You spend most of your waking hours at your desk, and need a chair that will spare you from needless backaches and fatigue. Try out several computer chairs for comfort and ergonomically correct posture.

Back Support

Chair height adjustment: supports the lumbar area (lower back). Look for ergonomic computer desk chairs that provide mid-back and upper-back support as well. A tilt mechanism helps maintain support as you move and recline. It's best to have your back slightly reclined while seated at your desk.

Height Adjustment

Pneumatic levers or gas lifts adjust seating height while you're in the chair. The chair's height should allow your wrists to be straight while typing. For optimal posture, your thighs should be horizontal with the ground and both of your feet flat on the floor.

Seat Pan

Your weight should be distributed evenly on the seat. Three to four fingers should fit between the chair seat pan's front edge and the back of your knees. Look for a rounded or waterfall edge at the front of the seat, which prevents the seat from catching behind your knees and cutting off circulation.

Insufficient hip room can make you sit too far forward and not get enough thigh support. The seat should extend at least one inch from either side of your hips for optimum comfort. Some seat pans adjust for a forward or backward tilt.

Chair Stability

Look for a desk chair on wheels that swivels to avoid excess stretching and twisting of your spine. A five-point base won't tip over when you recline. A good computer desk chair can recline and lock into various positions. Choose hard casters for carpeting and rubber-coated ones for hard surfaces.

Armrests

Although they alleviate pressure on your back, they may interfere with lower desks. Look for adjustable width and height to support various tasks to ease neck and shoulder tension and to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Armrests be contoured, broad, cushioned and comfortable.

Fabric

Look for a durable, permeable, ventilated material and check out the mesh Pellicle material in the Aeron chair, which also conforms to the body. Cloth coverings are less expensive and breathe well, but vinyl or leather upholstery is easier to keep clean.

Ergonomic Tip for Your Office Chair

Do you find it a real challenge to maintain good posture while sitting in an office chair and working for long hours in front of a computer?

Unfortunately, the tendency to sit at the front of your office chair and hunch forward in an attempt to get closer to your computer screen causes damage to your body. There is a simple, practical way to counteract this tendency to hunch forward and instead improve posture by keeping your body anchored to the back of your office chair.

Try this tip:
Place a tennis ball between the middle back and the office chair on each side of your spine. Holding the tennis ball (or similar ball) in place while sitting and working at a computer accomplishes three things:

Because your mind senses the ball, it remains connected with your body instead of being completely absorbed by what is on the computer screen. Maintaining more awareness of the body allows you to more easily maintain better posture.

By leaning back into the tennis ball an acupressure effect is created, stimulating blood flow into the area and physically releasing contracted muscle and connective tissue. The pressure of the ball also creates a central nervous system effect similar to acupuncture, loosening tight areas while you're sitting in your office chair getting work done.

If you do get absorbed in work and start to lean forward the tennis ball will fall out, serving as a concrete reminder to stop hunching forward and straining your back.