Making Seating Choices Stand Out

Posted on 12 June 2017 at 3:21 pm by admin

The average office worker spends more than 75,000 minutes in a seated position every year, or the equivalent of 65% to 75% of their working hours sitting down, half of which is in prolonged periods of sustained sitting. A recent study also suggested that prolonged sitting for more than seven hours a day contributes to negative health consequences. However, sitting at a desk is an essential part of the office working day, so selecting the right office chair is a very important decision.

Recently, articles with sensational headlines such as “Office workers must exercise for an hour a day to counter death risk” and “Office workers spend five years of their lives sitting at a desk – no wonder a third are overweight” have appeared in the UK media, warning of the dangers of sitting at a desk for hours on end every day. And although these articles were only intended to raise awareness of the negative health implications due to prolonged seating, they fail to take into account the impact that a good ergonomic office chair can have on the comfort, productivity and long term well-being of each and every office-based employee.

People need to be mindful of the amount of time they do sit down, but sitting does have its advantages. Sitting allows people to rest, transfer weight off their feet and reduce the pressure on the circulation system of the lower legs. One disadvantage to sitting in an office chair for long periods is that most people have a natural tendency to slouch over the desk or slouch down in the chair, which can contribute to or worsen back pain.

When people sit to work, they need to be well-supported in postures that promote health and productivity and that counter slouching. A decent office chair can be adjusted to the proportions of the individual’s body to improve comfort and reduce aggravation to the spine. Reclining and changing postures while sitting can also reduce pressures on the body and improve circulation.

As with most things in life, moderation is important. No matter how comfortable people are sat in an office chair, there is no doubt that prolonged static posture is not good for the back and can lead to health issues, so the importance of being active and moving around throughout the working day cannot be underestimated. But for when people need to sit, the ergonomic office chair still has a critical part to play in the workplace.

Over the last year CDF have conducted an extensive review of their seating range with the aim to deliver a more innovative, diverse and high-quality selection of products that offer the ultimate in functionality, comfort and durability.