5 Categories of Ergonomic Office Chairs to Choose From

Browse a variety of chair options and hear from a physiotherapist, a lawyer, and a therapist on their top picks

Do you ever open your laptop on the couch intending to be on and off within just a few minutes? Only to look at your watch just a few moments later and find that 2 hours have flown by!? And then do you notice that your lower back is screaming at you and your neck is as long and gangly as a giraffes? Nearly three years into this pandemic so many of us are shaking our heads that we are still working from home. The makeshift office setups we thought would last just a few weeks, have now become our seemingly permanent home offices. Whether your work life resides in your luxurious backyard she-shed, or your kitchen table doubles as your board room, having an ergonomic chair is a valuable tool to combat the ill effects of sedentary work-life.

In my first journal of this series: Is it Worth Investing in an Ergonomic Chair, you learnt that a supportive chair is essential in the home office setup. In the next journal: 7 Key Features to Look for in an Ergonomic Chair, you discovered what elements you should look for when shopping for a supportive chair. Now let’s finish by taking a quick peek at the different options you have when choosing a spot to plant your bottom (hint: they aren’t all chairs technically). Don’t be disappointed that I am not directly linking you to which chair to add to your cart. Instead I trust your wisdom and ability to use the guidelines I have provided and the awareness you have gained in the movementRX free trial sessions to find your perfect chair. To finish off, a physiotherapist, a lawyer, and a therapist all share their fav office chairs, and you can probably guess, they are all different. You are one of a kind, and you deserve a chair that fits you just right so you can finish your day at the home office with some pep in your step.

 5 Categories of Office Chairs

Adjustable Office Chairs- This sturdy office heirloom remains the most likely option for office lifers. Look for a chair with adjustable lumbar support, seat height, pan tilt, and armrests. If these features don’t adjust make sure you sample the chair and your body meets the chair with ease. The ideal chair will have 5 wheels for solid support and be of a breathable material to allow circulation. My only gripe with this type of chair is that the colour schemes are limited to dark, sterile colours.

Saddle Chairs- Influenced by horse riding saddles, these chairs encourage neutral and even a slight anterior pelvic tilt and thus a nicely stacked spine. The angled seat allows your legs to slope downward and your feet can remain planted on the floor. The drawback here is that there is little to no lumbar support, thoracic support, or armrests. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find one nearby to demo but this is the chair I am most curious to sample myself. 

Kneeling Chairs-Another unconventional option is a kneeling chair. These offer a downward seat tilt allowing your hip flexors to remain supple and free. The weight appears to be distributed between your pelvis and your knees- so it may not be ideal if you have cranky knees. What I don’t love here is the inability to shift positions. Also, the lack of arm and spine support makes me think this is a good option as a pain prevention chair but not-so-ideal for those already suffering from office aches and in need of more support.

Balls- Exercise balls were all the rage when I was in University, so a really, really long time ago! The promise was of rock-hard abs and a long and tall spine. The user is expected to be active and engaged while sitting. The truth is that you can still slouch on a ball, and after several hours without any support it’s more than likely you’ll be collapsing on top of said ball. The ball is a good option for shorter stays but not ideal for longer stints.  

No chair AKA Standing- With the evolution of standing desks, another option is no chair at all. For a brief moment, the public celebrated for they believed this was the answer to chronic office pain. Then a few hours passed and workers found themselves leaning on their desks with their elbows, hips, belly, basically any bit of their body that could help take the load of their swelling feet. When consumed by the ever enticing glow of your computer it’s easy to lose track of your body positioning. If your posture has already shifted away from ideal, standing for long periods can put a lot of strain on an already unstable structure. Also, if your circulation is less than perfect, you may suffer from swelling in your feet and lower limbs. A more realistic option is alternating between sitting and standing throughout the day. 

None of these chairs are magic, if you sit for 8 hours without pause, your body will suffer the ill effects. So, set a timer and get up and move around every 20-30 minutes. Also, adjust your chair to remind you to find your ideal posture, not to satisfy your habitual slouch. An ergonomic chair can be a valuable tool in your pursuit of comfort, but your habits are always going to be the most important.

The Best Office Chair According to a Physiotherapist, a Lawyer, and a Therapist

Without fail, several times a week I am asked what office chair I recommend, and I always have to admit I don't own one! I am nomadic by nature and shuffle from my kitchen table to the floor, to the library, to my local coffee shop. I do own a variety of tools to make me comfortable while working at a computer, such as a laptop stand, external keyboard, wireless mouse, and of course padded seat cushions and armrests (and I have no shame in setting them up out in public). But I still don’t feel like I have the office-job experience to recommend a particular chair. So I went looking for some office pros and asked thee three she-bosses to share their top chair recommendations. 

Rosemarie Sanche

Rosemarie is a pelvic floor physiotherapist based out of Comox Physiotherapy and Perseverance Wellness. She reminisces about how much she enjoyed the unique saddle chairs at a previous clinic she worked at in Victoria. I asked her if this was a chair she would recommend to clients and she shook her head to disagree. Just because it was her preference does not mean it will work for you. She believes picking an office chair is a very personal decision and must be comfortable for the user. "Just like Goldilocks, you must try many before you buy”. 

"Just like Goldilocks, you must try many before you buy”.

 Jaime Bell 

Jaime decided to leave her fancy law career in Toronto and move out west to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle. She now runs a successful online business from home, Contracts Market, offering affordable contracts to entrepreneurs as well as her own law firm, Wild Coast Law. She ditched her high heels for slippers, as well as the stuffy office chairs that she is certain, were designed only for “big beefy” men. When she picked a chair for her home office she wanted something that looked good and made her feel equally comfortable. The Bradford upholstered chair was her ultimate pick, and although it misses a few marks in my professional opinion, the most important factor is that she feels comfortable and is pain-free at the end of a long workday.  

Jolene Turney 

Jolene Turney is a mental health therapist who has been working from home since the beginning of the pandemic. She spends long hours online helping clients navigate their emotional journeys. While she offers support to her clients, she values a chair that reciprocates the gesture. She laughed when I asked about her favourite office chair admitting that she had tried all the high-end ones, but in the end preferred the affordable Task Chair from Staples that she felt “fit her just right”. This chair comes in under $400 but still has all of the adjustments and supports needed for me to recommend it as a good ergonomic option. 

Three ladies that love three very different chairs. I’ll say it just once more, your perfect chair will require more work than just reading this journal (but this is a very good start, congratulations!) Your next step: head out the door and go try some chairs in real life! Consider it an investment (time and money) in your health. If that just isn’t feasible for you, search online for a chair that offers the adjustable features I mentioned above so it can adapt to what your body needs. 

Finally, don’t forget that motion is lotion and taking breaks from sitting will lubricate your joints and free your mind. A movement vocabulary rich in variety will nourish your nervous system and replenish your body. Your prescription for healing: Try 2 free Functional Movement Meditations or Join Now to start your practice in moving mindfully.