How to Choose Ergonomic Office Chairs in Abu Dhabi

When shopping for office furniture, one non-negotiable is enough ergonomic chairs for your in-person staff. The last thing you want is staff suffering from back and shoulder pain, and taking days off for treatment, especially in the startup phase. Here’s what to look for when choosing the best office chairs for your Abu Dhabi workplace.

Why are Ergonomic Office Chairs Important?

Ergonomically designed office furniture, including chairs, can help reduce lower back pain and strain that may develop into tissue damage. As lower back pain is so common, that many assume it is a normal part of adult life, including measures to reduce its severity and incidence could help you retain staff and improve productivity.

How common is it? Repetitive strain injuries, such as those from prolonged sitting in inadequate office chairs, may make up one-third of all occupational injuries that result in missed days of work. Worse still, anywhere between 40-80% of office workers complain of musculoskeletal pain on a regular basis. This pain and tissue damage commonly affects the spine and hips, two areas affected by the design of your office chairs. 

Posture

The correct posture for spinal anatomy is a slight “S” shape that does not force the chest and shoulders into a slouch, and keeps the knees slightly bent. Both slumped and flat postures increase pressure on the spinal discs, which can add up over time to cause damage and persistent pain. 

At Urban 411, our office chairs support the lower back’s natural curve. Our Kron and Kron+ chairs, for example, fit the natural lordosis-type position of the lower back while allowing the ribcage to curve in its slightly different angle. This may reduce disc strain and keep the center of gravity over the hips to prevent strain. 

Correct lumbar and pelvis posture is more important than the chair’s backrest being high enough for spinal support. In one study, a chair providing lumbar support gave users a posture closer to the neutral spinal position than a standard design. 

What about your head and neck? The ideal height for an office chair will position your neutral eye gaze at the center of the computer screen. Workers with bifocal lenses must be able to adjust the computer screen or chair to avoid tilting their necks back. Correct height prevents taller workers from slouching and shorter staff from having to tilt their necks up. For an office chair with neck support, you can see whether or not your posture is ideal if your earlobe is between your collarbone and neck muscles. Staff who find this uncomfortable may prefer chairs with lower backs and to use their own muscular support. 

Adjustability

Multiple studies show that adjustable chairs with a swivel function can reduce neck, upper back, lower back, and hip pain in people performing long hours of sedentary work. Height-adjustable chairs with adjustable backrests and armrests may reduce excessive pressure on the spinal discs, as well as reduce inappropriate muscle activation. If your office practices hot desking, where staff choose their seating on a daily basis, adjustable chairs allow all workers to find the ideal positioning for them as individuals. This is important if your company relies on collaborative work and benefits most from an open-plan space. Adjustability may help prevent staff from remaining in a fixed position for too long, which is also harmful to spinal health. 

The armrests, lumbar support, and height are all adjustable in Urban 411’s office chairs. This way, a standard order can accommodate workers of varying heights, and staff who hot-desk in open-plan spaces are able to change any chair to fit their needs.

Heat Dispersion

Our ergonomic office chairs feature mesh fabric to disperse heat, an overlooked feature in many designs. Those wearing more modest clothing or businesses looking to save on air conditioning costs with slightly higher temperatures may find this more comfortable and enjoy improved productivity. We found this to be an especially important feature for office furniture in Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE, as summer temperatures reach over 40 degrees Celsius. 

Overall, adjustability and lumbar support are two of the most important factors in finding ergonomic chairs for your Dubai workplace. Chairs used by different workers, or those who notice their needs changing on a daily basis, must be adaptable to save you money and space. To see Urban 411’s full range of office chairs, click here, or here to contact us.