Is a Good Office Chair Worth It?

Many office jobs require you to spend an unfavorable amount of time sitting in an office chair at your desk. Because of this, you may be prone to back issues, among other health issues that come from sitting for too long or uncomfortably.

To combat this, a good office chair is needed. However, because high-quality chairs tend to run on the expensive side, is investing in one even worth it?  

A good office chair will always be worth the cost. Not only will it provide the support needed to avoid back pain and other related health issues, but users can also pick a chair with features specific to their needs to maximize comfort. 

There are plenty of benefits that come with a good office chair; to learn what they are, sit back, and read on! 

Why is a Good Office Chair Worth It? 

A good office chair can range anywhere between $200 and $2000, depending on its brand and features. While some believe this is way too steep a price for a simple chair, there are a few reasons why it is definitely worth the cost. 

The following are the essential characteristics that make a good office chair worth its price:

Good Office Chairs Provide Support

If you work in an office for long enough, you may develop a habit of slouching forward at your desk, with your back curved and shoulders hunched over toward the computer. If you sit in this position for many hours a day, your back may end up suffering. 

Of course, you may already notice this and consciously try to correct your posture throughout the day, but it can be hard to actively think about when your mind is always focused on work. 

A good office chair will have the back support needed to help you naturally sit up straight. An office chair with proper back support will have the following features:

• Adjustable lumbar support
• Adjustable backrest
• Dense, high-quality cushioning in the back

Instead of worrying about your posture all day, you can simply lean back, and the chair will help correct it for you. Better yet, when you finally get up for your break or the end of the workday, your lower back won’t have those unpleasant sharp pains that you would typically get with a poor-quality chair.

Good Office Chairs Are More Comfortable

If you plan on sitting in your office chair for hours every day, it has to be comfortable. Otherwise, you can quickly become distracted from discomfort, making it difficult to focus on essential work tasks. 

A good office chair will have comfortable material that is soft—but not too soft. Too much cushion and the chair could actually reinforce poor posture. Additionally, a chair with excess cushion will not be able to support your full body weight over time; eventually, an indention will start to form where you usually position your body. 

With that said, the ideal office chair will include memory foam in its seat. The material is soft enough to provide comfort and support to the tailbone and back and has the ability to bounce right back after use. It’s like sitting in a new chair every time you settle in! 

Good Office Chairs Are Adjustable

A good office chair will also be adjustable to fit your needs; this is particularly important for those with an above- or below-average height or who want to improve their posture. 

Instead of settling for a run-of-the-mill chair that forces your knees to hit your desk or your feet to dangle off the ground, adjustable office chairs allow you to change their height accordingly. 

Some chairs let you change the height of multiple components, such as the armrests and sometimes headrest—perfect for achieving maximum comfort. 

Ultimately, having the ability to adjust your chair’s height in multiple areas can help perfect your posture, as you will be able to sit straight more naturally and avoid forcing your body into uncomfortable positions to reach your desk or computer. 

Good Office Chairs Have User-Friendly Features

Beyond being good for your posture and back health, good office chairs also have unique features that make their use simple and ideal for those who sit at a desk all day. 

• Caster Wheels – An office chair with caster wheels will allow you to move about your office space without having to get back up and physically pick up and move the chair around with you. Some chairs have wheels designed to roll well on hardwood or tile floors, so you don’t have to worry about damaging the floor, either. 
• 360-Degree Rotation – Good office chairs will allow you to rotate all the way around, ensuring you have unlimited movement; this is especially helpful for those who sit at an L-shaped desk or cubicle and need to turn frequently to reach various items for work. This way, you don’t have to contort and twist your back into unfavorable positions just to reach your stapler. 
• Moveable Armrests – Besides being able to move up and down according to height adjustments, armrests should also be moveable. For example, some office chairs have armrests that can be turned inward or outward to make it easier for the user to lean over to pick something off the floor or get in and out of the chair. 

While all of these features aren’t necessary for an office chair, they certainly make moving around a lot easier for the user. 

What Happens if You Don’t Use a Good Office Chair?

While it may be tempting to forgo a high-quality office chair because of the high price, you may end up sacrificing the health of your back, neck, and tailbone. Without a good office chair, you will more likely experience these common side effects: 

Back Pain

In a good office chair, there is a supportive backrest or lumbar support present to prevent you from leaning forward and moving against the spine’s natural curvature toward your tailbone. 

However, in a low-quality chair, you lack this support, causing you to inherently lean forward and add stress to the lower back muscles and joints; this leads to the lower back pain you may feel after sitting in a chair for hours. 

Neck Pain or Stiffness

As you lean forward in a non-adjustable chair, you end up looking down on what you’re working on rather than observing it at eye-level. As a result, your neck may experience some stiffness or pain after being in this position for several hours. 

Tailbone Pain 

Tailbone pain is more common among those with longer tailbones. A chair without any cushion or made of hard material can irritate the tailbone, leading to severe pain. Naturally, to alleviate the pain in this area, you may end up leaning forward, which further contributes to the previous issues above. 

Final Thoughts

The more time you spend in your office chair, the more important it is to invest in a good, high-quality one. Even if you only sit in your office chair for an hour each day, your body will definitely notice the difference between a standard chair, and one built for ergonomics and comfort. 

Not only do good office chairs provide excellent back support and comfort, but they often have features that can be adjusted according to your height to help encourage better posture.

If you’re hesitant about investing in a good office chair, consider how your neck and back feel now and how much better they will feel once you give them the support they need!