Is your company putting your health at risk?

Many people spend hundreds of pounds on sofas and just £10 on a cheap computer chair – yet we’re on the sofa for a fraction of the time we spend in front of our PCs. That’s daft, because the wrong chair won’t just make you ache – it can actually damage your health.

As Ian Fletcher-Price, MD of chair experts Posturite UK points out, some offi ce workers are getting Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) from sitting in front of their computers. “DVT has only ever been associated with long distance air travel, but now it’s being linked to the office,” he says. “That’s worrying.”

DVT is an extreme example, of course, but if you’re spending long periods in the wrong chair you could well start to suffer from aches and pains, particularly in your lower back. “The human body isn’t designed for sitting in static chairs, but that’s what’s forced on a lot of people,” Fletcher-Price explains. “Movement in a seated position is crucial for people to stay healthy and work effectively.” That means lots of breaks, but it also means getting the right chair in the first place.

When it comes to chairs, there isn’t one choice that’s suitable for everyone. People come in a range of sizes, and so do chairs – so a 17-stone rugby player needs a very different chair to a 7-stone model. Vivienne Gribbin of the Ergonomic Office explains: “it’s a bit like buying shoes – one size doesn’t fit everyone.” So what’s the most common mistake? “Buying a chair that isn’t adjustable or flexible,” she says. The solution is to go out and test a chair – and test it properly. “Don’t choose a chair by just sitting on it for a few minutes,” Gribbin recommends. “Give yourself time to sit in various positions and think how you work.”

So what should you look for if you’re going to be spending long periods typing or gaming? “It’s all about movement,” Fletcher-Price says. “As well as choosing a chair that can be easily adapted to your individual needs, it should have a forward tilt of between five and 15 degrees. This will ensure that your hips are slightly higher than your knees, keep your pelvis correctly positioned and maintain your spine in its natural S-shape with weight distributed evenly and balanced across the discs. With balanced rocking pelvic tilt and adjustable floating tilt chairs the entire seat and back can be released into free float, allowing you to lean back and ‘slouch’ correctly while still supported.”

We’ve seen chairs costing more than £1,000 but do we really need to spend that much? Not necessarily, says Fletcher- Price. “You can get a perfectly decent chair at around £200, or pay £800 for one at the top of the range,” he says. “It’s a bit like choosing between a Fiesta and a Lexus. One is good but basic, while the other is superbly designed with all the bells and whistles.”

No matter what chair you go for, it needs to cover the essentials. You should be able to adjust it so your back is supported and your feet are flat on the floor (or supported by footrests), and the seat should support the back of your legs without digging into your knees or making your feet dangle. If you’ll be sharing the chair with others then it’s particularly important to get a chair that can be adjusted to suit everyone.

Most important of all, though, is how you sit in it. Ergonomic chairs can only do their stuff if you’re sitting in them properly, so if you’re prone to slouching then sort that out first. It may even be worth seeing a back specialist, such as an osteopath or chiropractor, to really reap the benefits of a decent dedicated chair.

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