Why are office chairs designed to be tilted?
Jul 13, 2024
The reason why office chairs are designed to tilt back is for ergonomic considerations. When we sit in a chair, there is a natural curvature between the spine and the hips.
If we sit in an upright chair for a long time, this curvature will be compressed, causing fatigue and discomfort in the lower back and waist muscles. In addition, sitting upright for a long time will increase the pressure on the lower back, which may cause problems such as lower back pain.
To solve this problem, office chairs are usually designed to tilt back to maintain the natural curvature between the spine and hips. This reduces the pressure on the lower back and back muscles, while also improving comfort and work efficiency.
In addition, reclining office chairs can help promote blood circulation, reduce the risk of varicose veins in the lower limbs, and relieve fatigue in the feet and lower limbs.
It should be noted that the tilt angle should not be too large, otherwise it will cause physical instability and increase the risk of falling. Therefore, the tilt angle of office chairs is usually designed to be around 10 degrees. This angle can provide sufficient comfort and support without affecting the stability of the body.
1. Reasons for reclining design
The main reasons for office chairs to adopt a reclining design are as follows:
(1) Improve comfort
The reclining backrest angle provides better comfort and reduces pressure on the spine, especially suitable for long-term sitting. A vertical or forward-leaning backrest is not very comfortable for long-term sitting.
(2) Lower back relaxation
The reclining backrest allows people to lean back, which effectively supports and relaxes the lower back. A forward-leaning or upright backrest does not provide proper support for the lower back and can cause lower back discomfort over time.
(3) More natural posture
A slight recline when resting or working is a more natural and comfortable posture. A reclining backrest is more ergonomic and provides a more natural and comfortable sitting posture.
(4) Improve work efficiency
A certain degree of backward tilt of the backrest will make people feel more relaxed and comfortable, which is conducive to clear thinking and improved work efficiency. An overly upright or forward-leaning sitting posture will cause anxiety and increased stress, which is not conducive to concentrated thinking and work.
(5) Reduce eye fatigue
A slightly reclining posture can reduce eye fatigue because it allows the eyes to be in a more natural and relaxed state. Leaning forward requires the eyes to focus more, so it is more prone to fatigue.
In summary, the appropriate tilt angle of the office chair can provide a more comfortable feeling, better lumbar support, and a more natural working posture, which helps to improve work efficiency and reduce visual fatigue.
Although designs that are too upright or forward-leaning also have their advantages, they are often not suitable for long-term work and are not ergonomic.
2. Design principles
The reason why office chairs do not provide too strong back and shoulder support is mainly based on the following design principles:
(1) Avoid interfering with the natural curvature of the spine
Ergonomic research shows that the human spine does not maintain a completely straight posture during work or activities. Slight forward and backward tilts and left and right bends are all part of the natural curvature of the spine, which can reduce spinal pressure and fatigue.
Too hard back and shoulder support will restrict this natural curvature, resulting in discomfort caused by maintaining the posture for a long time.
(2) Encourage regular posture adjustment
If the backrest and shoulder support are too strong, people tend to habitually maintain the same posture for a long time, which is not good for the spine and the body.
Relatively gentle support designs encourage individuals to make regular fine-tuning of their postures, which helps to relieve fatigue and discomfort caused by long hours of work or study.
(3) Improve comfort
Depending on personal seat preferences, softer support designs can provide a more comfortable and relaxing feeling. Hard support may cause local discomfort and pressure.
(4) Provide a soothing visual effect
Compared to "hard" high-back chairs, visually soft chairs can give people a more relaxed and leisurely feeling, which indirectly affects the comfort and mood during use.
Conclusion
Therefore, not providing overly hard back and shoulder support is more ergonomic, can provide a more comfortable and natural sitting posture, encourage regular posture adjustment, and provide a visually soothing effect - these are the basic principles followed by modern office chair design.