Requirements

There are no specific requirements to sell an office chair as ergonomic. It is therefore important to follow the recommended characteristics when choosing an office chair. The most important and decisive requirement for an office chair in terms of ergonomics is its adjustability.

Since the proportions are different for each person, an office chair without adjustments to the backrest, seat height, armrest and seat length can only fit optimally in very few cases. In general, if the features listed under “Features” are taken into account when selecting an office chair, the most important requirements for an office chair are met. Temperatures increase and performance decreases? Many employees ask themselves what their rights are in this situation.

Different shapes

There are a number of different office chairs which are sold as “ergonomic”. Which type of chair is actually ergonomic depends on the individual body proportions as well as the adjustability of the chair. So it is not a certain shape that is superior to another, rather it is possible to find out by trial and error which shape fits best to one’s own physique.

Frequent office chair forms that can be considered ergonomic are chairs with long backrests, armrests and a separate headrest. Instead of a separate headrest, there is sometimes also a long backrest. Also office chairs with a split backrest are often found under the category “ergonomic”.

Chairs without backrests are also often sold as ergonomic office chairs. Here it must be noted that according to the criteria listed under “Properties” these chairs do not strictly speaking fall under the category “ergonomic”. The same applies to the stools, which allow working standing and only allow “leaning”. Here too, important ergonomic properties are not met.

Support by the health insurance company

Working at a desk for long periods can lead to health problems. Especially if you remain in an unfavorable posture for a long time, back pain in the lumbar region is not uncommon. An ergonomic office chair can help to correct the bad posture at work or at home and thus provide health healing.

Even after an acute illness of the spine, the use of an ergonomic office chair can be necessary in order not to endanger the healing success. The question whether an ergonomic office chair is covered by health insurance is therefore obvious. And in fact, it can lead to a partial or complete cost absorption by the health insurance companies.

Since health insurance companies do not have a common regulation regarding the assumption of these costs, it is often worth asking the insurance company or the treating physician. A prerequisite for the assumption of costs is often that the treating family doctor or orthopedic surgeon writes a letter of recommendation for the use of an ergonomic office chair, explaining why the use of the office chair is relevant to health in the specific case. If there are health complaints and it is suspected that an ergonomic office chair could provide relief, action should be taken as soon as possible to prevent any consequential damage to health.