Can you help? Need a good chair for hobby/work

[athelstaneParticipant 698xp 1]

Hello all,

Just caught up with the Weekender and noticed Free, Brennon and others seemed to have very comfy looking chairs.

I spend way to long in the man cave sat in a cheap old office chair.  Back and legs have been playing me up for a while now, sometimes to the point were I can’t walk for a few days.  I’ve browsed some PC gaming chairs but when I read the reviews they don’t seem quite as attractive as the producer’s blurb.

I’m about 6′ and was quite slim ’till lock-down.  I’m sure the scales are broken but they seem to be saying 14 stone with clothes on (do clothes weigh that much?).  Ideally I’d like a foot rest that actually offers some support comfort (most reviews on Amazon said that a chair’s foot rest, regardless of make and model, was useless).

Has anyone in my favourite gaming community got any suggestions?

Thanks

Stephen

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 0]

I just use a footstool and a cheap rollaway desk. Sitting on the stool allows me to anchor my wrists to the table (the retractable keyboard) and elbows to my knees, and even the “handle” (some kid’s craft paint containers) of the miniature to the table. My back is still straight. A rollaway desk is useful whenever a miniature falls under it. :/

[zoidpinhead 12492xp 0]

I use a fairly standard high backed, padded rolling office chair.  It is very important to get one that has adjustable height so that you knees are at a good angle, as close to 90 degrees as possible.  Mine has a shaped lumbar support but you can buy a separate cushion for this too which some people find more comfortable.  The issue for many of us is not having our desk at a suitable height which causes poor arm angles and puts strain on the neck, shoulders and lower back.  My chair has arms which is a useful place to rest my elbows and lets me change position frequently which minimises the chances of getting fixed in a damaging position.

I’ve never used a foot rest.  An office manager I worked with recommended putting an extra piece of carpet down on the floor where your feet are at rest when you sit at the desk.  This might not sound like much but I’m convinced it works and lets me sit with my ankles in a good position too.

If shops are open near you I’d recommend going to an office superstore and trying out a range of chairs to see what feels best.  Not being able to walk properly seems pretty serious to me so perhaps you might want to get that checked out by a chiropractor or osteopath.  My osteo used to offer a service where she would come and look at me sitting in my workspace and offer some tips and products to try.  She used to lend samples for us to try before we bought something which was a good idea too.

[sundancer 42976xp 2]

Also, give a height adjustable table a thought. Standing and working helps your back a great deal.

[athelstaneParticipant 698xp 1]

Thanks guys,  really helpful.

Visiting an osteo is on list of post-Covid things to do.  Sadly, the NHS ones haven’t been much use so probably going to have to cough up some dough to go private.

No one recommended one of those gaming chairs, would they be a waste of money?

[sundancer 42976xp 1]

No one recommended one of those gaming chairs, would they be a waste of money?

Most of them yes. There is a “Gamer” tax that is similar to the “wargamer hobby” tax. They slap the tag “gamer” on it and charge more.

[blinky465 17028xp 1]

I had a slipped disc (possibly two, the chiropractor said on my last visit) for about ten years. It causes spasms and makes sitting at the desk for long periods of time quite painful.

The best thing I ever did was get rid of my “super comfy” office/gamer chair and replace it with an orthopedic office stool.

Standing (for working at the computer) is also a great help. I tried one of those giant bouncy balls – a lot of people recommend them but I found I couldn’t sit still enough on one for painting!

If you’re going to stick with a chair, lumbar support is important. One often overlooked thing is height – the position of your knees when sitting plays a massive part in how your spine curves (hence the stool, as it allow you to put your feet behind and your knees immediately below your hips, to straighten your spine). A higher chair (so your knees slope downwards, not up) might help.

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 0]

> orthopedic office stool.

Do you have a link to a pic of one? I did a search and found a variety of chairs. Nothing specific enough. Thanks!

[omega1976 2169xp 1]

It’s true that a lot of so called “Gamer” chairs suffer from gamer tax, it’s also true you get what you pay for.  I have a Titan series chair (built for the larger gent) from Secret Labs, going on 3 years now and it’s great, no tears or deformations in the chair itself the most damage it has suffered is the arm rests have cracked a little but that’s just wear and tear on that sort of material.  It has a solid metal rolling base with 4 caster arms instead of the 3 on some cheaper models, the casters themselves are metal instead of plastic as well.  It has a built in adjustable lumbar support, neck pillow (and at 6′ 4″ the chair is big enough my head/neck line up correctly for a change!).  The range of motion on it is insane and the pneumatic is super strong, it can lean back flat, and the arms are fully adjustable.  It’s not cheap but you can find them onsale fairly regularly, my wife just ordered an Omega series I like it so much.  Hope that helps and good luck hunting!

#notsponsored

[limburger 21706xp 1]

@athelstane

I’ve got a “Thatsit Balans” for my pc and I quite like it. I was definitely worth the money as it wasn’t cheap and it probably still qualifies as my most expensive single piece of furniture.
https://www.varierfurniture.com/en_nl/explore-our-chairs/kneel/thatsit-balans-r

Also don’t forget to match whatever chair you pick to the table you’re going to use it with.
Ideally you’d want a table that can be set at the perfect height for your chair when you sit in it.

@ced1106

Searching ‘Orthopedic office stool’ on google lists similar things to that ‘Balans’ chair without the back support. I specifically got that one, because of how it allowed a bit variety in postures.

 

[blinky465 17028xp 1]

@ced1106 – I can’t find the exact model, but pretty much any of the othopaedic kneeling stools would do.  Mine had a back, but I took it off as it was barely used. A bit like @limburger‘s but without the rocker legs (and about a tenth of the price!). I also swapped an dining chair for a “saddle stool” and it makes working at the kitchen table much more comfortable.

Anything that encourages your knees to be lower than your hips will take pressure off your lumbar and stop the stoop at the top of your back. Of course, you’ll need to learn a new painting position – but if you’re getting back pain, you’ll probably want that anyway, right?

[limburger 21706xp 1]

I think mine is now 20 years old … and I don’t know if any competing products existed at that time to be honest.
The ‘ergonomic’ label has definitely been abused to heck and back since it was created.

Chairs are one of those products that you really need to try yourself to see if they fit you.
At the very least you need to see if it can be set to the right height so your feet are on the floor while your knees are slightly below your hips as @blinky465 says.

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 1]

Found this review. May be more helpful less for the recommendations, than what the writer looks for in a chair:

http://ergonomictrends.com/best-gaming-chairs-for-back-pain/

[omega1976 2169xp 0]

Love my Titan so much, just finished setting up my wife’s Omega as well.

[athelstaneParticipant 698xp 0]

Thanks everyone,

Ced, I had a look at the interesting link.  The one I fall most drawn to is the one with the footrest.  Sadly it is out of stock 🙁

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