We began this conversation by discussing, how important your office chair is to your over-all well-being and health.  As promised, here are some indicators that you may have bad posture or a bad chair from Clear Design’s, “ How the Wrong Houston Office Chair Will Ruin Your Workday”.

Loss of Concentration
It is hard to concentrate on doing your job when you are uncomfortable at your desk. The wrong office chair does not give you the proper support you need to keep your back, neck, arms and shoulders aligned in a comfortable position. This can lead to stabbing pains between your shoulder blades, a crick in your neck and a pulsating ache in your lower back that keep you from concentrating on the job at hand.

Office Workplace Injuries
Poorly designed office chairs cause some of the most common injuries in the workplace. Carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain and spinal problems can all be linked to office chairs that are not doing their job to support your body. Nothing will ruin your workday quicker than needing to leave to visit the doctor for a workplace injury. It is also a very expensive alternative to investing in ergonomic office chairs that can prevent many of these workplace injuries.”

Time Missed From Work
Is your office chair making you sick? While it may not give you the flu, an uncomfortable chair can lead to aches and pains that keep you awake at night. Before you know it, you are feeling tired and rundown, leaving you susceptible to illness. Having the wrong office chair can lead to more time missed from work, costing much more in benefits and lost productivity than the purchase of a new office chair.

It is becoming more and more excepted in the workplace that bad sitting posture and bad chairs put unnecessary strain on the lower back muscles, causing pain that can become chronic if not treated. This has helped to spark the emergence of the stand-up desk and other ergonomic workplace innovations. In a 2009 interview with British news and editorial website INDEPENDENT, Dr. John Challenor of the Society of Occupational Medicine suggests “Most organizations should assess their employees' workstations and be able to advise whether they are set up correctly. If they are not, it can cause visual, muscular or skeletal strain.”

"A chair adjusted for a 4ft 9in employee will not work for a 6ft tall employee," Challenor says. The best posture is to sit back in your chair, not perched at the front, with your back and shoulders supported by the back of the chair. It is imperative that you find out how to adjust your chair to maximize comfort. At Butler Business Products, we have a specialist who will come evaluate your chairs, desks and usage, while recommending changes to make your business day more comfortable and healthy. We offer this service free of charge for groups of 5 or more employees. Feel free to contact us today to schedule your Ergonomics Class! Until then, stay tuned for the next update during which we will provide some solutions to bad posture and show you how to pick the right chair.