Article Sep 21

Ergonomic office chairs: What you need to pay attention to

What actually makes a good ergonomic office chair? Good question. The following 5 tips show you what you absolutely have to pay attention to.

What actually makes a good ergonomic office chair? The design? The price? The functionality?
In this article, we'll explain what you should absolutely consider when choosing your ergonomic office chair. With the following tips, you'll be able to recognize a good ergonomic office chair immediately!

One thing is clear: an ergonomic office chair is essential for relaxed work in the office. While other factors shouldn't be neglected, we sit in our office chairs every day – for hours on end. Incorrect posture can lead to significant health problems. Chronic back problems, even herniated discs, are not uncommon.

So what should an ergonomic office chair be like?

1. Does the ergonomic office chair have 3D ergonomics?

Not every chair that is called ergonomic is truly ergonomic and comfortable. Only a few chairs offer genuine 3D ergonomics.

Conventional office chairs tend to promote a lack of movement, as they allow very little freedom of movement. Technologies such as synchronous mechanisms, smart spring technology, or tilt mechanisms only permit two-dimensional movements, leading to hours of static sitting. This restricted posture can cause health problems after just a few years of working.

But what exactly is 3D ergonomics?

3D technologies enable movement in all three dimensions: forwards and backwards, lefts and rights, and ups and downs. This allows the chair to support the body's natural movements and return you to an intuitive movement pattern, even while sitting.

This means the chair follows your movements – and not the other way around. This combines natural sitting with controlled rocking, ensuring exceptional seating comfort and sustainably improving your posture.

In 3D ergonomics, the ergonomic office chair moves in all three dimensions: forward and backward, left and right, and up and down.

3D ergonomics in detail

1. Vertical oscillation

Vertical oscillation is movement in the third dimension. It only works if your ergonomic office chair has spring suspension. This relieves pressure on the intervertebral discs, stimulates blood circulation, and gets the circulatory system going. This ensures optimal oxygen supply. The up-and-down motion should be individually adjustable to the user's body weight.

2. Lateral flexibility

Harmonious 3D movements with a large lateral range of motion increase the range of motion and simultaneously optimize the natural sitting posture. Furthermore, each change in posture stimulates circulation, which improves concentration.

3. Forward tilt

For an ergonomic office chair to allow for a natural forward tilt, it's essential that the chair has a low-profile 3D joint mechanism. The advantage: As soon as you lean forward towards the desk, the entire spring column of the chair moves and tilts forward. This allows the pelvis to assume a walking posture, keeps the back straight, promotes deep breathing, and activates circulation. And best of all: The hunched posture while typing at the computer is a thing of the past.

2. Can I adjust the ergonomic office chair to my individual needs?

Individual adjustment options are very important for a modern, ergonomic office chair. Make sure that you can adjust the office chair not only in terms of seat height and body weight, but also to your individual movement needs.

seat height

Sitting correctly means paying attention to the correct seat height. Ideally, when sitting, there should be an "open" angle (90°) between the upper and lower leg. To ensure healthy sitting, the height of the workstation must also be taken into account when adjusting the office chair. A good model is therefore infinitely height-adjustable, and the height adjustment lever is easily accessible and simple to use.

To ensure you can adjust the seat height of your office chair quickly and easily, it's important that the lever is easily accessible. The height should also be continuously adjustable.

Weight setting

No two people are alike. And that's a good thing! One person has long legs, another a long torso – but this is often a problem when it comes to sitting comfortably.

Therefore, you should ensure that your ergonomic office chair is individually adjustable to your body weight and fits your proportions. The office chair should function according to the motto "one for all" while still offering a high level of seating comfort. A standard spring base, for example, is adjustable for body weights from approximately 50 kg to 120 kg.

Conventional ergonomic office chairs often have adjustable armrests. It's important that these are adjustable in both height and width. Some armrests can also be folded back when not in use. Innovative, orthopedic office chairs deliberately forgo armrests altogether. This is because they can lead to poor posture or increase the distance to the work surface. Prolonged sitting in such a poor posture is particularly harmful.

Backrest with lumbar support

Most ergonomic office chairs on the market have a backrest. This is usually height-adjustable, and the angle can also be adjusted. An important feature: a high backrest requires a back-friendly, adjustable lumbar support. This part of the backrest adapts to the (S-shaped) curvature of the spine and supports it in the lower back (lordosis) while sitting. If a swivel chair with a backrest doesn't have such lumbar support, you should definitely look for an alternative.

Incidentally, according to the latest ergonomic findings, a backrest is not absolutely necessary. Quite the opposite, in fact. No matter how well-padded, comfortable, or how perfect the lumbar support is, a backrest often restricts the free, natural movement that one should strive for even when sitting. More on this in point 5.

The lumbar support of the backrest supports your lower back. It must be able to adapt to the S-shaped curvature of your spine.

Seat depth of the seat surface

The seat of your ergonomic swivel chair should definitely be adjustable. Adjust it so that the backs of your knees are always free and not resting on the seat. This is the only way to ensure adequate blood circulation – especially from your legs back to your heart.

3. How much does an ergonomic office chair cost?

How much should an ergonomic office chair cost, and is the price an indicator of high quality? That's a good question, and there's no single answer. The price range for ergonomic office chairs is very wide. The simplest swivel chairs marketed as ergonomic start at around €200. However, particularly exclusive models can cost up to €2,000.

However, focusing solely on price is not advisable. As mentioned in the first two points, the primary considerations are the office chair's features and whether it meets your ergonomic requirements. Ultimately, it also depends on how much you are willing to invest in your health. Excellent ergonomic office chairs with outstanding value for money are available even in the mid-price range.

Independent expert tests confirm ergonomic properties

To ensure you make a good decision regardless of price, when comparing professional office chairs, you should also make sure that the chair has been scientifically tested and recommended by experts. Such independent office chair tests – for example, conducted by Stiftung Warentest or TÜV – monitor manufacturers and provide consumers with valuable information on functionality, usability, and quality.

For example, if a chair receives a positive rating or a GS mark from the German Campaign for Healthy Backs (AGR) or another expert test, this is already a very good indication of quality.

4. What is the lifespan of an ergonomic office chair?

Conventional, non-ergonomic office swivel chairs should be replaced after eight years at the latest. The reason is quite simple: Depending on the price range and shape of the seat, these "normal" office chairs develop seat depressions more or less quickly, which fix the pelvis in place and thus significantly restrict freedom of movement.

A good ergonomic office chair, on the other hand, has a significantly longer lifespan. Chairs with a convex seat, such as the Aeris Swopper, are specifically designed to prevent indentations from forming in the first place, ensuring consistently high seating comfort. The ergonomic design of the upward-curving seat also has the advantage of distributing your weight precisely across the bones in your body designed for this purpose – the ischial tuberosities (sit bones).

You should also pay attention to quality when it comes to materials and workmanship. High-quality materials and good workmanship significantly extend the lifespan of your ergonomic office chair. And the best part: its resale value remains correspondingly high. It's not uncommon for a good office chair to last 20 years. Good for your wallet and your health.

By the way: The quality of an ergonomic office chair is often reflected in its warranty and customer service. A company with high quality standards will be there to answer all your questions about ergonomic office chairs and help you get the most out of your back- and movement-friendly chair. Furthermore, high-quality office chairs typically come with a warranty of several years.

5. Does an ergonomic office chair need a backrest?

The clear answer is: No! An ergonomic office chair like the Aeris Swopper works best without a backrest. Why? Because active, dynamic sitting without a backrest strengthens the muscles, especially the back and leg muscles.

More exercise, more concentration:

Without high backrests and armrests, you can move freely and naturally. This dynamic sitting stimulates circulation, improves blood flow to the brain, and provides more oxygen – a real concentration booster.

Using a backrest "disempowers" your muscles:

Backrests and armrests restrict spontaneous, intuitive movements and, over the years, lead to weakened back muscles. An office chair without a backrest, on the other hand, activates the muscles and keeps them fit.

It's not for nothing that they say: "He who rests, rusts".