Sitting at a desk and doing your work on a laptop is a common thing these days. In fact, 81% of office workers spend between 4-9 hours a day sitting at their desks. That is a long time to spend sitting down! Although it may seem more comfortable, sitting for long periods of time can cause some problems. Issues such as bad posture and back pain can be caused by sitting at unsuitable office desks. These problems may increase due to workers having insufficient ergonomics in their home offices.

We have the best office chairs for posture available, and we can help with other home office ergonomic issues too. Keep on reading and improve your physical health while you’re working.

Correct posture is extremely important to your physical health but often overlooked. Having good posture is an easy way to improve spine health. It may take time to perfect, but good posture will increase back support. Not only that, but sitting with proper alignment can improve blood flow, helping support your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. In turn, this will decrease the chances of you developing back pain and muscle strain.

Good desk posture includes adjusting your chair to support your back, resting your feet flat on the floor and placing your screen at eye level. Simple changes can be made to your home office set up to ensure you’re fully supported while working.

Bad desk posture includes being hunched over your laptop, perching at the front of your seat and crossing your legs while sitting. All of these things can overwork your muscles and eventually lead to bad posture and muscle pains.

Years of bad posture can still be corrected, it will just take time and practice. Simple daily stretches can certainly help, but you need to make sure you’re fully supported by your furniture, especially office furniture. 

Ergonomic office furniture is perfect for helping improve and maintain posture. Ergonomic office chairs are specially designed to support your natural posture and reduce aches and pains while working. Ergonomic desks can often be height adjustable, so you can change it to completely suit your needs. Other items such as footrests, wrist supports and ergonomic mice are available to completely, and comfortably, support you while working.

Now working from home has become the norm for many, bad posture and physical pains caused by inappropriate home office furniture may increase. As we have previously mentioned, there are ways to improve your posture at home. 

Make sure you have ergonomic office furniture in your home office. This will greatly help maintain good posture over time. Every now and then, get up and do some simple stretches. You may find that you have become hunched over while you’re working, but failed to notice while you were concentrating. Set yourself a reminder every 30 minutes or so to sit up straight, lower your shoulders and place your feet flat on the floor again. Eventually this will become a habit and you’ll start to feel the positive effects over time.

Investing in good ergonomic furniture for your home office is extremely important. Incorporating ergonomics into your workspace improves comfort, and in turn, increases productivity and decreases stress. If you have to work in an uncomfortable home office, you’re going to be distracted and put yourself in a negative mood. It’s not healthy for your body or your mindset.

Earlier we mentioned some key pieces of ergonomic office furniture, and you should consider investing in them.

Ergonomic office chairs such as the Pago Matrix II Plus (£109.99) are designed with levers to fully support you while you’re working. Adjustable settings such as height and recline are vital to ensure your office chair completely suits your needs. Upon first use, make sure you sit and adjust the office chair according to your height and level of your desk and screen.

Investing in an ergonomic desk is also a good idea to prevent muscle pain. The Yo-yo Pro 1 Height Adjustable Desk (£349.99) is an excellent example of an adjustable desk that will help you improve your posture and optimise your workflow. You want your ergonomic desk to have simple controls that allow you to move it up and down with ease. This doesn’t mean you should compromise on stability, an unstable desk will also have a negative effect on physical health and productivity.

Foot rests like the Rosalind 3 Position Tilting Foot Rest (£24.99) are perfect to help with posture if you are unable to place your feet flat on the floor when you’re sat down. In order to have good posture you should avoid crossing your legs over or having your feet dangling while you’re in your chair. However, sometimes it’s hard to adjust your chair so you’re sitting eye level with your screen and have your feet on the floor at the same time. You don’t have to choose between the two, you can have the best of both worlds by investing in a foot rest.

Lying your wrists on a hard desk can cause pain in them over time. You can prevent this by including wrist support such as the Fellowes Gel Mouse Pad with Wrist Support (£9.99) in your home office setup. Supports like this will cushion the wrist, and keep it lifted to regulate blood flow.

An ergonomic mouse is something you may want to consider if you struggle with wrist fatigue. The Trust FYDA Mouse (£19.99) clearly showcases the benefits of ergonomic mice. The clever design means your hand will fit perfectly with no need to position your wrist in an awkward way to get the best use of the mouse.

When you’re looking to purchase an ergonomic chair, there are many factors to consider to make sure it is comfortable and will help your posture.

Firstly, the chair should fit you. This may seem obvious, but you want to feel as though the chair was made specifically for you. It should fit you like a glove and allow you to sit up straight comfortably. You want to make sure that the seating is cushioned and that there is an inch gap between the back of your knee and the chair. This is to make sure that circulation isn’t impacted while you’re sitting down.

Your chair should be adjustable for your height. If you can’t adjust it, walk away. Being able to change the height of your chair is vital. Keeping your laptop screen at eye level is important to help with posture, and you should be able to adjust your chair to accommodate this.

The back of your chair is important too. Ideally, the seat back should reach just above your shoulders in height. This allows the chair to fully support your back in all the right places. If you can, get a chair with an adjustable back. If this isn’t possible, then get a chair with an oversized back as this is better than opting for one with a back that’s too small. In addition to this, the back of the chair should curve a little which allows full support of the spine. This curve will ensure you’re sitting with good posture but won’t tire out the back muscles.

You don’t have to set your budget sky high to get an ergonomic office chair. Especially if you don’t work from home every day. There are plenty of budget friendly chairs available that will help your posture while working.

We’d recommend the Arnfield Ergonomic Mesh Swivel Office Chair (£64.99). This office chair has a high back and the perfect ergonomic S shape you need for optimal comfort and support. Not only that, it’s height adjustable and has the ability to tilt back slightly allowing for additional movement. The Arnfield Ergonomic Chair is an ideal budget friendly choice. It ticks a lot of boxes and will keep you comfortable and focused throughout your work day.

Leather office chairs are sure to give your home office that luxurious feel. Who said you had to compromise comfort for looks? Ergonomic leather office chairs are widely available, and they’re extremely durable. It’s easy to keep leather looking clean and new with special oils. If you treat your leather chair right, it will last you years.

The High Back Leather Faced Executive Chair (£119.99) is well worth investing in. Not only does this chair look stylish, it is extremely comfortable. The seat is generously proportioned and it has pronounced lumbar support. You can fully recline in this chair and adjust the height to suit you. It is well worth investing in a leather chair like the High Back Executive Chair, it will ensure you’re comfortable and productive in your home office.

Fabric office chairs are extremely popular, and durable. Although they aren’t as durable as leather, they can feel a little cosier. If you look after your fabric office chair, regularly vacuuming and wiping it down, it will last a long time.

Stokes Ergonomic Office Chair (£159.99) is a great example of a supportive office chair that will help your posture. This office chair comes with a headrest and footrest included, to make sure you are fully supported during the work day. This modern ergonomic chair has high density sponge padding making it extremely comfortable. With adjustable height and tilting incorporated, the Stokes Ergonomic Office Chair is definitely one you should be adding to your home office.

If you want the best office chair for posture, then look no further than the TC Office Strata Heavy Duty High Back Mesh Chair (£399.99). This chair boasts a physio approved design, making it ideal for working long periods of time. The headrest of this chair is fully adjustable, just like the backrest meaning it can completely support you. It also has an adjustable seat slide and height adjustable armrests. Not only can you adjust the seat, it is made from extra thick foam, allowing complete comfort for long use.

The TC Office Strata offers full adjustment unlike any other office chair. It is well worth investing in. You can’t put a price on good posture and comfort.

Good posture is key to living a healthy and happy lifestyle. You need to ensure that your office chair is able to support you and help improve your posture when working. All of our office chairs can be found on our website.

For the latest home office inspiration, follow us on Instagram!