How to Pick a Chair

ERGONOMIC CHAIR CHECKLIST

1.	Chair has wheels or castors suitable for the floor surface	Yes	No
2.	Chair swivels	Yes	No
3.	Backrest is adjustable for both height and angle	Yes	No
4.	Backrest supports the inward curve of the lower back	Yes	No
5.	Chair height is appropriate for the individual and the work surface height	Yes	No
6.	Chair is adjusted so there is no pressure on the backs of the legs, and feet are flat on the floor or on a foot rest	Yes	No
7.	Chair is adjustable from the sitting position	Yes	No
8.	Chair upholstery is a breathable fabric	Yes	No
9.	Footrests are used if feet do not rest flat on the floor	Yes	No

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Features of an Ergonomic Chair

In order to help make sure you choose a chair with all the necessary adjustments, we will break the chair down into components:

1. Casters and Base - Use a chair with casters and a 5-point base to ease movement and minimize possible tipping. Generally, nylon carpet casters are standard, but soft wheel casters are available for hard surfaces such as linoleum. Rubber locking casters are useful on stools to prevent tipping.
2. Seat Pan - The seat pan is the component of the chair that supports the majority of the user’s weight. It is important to purchase a chair which uses dense, small-cell foam padding or spring coils to retain its support and cushioning (this usually involves purchasing a chair over $350.00). The front part of the seat should slope down slightly (waterfall design) and allow a fist size gap between the back of the knees and the front edge of the seat pan to reduce pressure at the back of the thighs. Tilt adjustments are preferred to allow a slight forward or reclined working posture to be attained. A seat pan with a sliding mechanism is also a beneficial feature. This allows small and tall users to adjust the distance from the back rest.
3. Backrest - Adequate lumbar support is the most crucial element of a backrest. The backrest should either be small enough to fit into the small of the back, clearing the pelvis and back of the rib cage, or curved to provide adequate support. Many chairs come with a built-in lumbar adjustment which can be adjusted by turning a knob on the back of the chair and then raising the backrest to a comfortable position. Inadequate lumbar support places excess pressure on the spine. Remember, a lumbar support cushion properly placed with the fullest part of the support behind the small of the back (belt-line) can help to accentuate lumbar support. The backrest should also have angle, in-out, and height adjustments to achieve proper spinal alignment. The angle adjustment allows the user to adjust the angle of the back rest relative to the seat pan, as opposed to the tilt mechanism, which moves the seat pan with the backrest. When you change the tilt, the angle between the seat pan and the backrest stays the same.
4. Armrests - Height and width adjustments are absolutely necessary when purchasing a chair with armrests. The armrest should be made of a soft material and should be at least 2" wide to provide adequate surface area.
5. Seat Height - Almost all task chairs come with a hydraulic seat height adjustment. This is probably the single most important adjustment mechanism on a chair. It allows the user to adjust the chair so their feet can rest properly on the floor or footrest and the upper body is properly aligned with the computer monitor and input devices such as the keyboard and mouse.
6. Chair Recline or Tilt - The chairs recline or tilt adjustment changes the angle of the entire seat relative to the floor. As with backrest angle adjustability, a reclined chair transfers some of the upper body weight to the backrest of the chair. It is also important that the user change body positioning throughout the day.

It is always important to try out or “test-drive” a chair before you purchase a chair in order to determine individual comfort.