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An office chair, or desk chair, is a type of
chair A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. It may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...
that is designed for use at a desk in an office. It is usually a
swivel chair A swivel, swivelling, spinny, or revolving chair is a chair with a single central leg that allows the seat to rotate 360 degrees to the left or right. A concept of a rotating chair with swivel castors was illustrated by the Nuremberg noble Mart ...
, with a set of wheels for mobility and adjustable height. Modern office chairs typically use a single, distinctive load bearing leg (often called a
gas lift A gas lift or bubble pump is a type of pump that can raise fluid between elevations by introducing gas bubbles into a vertical outlet tube; as the bubbles rise within the tube they cause a drop in the hydrostatic pressure behind them, causing t ...
), which is positioned underneath the chair seat. Near the floor this leg spreads out into several smaller feet, which are often wheeled and called
caster A caster (or castor) is an undriven wheel that is designed to be attached to the bottom of a larger object (the "vehicle") to enable that object to be moved. Casters are used in numerous applications, including shopping carts, office chairs, t ...
s. Office chairs were developed around the mid-19th century as more workers spent their shifts sitting at a
desk A desk or bureau is a piece of furniture with a flat table (furniture), table-style work surface used in a school, office, home or the like for academic, professional or domestic activities such as reading (activity), reading, writing, or using ...
, leading to the adoption of several features not found on other chairs.


History

The concept of a swiveling chair with castors was illustrated by the
Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...
patrician Martin Löffelholz von Kolberg in his 1505 technological
illuminated manuscript An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared manuscript, document where the text is decorated with flourishes such as marginalia, borders and Miniature (illuminated manuscript), miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Churc ...
, the so-called
Codex The codex (: codices ) was the historical ancestor format of the modern book. Technically, the vast majority of modern books use the codex format of a stack of pages bound at one edge, along the side of the text. But the term ''codex'' is now r ...
Löffelholz, on folio 10r. One of the earliest known innovators to have created the modern office chair was naturalist
Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...
, who put wheels on the chair in his study so he could get to his specimens more quickly. With the advent of
rail transport Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
in the mid-19th century, businesses began to expand beyond the traditional model of a family business with little emphasis on administration. The additional administrative staff was required to keep up with orders,
bookkeeping Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business and other organizations. It involves preparing source documents for all transactions, operations, and other events of a business. T ...
, and correspondence as businesses expanded their service areas. While
office An office is a space where the employees of an organization perform Business administration, administrative Work (human activity), work in order to support and realize the various goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a po ...
work was expanding, an awareness of office environments, technology, and equipment became part of the cultural focus on increasing productivity. This awareness gave rise to chairs designed specifically for these new administrative employees: office chairs. American inventor Thomas E. Warren (b. 1808), designed the
Centripetal Spring Armchair The Centripetal Spring Chair or Armchair was a 19th-century American office chair, and one of the first modern designs for office chairs. Designed in 1849 by the American inventor Thomas E. Warren (b. 1808), the chair was produced by the America ...
in 1849 which was produced by the American Chair Company in Troy, New York. Referencing Olivares (2011). It was first presented at the 1851
Great Exhibition The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition (in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held), was an international exhibition that took ...
in London. It was only around 1850 when a group of engineers in the United States began to investigate how chairs could improve health and relaxation by stressing posture and movement. The office chair was strategically designed to increase the productivity of clerical employees by making it possible for them to remain sitting at their desks for long periods of time. A swiveling chair with
caster A caster (or castor) is an undriven wheel that is designed to be attached to the bottom of a larger object (the "vehicle") to enable that object to be moved. Casters are used in numerous applications, including shopping carts, office chairs, t ...
s allowed employees to remain sitting and yet reach a number of locations within their work area, eliminating the time and energy expended in standing. The wooden saddle seat was designed to fit and support the body of a sitting employee, and the slatted back and armrests provided additional support to increase the employee’s comfort. Like modern chairs, many of these models were somewhat adjustable to provide the maximum comfort and thus the maximum working time. Famous designers sometimes designed chairs intended for office employees. File:Kodex Löffelholz - Biblioteka Jagiellońska Ms Berol Germ Qu 132 - fol 10r.jpg, Concept of a rotating chair with swivel wheels from Löffelholz-codex from Nuremberg, Germany, dated 1505 File:Charles Darwin's chair Wellcome M0003080.jpg, Charles Darwin’s chair in
Down House Down House is the former home of the English Natural history, naturalist Charles Darwin and his family. It was in this house and garden that Darwin worked on his theory of evolution by natural selection, which he had conceived in London befor ...
File:Ngv design, frank lloyd wright, office chair larkin, 1904-06 02.JPG, Ngv design,
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...
, office chair larkin, 1904-06 File:Charles Eames chair EA 119 Hopsak.jpg,
Charles Eames Charles Ormond Eames Jr. (June 17, 1907 – August 21, 1978) was an American designer, architect and filmmaker. In professional partnership with his wife Ray-Bernice Kaiser Eames, he made groundbreaking contributions in the fields of architect ...
chair EA 119 Hopsak, first designed in 1958


Types

There are multiple kinds of office chairs designed to suit different needs. The most basic is the task chair, which typically does not offer
lumbar In tetrapod anatomy, lumbar is an adjective that means of or pertaining to the abdominal segment of the torso, between the diaphragm (anatomy), diaphragm and the sacrum. Naming and location The lumbar region is sometimes referred to as the lowe ...
support or a headrest. These chairs generally cannot be sat in for more than a couple hours at a time without becoming uncomfortable, though they often offer more room to move than higher-end chairs. Mid-back chairs offer fuller back support, and with the right ergonomic design, can be sat in for four hours at a time or longer. High-end chairs in this category, such as the
Herman Miller MillerKnoll, Inc., doing business as Herman Miller, is an American company that produces office furniture, equipment, and home furnishings. Its best known designs include the Aeron chair, Noguchi table, Marshmallow sofa, Mirra chair, and t ...
Aeron and the
Steelcase Steelcase Inc. is an international manufacturer of furniture, casegoods, seating, and storage and partitioning systems for offices, hospitals, classrooms, and residential interiors. It is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. ...
Leap are comfortable for long periods. Some mid-back chairs in particular offer customization options that can allow for a headrest to be added. Executive or full-back chairs offer full back and head support. Many executive chairs are designed to be sat in for eight or more hours at a time. These are typically the most expensive office chairs and often feature genuine leather upholstery. For appropriately seating above average tall and/or heavy office workers, extra spacious and sturdy constructed chairs are offered. Office chairs designed for safely and comfortably supporting increased weights and sizes have to use durable (metal) structural components, making these chairs heavier than office chairs designed for average sized people. File:Aeron chair Brooklyn Museum.jpg, Aeron chair by
Herman Miller MillerKnoll, Inc., doing business as Herman Miller, is an American company that produces office furniture, equipment, and home furnishings. Its best known designs include the Aeron chair, Noguchi table, Marshmallow sofa, Mirra chair, and t ...
File:Leap-Chair.png, Leap by
Steelcase Steelcase Inc. is an international manufacturer of furniture, casegoods, seating, and storage and partitioning systems for offices, hospitals, classrooms, and residential interiors. It is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. ...
File:Sæde.jpg, Full-back chair with head support File:Leather executive chair.jpg, A leather
executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...
office chair


Ergonomics

In the 1970s,
ergonomics Ergonomics, also known as human factors or human factors engineering (HFE), is the application of Psychology, psychological and Physiology, physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems. Primary goa ...
became an important design consideration. Today, office chairs often have adjustable seats, armrests, backs, lumbar support, heights, and footrests, to prevent
repetitive stress injury A repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an injury to part of the musculoskeletal or nervous system caused by repetitive use, vibrations, compression or long periods in a fixed position. Other common names include repetitive stress injury, repetitiv ...
and back pain associated with sitting for long periods. An “ergonomic” office chair can be “personalized” through numerous adjustment options: * The seat height is adjustable (with a lever that acts on a gas lift cylinder). * The armrests are height adjustable, also in the width between them and the direction is adjustable. There are also armrests that can be turned backwards (behind the backrest). * The seat inclination of many synchronous mechanisms can be adjusted in two stages in addition to the synchronous mechanism. * It is particularly important for smaller or larger people to be able to move the seat back and forth or to have seats of different lengths (“depths”). The seat depth should be adjusted so that the backrest can be touched, but the backs of the knees are free so that blood circulation is not hindered there. * The backrest should be height adjustable so that the back can be supported from the top edge of the pelvis. * A footrest is a small platform for resting your feet while sitting. It relieves pressure, promotes better posture, and enhances comfort during extended periods of sitting. * There is usually a locking lever that can be used to stop the chair from swinging. The lock should be used occasionally to challenge and promote the body's postural muscles by not leaning when the chair is locked.


Further reading

* Olivares, Jonathan. A Taxonomy of Office Chairs. London:
Phaidon Press Phaidon Press is a global publisher of books on art, architecture, design, fashion, photography, and popular culture, as well as cookbooks, children's books, and travel books. The company is based in London and New York City, with additional of ...
, 2011.


See also

*
Armrest An armrest (or arm-rest) is a part of a chair, where a person can rest their arms on. Armrests are built into a large variety of chairs such as automotive chairs, armchairs, airline seats, sofas, and more. Adjustable armrests are commonly found ...
*
Centripetal Spring Armchair The Centripetal Spring Chair or Armchair was a 19th-century American office chair, and one of the first modern designs for office chairs. Designed in 1849 by the American inventor Thomas E. Warren (b. 1808), the chair was produced by the America ...
*
Coccydynia Coccydynia is a medical term meaning pain in the coccyx or tailbone area, often brought on by a fall onto the coccyx or by persistent irritation usually from sitting. Synonyms Coccydynia is also known as coccygodynia, coccygeal pain, coccyx pain, ...
*
Gaming chair A gaming chair is a type of chair marketed towards gamers. They differ from most Office chair, office chairs in having high backrest designed to support the upper back and shoulders. Like many office chairs, they are customizable: the armrests, ba ...
*
List of chairs The following is a partial list of chairs with descriptions, with internal or external cross-references about most of the chairs. For other chair-like types (like bench, stool), see . 0–9 * 10 Downing Street Guard Chairs, two antique chairs ...
*
Standing desk A standing desk or stand-up desk is a desk conceived for writing, reading or drawing while Standing, standing up or while sitting on a high stool. History Several writers and statesmen wrote standing up: Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, Win ...


References


Footnotes


External links


A Short History of the Birth and Growth of the American Office
{{DEFAULTSORT:Office Chair Chairs Office equipment Ergonomics