Avoid back pain in the office - this is how you choose the right office chair
In 2021, the average weekly working time of employees in Germany was just under 35 hours - almost 60 percent of all employees carry out the work while sitting. This often has health consequences such as tension, back pain and fatigue due to incorrect posture.
For this reason, choosing the right office chair is a task that you have to take into your own hands. Many employers only provide poor equipment on which you put unnecessary strain on your body. So in this desqup blog we take a look at how to find the right office chair and why a height-adjustable desk can be a good idea.
Risks of sitting incorrectly - that's why you need the right office chair
Before we help you choose the right office chair, let's first look at the causes of back pain in the office. Although these are very versatile, there are some reasons for problems that stand out in the statistics. Almost 60 percent of all employees state that they have suffered from back pain in the last twelve months. At 5.8 percent, they are also the second most common single cause of sick leave.
At a classic desk workplace, the following risks arise for back problems, among others:
- Unhealthy/incorrect posture
- Incorrectly adjusted table or chair
- Poor office equipment, such as old chairs
- Too low computer monitor
- One-sided loads of any kind
All of these factors can quickly lead to back pain in the office, which could then become chronic. With the right office chair and the right setting for your entire workplace, you can prevent these health risks, which also affect your private life. In the next paragraphs we look at what a good office chair should have.
Did you know: We at desqup have made it our mission to make ergonomic office equipment accessible and affordable for every employee in Germany. In our online shop you will find ergonomic sitting and standing stools , height-adjustable desks and blog articles on the subject of healthy work. Please have a look!
This is how you choose the right office chair - against back pain in the office
In this paragraph we will show you what you need to look out for in a good office chair so that back pain does not occur later in the office. Here we distinguish between two major types of chairs: the classic swivel chair with backrest and an ergonomic sitting and standing stool such as the desqup Motion.
The "old-fashioned" office chair - you have to pay attention to this
You can still find it in most offices in Germany. The old-fashioned office chair has a backrest, armrests and casters on the feet to make it easier for you to stand up. When buying such an office chair, you should pay attention to a few things so that it also meets ergonomic requirements.
- Backrest – the backrest of the right office chair should not sag too much, but it shouldn’t be too stiff either. It should also be made of a breathable material so that you don't sweat too much even on hot days
- Armrests - if possible, the armrests should not be made of hard plastic, otherwise your arms will sweat quickly. In addition, they should be adjustable in height and ideally also in width
- Seat – the seat of your office chair should be deep and wide enough. Check whether about two to three finger widths fit between the back of your knees and the contact surface
- Lumbar support - Lumbar support is recommended if you have trouble maintaining an upright posture at work. It supports your spine
- Neck pillow - the neck pillow should be adjustable in height and depth so that your neck has a straight posture when working at the desk
However, the old-fashioned office chair is no longer what we would recommend you to have in a modern office. It supports your body too much and ensures that minor incorrect postures are compensated for, but unfortunately not by the body itself. It can still happen that you suffer from back pain in the office due to incorrect posture. We therefore recommend the ergonomic sitting and standing stool from desqup, which we will present to you in the next paragraph.
The ergonomic sitting and standing stool - the solution to back pain in the office
This paragraph deals with the most modern solution for seating in the office, the ergonomic sitting and standing stool. It combines the advantages of sitting and standing and ensures that your body is constantly in motion without you noticing anything.
The desqup Motion consists of a seat and a rubberized base plate, which makes the stool non-slip. The style moves slightly, resulting in sustained micro-movements. Since there is no backrest, you automatically always sit upright and cannot lean back. Your arms also need to be at an ideal angle on the table, since you can't rest them on the side of the chair.
The desqup Motion has a simple, stepless height adjustment with a gas pressure spring, which makes setting the ideal height a real breeze. In addition, the seat is made of breathable nylon and wool. When standing, the desqup Motion takes almost 60 percent of your body weight off and thus ideally combines the advantages of sitting and standing.
By the way: The ideal division for a working day in terms of working posture looks like this: 60 percent sitting, 30 percent standing and 10 percent movement. You should do the whole thing in regular alternation to keep your circulation going.
The ergonomic sitting and standing stool from desqup is the ideal solution for back pain in the office. It does not allow any incorrect posture, keeps your body moving and ensures an ideal posture when sitting and standing. In addition, it takes up little space and can simply disappear under the table if you want to work completely standing up - this is also not possible with a classic office chair.
Conclusion: The right office chair for back pain in the office
In the wrong office chair, you quickly adopt bad posture – you lean too far forward or too far back, putting undue strain on your spine. With a suitable chair with all the important functions, you protect your body and are able to perform for longer. The ideal solution for back pain at work, however, is an ergonomic sitting and standing stool like the desqup Motion - you can even actively promote your health with it!
Take a look at our detailed product page to get a better impression of our product!
