Alex Williams, owner of Holistic Hyperbarics and Human Touch Wellness Council member, shares how hyperbaric therapy supports anti-aging.
Ergonomic chair benefits are underrated. People sit – a lot. Statistically, you’ll find claims of adults in the United States sitting between 6.5 to 15 hours a day. Even at 10 hours a day, you’re sitting for more than 50% of your waking hours.
The right ergonomic chair will help you avoid:
- Risks of bad posture
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- So much more
The advantages of ergonomics are plentiful, and we’re going to explore quite a few of them to discover if a new chair may be beneficial for you.
What are Ergonomic Chairs?
Before we discuss ergonomic chair features, it’s important to understand what “ergonomic” really means. When referring to ergonomics, this means a chair that conforms to the body and is highly adjustable.
Many of the benefits of ergonomic chairs are due to the option to adjust:
- Headrest
- Height
- Arms
Your body has a natural position that it can remain in with good posture. If your chair is too short or the arms aren’t the right height, it will impact this natural position. You may have to sit up closer to the edge of the chair, leading to less back support and even pain in your knees.
Ergonomic chairs are designed to naturally fit your body.
P.S. There are also a lot of ergonomic desk benefits, but we’re going to focus on chairs specifically in the rest of this article.
Ergonomic Chairs Key Features
We touched on many of the ergonomic chair features in the last section, but they include:
- Adjustable arms
- Adjustable height
- Neck adjustments (where applicable)
- Potential lumbar support
Your chair should promote good posture by adding support and conforming to your body’s natural dimensions. For example, a taller person with long arms will find themselves scrunched up in a normal chair with poor posture that leaves them with shoulder and neck pain.
Ergonomic chairs solve these issues by allowing you to adjust features that other chairs do not allow.
The Benefits of Ergonomic Chairs
While there are many benefits of ergonomic chairs, the following are some of the most important:
Benefit 1: Promotes Good Posture
According to one study, prolonged sitting can have drastic consequences for your health. In fact, the study found that poor posture from sitting led to a higher risk of death in all categories. Ergonomic chairs are designed to promote good posture.
And the right chair will:
- Reduce bodily strains
- Improve health
If you’re sitting for long periods, ergonomic chairs help align the body so that it doesn’t lead to unwanted stress on the joints.
Benefit 2: Prevents Back Pain
Back pain impacts people worldwide, and an ergonomic chair will help reduce back pain in many ways, including:
- Promoting proper spine alignment
- Offering lumbar support
The option to adjust the lumbar support is becoming more popular and will prevent slouching in the chair and aid in posture.
Benefit 3: Reduce Neck Pain
Achy backs are often followed by neck pain. Depending on the chair, you may have an adjustable neck support that helps alleviate strain on your neck.
Benefit 4: Improve Blood Circulation
Sitting has a negative impact on your blood circulation. If you sit for long hours, you can expect to experience:
- Depression
- Poor blood circulation
- Higher risk of heart disease
- Much more
One study even found that sitting for one hour per day led to higher risks in all of the categories above. Ergonomic chairs promote better circulation, especially in the lower extremities, when compared to traditional chairs.
Benefit 5: Boost Productivity
Aches, pains and general discomfort impact productivity. How often do you have to reposition in the chair or get up to stretch your legs? Sitting in a chair that cradles your body and is adjusted to meet your body’s dimensions will lead to higher productivity.
Instead of focusing on your pain or discomfort, you can focus on being productive.
Benefit 6: Eases Hip Pain
Hip pain can be a result of poor posture when you sit. When your seat’s height is improper, it often leads to greater strain on the knees and hips. Ergonomic chairs keep all of your joints in alignment so that your hips don’t hurt.
Benefit 7: Adjusts to Fit Your Height
If you can’t adjust your current chair’s height, there’s a good chance that you’re not properly aligned. Ergonomic chairs work so well because they’re designed to be adjustable. You can adjust the height of most elements, including overall chair height.
Benefit 8: Designed to Fit All Users
You're unique. Your arm length, back, height and everything about you is unique. Adjustable components of ergonomic chairs are designed to fit users of all sizes. People that are tall or short often struggle to find comfort in a normal chair.
However, the adjustable nature of ergonomic chairs allows you to adjust the chair to fit you.
Benefit 9: Puts Less Pressure on the Knees
As we discussed in point six, knee pain is common when you’re not properly aligned in your chair. Ergonomic chairs reduce pressure on the knees, leading to less knee pain overall.
Benefit 10: Promotes Maximum Comfort
There are many ergonomic advantages and disadvantages, but the most common advantage is comfort. When you’re in proper alignment and can adjust multiple areas of your chair, it will be far more comfortable.
People sit a lot.
If you need to sit for work or even when relaxing at home, you’ll find ergonomic chairs are far more comfortable than non-ergonomic models.
Are There Any Disadvantages of Ergonomic Chairs?
Are ergonomic chairs good for you? Yes. But are there any disadvantages? Not many. The one disadvantage that we can think of is price. You'll find that ergonomic anything will cost more than traditional furniture, but you benefit from fewer aches and pains as a result.
However, the higher price is worth the cost, especially if you sit for long hours every day.
Often, you’ll save money by reducing:
- Aches
- Pains
- Doctor visits
And you also benefit from greater productivity – a major perk.
Final Thoughts
It’s impossible to ignore the health benefits of ergonomic chairs. If you’re like most people that sit at a desk for the majority of your day, you definitely want to consider an ergonomic chair. Maintaining proper alignment in your neck, back, hips and more is crucial to reduce the risk of pain or discomfort from sitting too long.
Are you tired of looking at most ergonomic chairs and not finding one that truly conforms to your body? We're going to list four of our leading chairs by category to help you find the best ergonomic chair for you.
Best Ergonomic Chair Reviews
Ergonomic Computer Chairs - Perfect Chair® with Laptop Desk Accessory
The Perfect Chair PC-610 with Supreme Upholstery Package offers a high-end office chair with an optional laptop desk accessory which has a variety of features to make every day in the office relaxing, fun, and pain-free.
A few of the chair's many features include:
Features
- Memory foam PLUS to conform to your body
- Powered lumbar system adjustments
- Articulating headrest
- Extended armrest
- Solid wooden base
- Zero-gravity comfort
- Far-infrared jade stone heating
- Laptop desk accessory
If you want the best ergonomic chair for office use, it's difficult to beat the versatility and comfort that the PC-610 offers.
Get the Perfect Chair PC-610, ergonomic recliner chair.
Ergonomic Relaxing Chairs – Gravis ZG Chair
The Gravis ZG Chair is the best ergonomic desk chair to help you relax while still getting your To Do list checked off. And with the downloadable app, the chair will even "nudge" you to let you know that you've been sitting in the same position for too long.
Isn't that neat? Plus, it's filled with advanced features to maximize comfort.
Features
- 100% adjustable seating
- Adjust your back, head and feet
- Recline and incline with the tap of a bottom
- Enjoy targeted heat zones
- Targeted massage areas
- Downloadable app for advanced features
The Gravis ZG Chair puts true computer chair comfort in your grasp. So sit back, answer calls, send emails or go on Zoom calls from the comfort of this amazing chair.
Get the Gravis ZG Chair today.
Ergonomic Home Office Chairs – Super Novo
The Super Novo is the best ergonomic home office chair for when you're not at your desk. It's the most advanced and luxurious massage chair we have here at Human Touch, and a home office is a fitting place for it.
Built with the latest massage chair technology, the Super Novo can help ease tension and stress with a full-body massage. Use it during your lunch break or in between meetings to boost circulation and help you relax.
Features
- S- and L-track massage to target the shoulders down to the back of the thighs
- Built-in calf and foot massager
- Altec Lansing sound system
- 3D and 4D massage programs
The Super Novo also has Alexa-enabled Virtual Therapist™ technology to create a customized massage experience.
Get the Super Novo massage chair at Human Touch.
Budget Ergonomic Chair – WholeBody® 7.1
The WholeBody 7.1 is a low-cost ergonomic chair that doesn't skimp on quality. It's the perfect companion for your laptop or those times when you're away from the desk. Five built-in massage programs help melt away stress, while the BodyMap PRO feature allows you to create a customized massage.
Features
- Retractable ottoman with calf and foot massager
- 5 massage programs
- 3D FlexGlide massage
- BodyMap PRO for a customized massage experience
- Warm-air technology
The compact footprint of this chair makes it an excellent option for an ergonomic high-back office chair. If you work at a desk, you can slip this chair into the corner of the room and enjoy a relaxing massage during your break.
Get the WholeBody 7.1 at Human Touch
If you're looking for the best ergonomic chair for your home office, give one of these models a try. Whether paired with a laptop or for those in-between moments, our massage chairs will help you get more done with less stress.
Setting up a home office has been a tricky process for many of us. Along with finding a designated place to work, you also have to consider the ergonomics of the space. The goal is to create a home office that's comfortable to work in without causing back pain or strain.
A zero gravity workstation is a great option, especially if you suffer from constant pain when sitting.
Investing in an ergonomic office chair is a great place to start. The Human Touch Perfect Chair® is ideal for any home office setting. Our Perfect Chairs may not look like the conventional office chair, but they offer the comfort and ergonomic design needed to work safely and comfortably from home.
Experience the Benefits of Zero Gravity
The legs are elevated above the heart in the zero gravity position, while the shoulders and head are also slightly elevated. It may sound like a strange way to sit or sleep in, but NASA designed the position as a way to take pressure off the spine when astronauts are launched into space.
You may find it interesting to know that this is also the position your body naturally takes when in a zero gravity environment, such as floating in a pool of water.
Back Pain Relief
Many of us suffer from lower back pain because we sit at a desk all day or perform repetitive motions that strain our backs.
The zero gravity position takes the pressure off the spine, specifically the lower back. Once that pressure is removed, blood can flow freely to the back to alleviate pain and discomfort.
If you suffer from pinched nerves or muscle tension in your back, a zero gravity office chair can also help decompress your spine to alleviate these problems.
A few of the ways that an ergonomic office chair helps alleviate back pain are:
- Tilt tension
- Sturdy yet comfortable seat cushion to promote better posture
- Height adjustable settings to ensure proper foot placement
- Adjustable armrests to further promote good posture
When you're sitting for long hours, adjustable features help take the strain off of your back. It's better to invest in zero gravity computer chair that may cost more than other models but doesn't leave you with an aching back day and night.
Plus, the right zero gravity chair will last a long time and can be written off if you own a business.
Less Stress on the Heart
Along with taking pressure off the spine, zero gravity also takes pressure off the heart, allowing it to work more efficiently and improving circulation. In this position, your heart doesn't have to work so hard to pump against the power of gravity, so blood can flow more freely.
If you have fibromyalgia, lower stress on the heart is crucial to your long-term health.
The best office chairs for fibromyalgia are zero gravity chairs. You'll reduce pain, lower your risk of heart complications and do it all while being more productive.
Better Circulation, Recovery and Pain Relief
Improved circulation will help with recovery from injuries and even muscle growth. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to your organs and muscles. Muscles that receive more blood get more nutrients and oxygen, helping them grow. Injuries also recover more quickly because they receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal.
Zero gravity is also an effective way to alleviate pain. Along with taking pressure off painful areas, improved circulation reduces or even eliminates pain.
In fact, a 2014 study from Portland Research Group highlighted the effectiveness of zero gravity and Human Touch's Perfect Chairs on pain.
- * 41% of people taking pain medication before their chair purchase took less pain medication after purchasing a Perfect Chair.
- * 17% stopped taking pain medication entirely.
- * 74% of owners said they would recommend Perfect Chair to other people.
Do zero gravity chairs help back pain? Yes, but they also help relieve general pain, too. There are chairs for back pain specifically, yet a zero gravity desk or chair will reduce pain in the entire spine and other joints.
Relaxed Muscles
Working from home can be stressful, even if your home office is in your living room.
The zero gravity position helps take pressure off muscles, allowing them to relax and alleviating tension. When the body is in a total state of relaxation, you also enjoy a deeper, more restful sleep.
A reclining desk or reclining computer workstation helps take strain off of your muscles, joints and back. When you sit in a reclining desk chair workstation, you're actively promoting less stress and tension on the muscles.
If any of the following hurt or are sore after long work hours, a zero gravity reclining office chair can help:
- Neck
- Back
- Shoulders
Plus, the mesh fabric is comfortable to sit in for long periods of time and very durable.
A Versatile Home Office Asset
Perfect Chairs are just as versatile as they are comfortable.
If you want a zero gravity chair for lower back pain that's high-tech and can help improve your workflow in the office, we have the perfect option for you.
With our Laptop Desk accessory, you can instantly transform your chair into the perfect home office chair. Our Supreme Upholstery Packages offered with any of our Perfect Chair models include 3D EasePoint Technology™, which is designed to distribute your weight evenly across the entire seat to eliminate uncomfortable and painful pressure points. This makes it easier to comfortably work from your chair, even for extended periods of time.
With zero gravity, maximum adjustability and the finest craftsmanship, Perfect Chairs make it easy and comfortable to work from home.
Even after you return to your office, your Perfect Chair will be there to greet you after work and help you relax after a long day. If you're going to have a home office, you want it to be as comfortable as possible. A zero gravity chair is the best option for comfort, back pain reduction and versatility.
Could your home office use an upgrade? With more and more people working from home, the demand for workspaces that foster productivity and wellness has never been higher. Consider featuring a carefully-crafted massage chair in your home office that by its design and engineering, induces relaxation, refocuses your mind, and relieves stress.
Human Touch, a leading luxury massage and home office chair brand, has you covered. Check out this list of the best home office chairs of 2021:
Massage Chairs for Relaxing After a Long Day at the (Home) Office
Gravis ZG
The HumanTouch® Gravis ZG combines myriad therapeutic benefits, intelligent engineering, convenient controls, and exceptional comfort. Enjoy multiple heat zones, targeted air massage technology, and a zero gravity recliner, all in a compact, minimalist design. Gravis ZG has its own app for quick customization of your favorite positions and a reliable battery backup. And don’t forget the Smart Sitting feature (available in the downloadable app)! This intuitive feature allows you to set a timer so the chair “nudges” you when you’ve been sitting too long and should probably take a break and stretch your legs. Two frame color options, mahogany and beech, and three neutral pad set color options, saddle, sand, and bone, seamlessly blend into any home office decor.
Super Novo Massage Chair
The ground-breaking Super Novo Massage Chair is the first Alexa-enabled compatible ergonomic home office chair featuring patented Virtual Therapist™ technology. A Human Touch best-seller, the Super Novo lives up to its “super” name with features like 3D and 4D massage programs, Cloud Touch acupressure, dual-lumber heat, and zero gravity positioning. Access and store your devices with a convenient magnetic dock and holder, or turn on the premium Altec Lansing sound system to listen to calming music or nature tracks while you focus on work.
Novo XT2 Massage Chair
The Novo XT2 Massage Chair is a sophisticated home office chair designed for long working hours. Considered one of the best home office massage chairs available due to its powerful three-dimensional massage system, Novo XT2 delivers a masseuse-quality massage from the top of the spine all the way to the thighs. State-of-the-art technology, including Flex 3D Massage, dual-lumbar heating, and an extending foot and calf massage system, make this modern piece of furniture a must-have for relaxing breaks during the workday.
Ergonomic Chairs for Small Home Offices
Sana Massage Chair
The best compact home office chairs offer you a relaxing respite right when you need it, whether it’s during a short break between meetings or winding down at the end of a long workday. The Sana Massage Chair is a gorgeous modern home office chair, inspired by the simplicity of contemporary design with a luxurious first-class touch. Professionals dealing with high-stress jobs and long office hours will benefit from Sana’s pain-relieving zero gravity recline and nine intelligent Auto-Wellness programs that support and massage the back. A small rear clearance requirement makes the Sana perfect for tighter spaces, and built-in USB ports also make it easy to use and charge your devices while you decompress with a relaxing full-body massage.
iJOY® Total Massage Chair
Unwind after work (or during your own mini breaks throughout the day) with the iJOY Total Massage, a top-of-the-line home office chair for back pain. Intelligently designed with FlexGlide® orbital massage technology that simulates the expert techniques used by massage professionals, the iJOY Total Massage also features air cells strategically placed to target healing pressure to the shoulders, arms, seat, and calves. Adapt the chair to your perfect fit with back massage rollers that adjust to your ideal width, a gentle recline, and extendable foot and calf massagers. This high-quality compact massage chair will take your workspace to the next level.
Perfect Chair® PC-600 Silhouette
While all Perfect Chairs are exquisitely-crafted, the Perfect Chair PC-600 Silhouette is a step above the rest. Compared to the Perfect Chair PC-610 Omni-Motion, the PC-600 is a more compact-ergonomic home office chair optimal for smaller workspaces. Relax into the plush memory foam and take advantage of the added comfort seating available with the innovative 3D EasePoint Technology™ (offered on the Supreme Upholstery Package option). Discover a new sense of wellness while you work with power recline, an adjustable lumbar system, extended armrests, and much more. And attach the Perfect Chair Laptop Desk to secure your devices while you work and take meetings.
ZeroG® 5.0 Massage Chair
The ZeroG 5.0 Massage Chair is where state-of-the-art design meets pure, weightless relaxation. Whether you’re weaving self-care breaks into your day or simply relaxing after work, recline into zero gravity and experience immediate relief of pressure on your spine and lower back. Increase blood circulation, reduce swelling in your lower extremities, and indulge in a fully encompassing massage of your feet, calves, and lower and upper back. Featuring the revolutionary BodyMap PRO® remote, Acupoint® Detection scanning technology, and an extra-wide seat for added comfort while you work upright, this remarkable modern massage chair is the ultimate addition to any home workspace.
Zero Gravity Reclining Office Chairs
Lito Zero Gravity Recliner by Relax The Back®
The Lito Zero Gravity Recliner by Relax The Back offers unparalleled comfort whether you’re video conferencing with clients, working long hours, or benefitting from a short screen break between meetings. Dip into virtual weightlessness with Lito’s zero gravity recline and take advantage of intelligent preset memory functions you can access with the touch of a button. Use this as an optional home office chair when you need a break from your desk, and enjoy its heated seat and contoured backrest that supports your lower back, as well as an articulating headrest comfort pillow.
Perfect Chair® PC-420 Classical Manual Plus
The Perfect Chair PC-420 Classical Manual Plus is a stunning example of marrying human craftsmanship with remarkable engineering. The PC-420 is made with superior materials designed for ultimate comfort and durability; materials include high-tensile strength steel, memory foam, a solid wood base, far-infrared Jade heat stones*, and Premium Leather or SōfHyde upholstery. Use the detachable Perfect Chair Laptop Desk for work and meetings, and then manually recline to zero gravity and ease into weightless comfort. *Note: Jade heat available on select upholstery packages only.
Perfect Chair® PC-610 Omni-Motion Classic
Explore next-level wellness while you work with the Perfect Chair PC-610 Omni-Motion Classic, a contemporary leather home office chair that artfully blends form and function. Constructed with premium materials including a hand-carved wooden base and Premium Leather (or choose SōfHyde upholstery if you prefer!), the Perfect Chair PC-610 Omni-Motion Classic is everything the modern-day professional needs in an office chair. Recline to zero gravity for instant back and spine relief, find your preferred seating position with the chair’s 3D EasePoint Technology™ and alleviate muscle tension with soothing built-in Jade heat. (Note: 3D EasePoint Technology and Jade heat available on select upholstery packages only).
Whether you’re looking for sleek, compact chairs for your home office or the ultimate combination of modern comfort and ergonomics, let this best office chair review guide you to the perfect choice.
Human Touch® is thrilled to be a part of a major locker room renovation that the University of Alabama developed for their top-ranking NCAA Football team...
Today, after the chair time, I did a yogic stretch of one leg, and "click" the offending vertebrae went back into place! Stunning! Thank whoever developed that "energize" series for the chair.
Long Beach, CA – June 17, 2020 – Human Touch®, the U.S. market leader of innovative massage chairs, Perfect Chair® zero gravity recliners, and other wellness solutions, has been honored with eight 2020 Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX).
Meet Alexandra Williams, Founder of Holistic Hyperbarics and Human Touch Wellness Council member.
Long Beach, CA – May 28, 2019 – Human Touch®, the U.S. market leader of innovative massage chairs, Perfect Chair® recliners, and other wellness solutions, has been honored with five 2019 Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX). Conducted each year by the Design Journal, the ADEX awards recognizes the superior product design of furnishings marketed and sold throughout the international architecture and design industry, and this year the annual competition received entries from 600 companies. This is the ninth year that Human Touch products have been recognized by the ADEX committee.
“Human Touch continues to impress our committee each year with their innovative and attractive designs,” says John Platter, ADEX CEO & Executive Director. “The ADEX awards are the largest awards program in the design industry, and we’re proud to recognize Human Touch for the ninth year running.”
Human Touch’s ADEX-winning wellness solutions include:
• The Human Touch Super Novo massage chair received a Platinum ADEX Award for its captivating unibody construction, delivering a proprietary three-dimensional massage along the entire length of your spine and all the way down to your thighs. The Meditation programs combine a soothing soundtrack with your massage, helping you to focus your breathing and achieve a relaxed state of being while the Yoga Studio programs use deep stretching and pressure to loosen and relieve pain from tight muscles. Top off your massage with your favorite music by connecting to the built-in Altec Lansing Premium Sound System via Bluetooth, or play one of Sound Soothe’s eight relaxing nature sounds — you can even control the volume. Complementing its advanced massage technology, Super Novo is the first chair of its kind to implement Alexa capability with the help of Virtual Therapist™. Ask Virtual Therapist to give you a massage and feel the smooth glide of the recline sweep you back into a perfect state of relaxation.
• The Human Touch Novo XT2 massage chair received a Platinum ADEX Award for its striking design and best-in-class performance, providing a therapeutic massage that can be custom-tailored to fit your lifestyle. The Novo XT2 features a distinctive unibody design, delivering three-dimensional massage along the entire length of the spine and all the way down to the thighs, Altec Lansing Premium Sound System to enjoy your favorite music or one of eight calming built-in sound Soothe nature tracks. The wellness solution also features a full-body stretch, lumbar heat, cloud touch acupressure, zero-gravity massage and an extending foot and calf massager. The Novo XT2 massage chair is endorsed by the World Federation of Chiropractic as an optimal way to improve spinal health and relieve overall stress.
• The Human Touch Gravis ZG chair received a Platinum ADEX Award for its combination of the therapeutic benefits of zero-gravity seating with air massage technology, multi-zone heat and powered positioning for every part of the chair, including the headrest. With crisp, clean lines and innovative design, Gravis delivers both soothing neutral posture pain relief and exceptional control of your seating comfort.
• The Human Touch Perfect Chair® PC-LiVE™ zero-gravity recliner also won a Platinum ADEX Award for combining innovative design with therapeutic benefits. Like all Perfect Chairs from Human Touch, the PC-LiVE combines contemporary architecture with old-world craftsmanship. The physician-recommended, zero-gravity seating position offered by Human Touch’s Perfect Chairs is made even more perfect with the PC-LiVE by using 3D EasePoint Technology™, which features a proprietary and patented fluid-cell cushion that distributes pressure evenly across the entire seating surface to deliver the benefits of zero-gravity in any seating position.
• The Human Touch Perfect Chair® PC-610 Omni-Motion Classic zero-gravity recliner received a Gold ADEX Award for its stylish design using hand-carved wood and luxuriously crafted leather upholstery. The dual-motor mechanism allows for infinite comfort positions and provides a unique balance of support and seating comfort by placing the body in a zero-gravity, virtually weightless position that physicians recommend as the healthiest way to sit.
“We’ve celebrated our 40th year in the industry by introducing products that are not only the most technologically-advanced on the market, but that also offer design, function, and comfort,” said David Wood, CEO of Human Touch. “These five ADEX awards are a great honor for us, and we’re pleased to receive this recognition of our long-term commitment to lifestyle products that not only offer cutting-edge technology, but superior design as well.”
About Human Touch
Human Touch is the leading provider of high-quality, innovative lifestyle products, massage chairs, and experiences that have been delivering indispensable, life-changing benefits to an ever-growing number of consumers for almost 40 years. Human Touch has been making people feel better by developing state-of-the-art massage products containing patented massage systems that replicate the hands and techniques used by massage professionals, thereby helping to reduce pain and stress caused by today’s hectic lifestyle. Products are available at fine furniture stores, back care specialty stores, and mass-market retailers across the U.S., through international retailers and distributors in more than 40 countries, and online at www.humantouch.com.
Media Contact:
Emily Wong
Direct Ph: 562-733-7358
Corp. Ph: 800-355-2762