Ask Lemmy

I like Hercules office chairs. They're meant to hold 300lb people for 8 hours a day. I'm not that big, and I don't sit that long, but the chair has lasted me a lot longer than cheap or even moderately priced office chairs.

I've never tried those expensive Herman Miller ones though. That's just too outside my budget and mesh doesn't look very comfortable to me. Not too mention my cats would shred that up.

Whatever chair you end up getting try to swing a standing desk if you can

I stand most of the time. Use the chair when I get tired.

I have an oversized "gamer chair" with a "footrest" that extends the front of the chair that allows me to sit cross legged on it. I replaced the base with a metal one and got rollerskate wheels. It's now quite sturdy and works well for me the last several years.

My HM Aeron is 20 years old. It has seen an embarrassing amount of use, as I've worked from home for over that length of time. It's served me well but it's not without its issues.

What I found at the start, and continue to find, is that it rolls the pelvis and c-curves the spine at the lower back. This loads the lumbar with a lot of force.

What I'm looking for now is a true tilter - not a mere recliner - that keeps the hip angle closed as it tilts. The rolling action on the hips is reduced, and lumbar support won't drift around. This is proving a challenge.

My physio and I disagree on headrests. so I look for one without his blessing or support. The force on the neck due is ideally reduced as well with one.

Don't stop with just the chair. Make sure you keyboard and monitors are at the right heights. Consider getting an ergonomic keyboard and mouse (or trackball). The positions of your shoulders arms and wrists have a significant impact on overall comfort. They will also keep you from developing an RSI.

My husband and I both have been using Tempur-Pedic office chairs for about 15 years. Starting in 2004, we both worked desk jobs from home (he still does, I only recently shifted careers) and both play video games so we have used the shit out of our chairs, and they are still good. I like that the seat is wide enough so I can fold my legs up under me if I want to.

I know this might sound stupid but for several years, I was using a regular kitchen chair with a towel to sit on and a cloth blanket to make the back more comfortable to lean against. Even though I have a different, much more expensive gaming chair, I am still using a towel because the leather sticks to my skin.

I got a "Actiu Tnk Flex" 2 years ago and so far so good.

What is your budget?

Once upon a time, I was fairly strong but I couldn't touch my toes. That full deep stretch was just a little beyond me. It always had been, as long as I could remember in my adult life. Throughout years of martial arts and parkour that moderately normal level of flexibility eluded me.

Then I quit my job at Amazon. I was so burned out I ended up taking 6 months off. During that time I mostly hung out around the house. Played with my kid. ... played a ton of Minecraft.

The point is, I wasn't doing any new exercise. I was just doing things other than hunching in a chair all day. And just before I started a new job I discovered that I could touch my toes again!

I asked my new job for a standing desk - and I've kept that practice up at every job since. I alternate between standing and sitting on a tall office chair. I estimate that I stand a little more than half the day all in, but being able to transition has made a huge difference for me.

I'm in my forties now and I can grab my feets no problem. I don't do any dedicated stretching - I'm just not hunching all day.

If I was required to sit in a chair for hours, I would insist my supervisors allow me to sit on this:

And of course these are made in actual chair models too, with a stable base and a backrest and everything, but I would prefer the actual ball. Very healthy for your spine and core muscles, if you're required to sit, this is the healthiest method.

I got this at the start of the pandemic and it has worked out perfect for me. I would have gone for a normal Herman miller but there’s not much of used market in my location and I’m not paying HM prices.

I'm using this one and like it. Chairs in a similar price range from Staples just didn't have all the right adjustments that this one has.

https://www.autonomous.ai/office-chairs/ergonomic-chair?utm_term=631224075317&utm_campaign=[P]_US_Search_Standard_Brand_Phrase&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_content=autonomous%20ergonomic%20chair&gad_source=1

Instead of investing in a chair, I would say invest in a sturdy desk that can be raised to standing height.