time to time, posture and lumbar support are very important!

Luckily, my old man decided to get me a Herman Miller Embody with all the bells and whistles. Changed. My. Life.

[noisyturtle]

Well I gone and done it. I finally bought a DX Racer from the current Massdrop going on (Iron Series)

It'll probably take 3-4 weeks to get here, but I will report back once it arrives.

[smknjoe]

These are on sale right now at Office Designs 15% off all Herman Miller + 5% off with the code: 5formom + free shipping (US) = $750 total for a fully loaded, fully adjustable, and fully warranted Aeron.

http://www.officedesigns.com/our-products/best-sellers/aeron/aeron-chair-custom