Back Support Office Chairs, Devices & Equipment


Over this past decade the number of people seeking health-related services from chiropractors have increased, in part, due to the aches and pains developed in their back resulting from improper back support. This discomfort and pain have become a natural occurrence in the lives of many people, especially those who work in offices and sit for extended periods of time in their office chair.

Almost all back problems can be stopped by ensuring that the back has proper support. We know this because there are many different back support devices and equipment available. Some offer affected individuals support for their back, while others eliminate the need for medical treatment altogether, depending of course on the severity of pain, the individual’s ability to function with reduced pain and the quality of treatments.

Back support products and treatments come in various forms, some of which can be used in combination with other support methods, while others can be used alone. Some examples of such back support products – especially for those individuals who developed the problem from their office jobs – include:

1. Inflated back supports – Devices which can be inflated and utilized with existing office chairs or other chairs used in home offices that may not provide optimum support for the back.

2. Ergonomic office chairs – Specialized office chairs which are ideal for preventing back problems by providing the kind of support required for a user’s back while s/he sits at a desk or elsewhere in the office. By switching to an ergonomic chair at home or at work, the user can help reduce the occurrence of back problems.

3. Back support cushions – Devices for those who don’t want to spend a lot of money on an ergonomic office chair, and therefore will be content using a number of support cushions and pillows, which can also provide the proper support needed for the back.

4. Back support mattresses – Pieces of furniture which are available in many different brands, styles and designs, most of which are firm and offer adequate support for the back – even while an individual sleeps at night.

Risking injury to your back or doing anything that can be hazardous to your health is obviously something you never want to do. Therefore, you should always use proper back support products while you sit in your office chair or go to sleep. When you use these products, you’ll feel better than you would otherwise and you will literally feel the relief from aches and pains in your back as if they simply disappeared.

Discourse on the Structure of an Office Chair


Specialized purpose and use

The office chair is something which can be seen in virtually every part of the office – cubicles, CEOs’ offices, conference rooms and even in the cafeteria more frequently than not. Wherever the area may be located, the purpose of an office chair is singular: to allow area occupants to sit down comfortably and in a healthy manner.

Contrary to what many who are unfamiliar with the office furniture business may think, an office chair is no longer just a piece of furniture, but rather a carefully designed and constructed specialty item. Behind each and every office chair, there is a process of in depth thought and science being implemented for the simple, but important reason, that an improperly designed and constructed office chair can be harmful to the user’s body, and ultimately to his/her health.

The principles of ergonomics are used with office chairs to give users the comfort and safety they expect and deserve. That having been said, you’ll find below, a few key points to look for when considering an office chair.

Chair height & width

Chair height adjustment – The height of an office chair should always be easy to adjust; and in order to do this, the chair must be equipped with a pneumatic adjustment lever. This lever should be installed in a way that will allow the chair user to move his/her chair between 16 and 21 inches off the floor. This is important simply because a person sitting in such a chair needs to sit according to the height of his/her table or desk; and therefore the chair should not be too high or too low as to cause its user to slouch or strain at the desk.

The important thing to remember is the sitter’s knees should be at a lower height than his/her hips, as the proper seated position will cause to be formed, a natural “double C” of the spine, and help to provide upright support for the body.

Chair width and depth – An office chair should always be wide enough to support users of all shapes and sizes. Normal chair widths will usually vary between 17 and 20 inches; but the chair depth area is that area found from chair seat front to chair seat back. Typically the office chair depth should be large enough for a sitter to lean back against the backrest with 2 to 4 inches differential between his/her knees and the chair seat.

Armrests, backrest & swivel

Armrests – Armrests are adjustable and will allow a sitter to rest his/her elbows, arms and shoulders in as comfortable a manner as s/he would like to.

Backrest – The backrest on a typical office chair will range between 12 to 19 inches; and like all other parts of office chairs, the backrest should be adjustable (flexible?) enough to move either forwards of backwards at the user’s preference.

Swivel – Working in an office requires employees to move about; from one computer, file cabinet or other piece of office equipment. Therefore, an office chair should provide a swivel at the bottom to allow users to move freely around their area(s).