How do you study on a chair?

A properly set up workstation can reduce pain and discomfort, while also decreasing your risk of developing a cumulative trauma disorder. Overall, your safety and comfort will be positively impacted if your workstation is tailored to your individual needs. Take the time to review the following materials. If you need further information, please contact Brian Cournoyer

Chairs: Proper Adjustability and Quick Tips

1. Backrest: Should follow the natural curvature of the spinal column and provide ample support to the lumbar and thoracic regions of the back.
   1. a. Height adjustability, tilt (approximately 15 degrees from a vertical position) with the ability to lock in place or allow movement with a certain amount of resistance
2. Seat: Padded and comfortable for the user; it is recommended that the chair has the ability to adjust the height and seat pan depth (i.e. forward and backward), allowing for the use of the entire backrest. Correct size seat pan depth includes approximately one inch on each side of the seat (from the body to the edge of the seat)
3. Armrests: If provided, should be soft; allow your shoulders to relax and your elbows to stay close to your body. The arm rests should not be utilized as a support throughout the day when using the chair.
4. Base: A chair should have a study base with five legs and casters that allow easy movement along the floor.

Is your chair adjusted properly?

Height: Keep feet flat on floor, with your knees at an approximate 90 degree angle

Width: Leave space for 2-4 fingers between edge of thigh and edge of seat pan

Seat depth: Leave space for 2-4 fingers between front of seat and back of knee

Back: Back support- provides support to lower and middle back

Legs: 90 degree rule; your hips, knees and ankles should be bent approximately 90 degrees while sitting

Arm Rests: Optional, if present lower them to a point where they do not contact the elbow. Your arms should hang freely by your side

Additional resources

Everyone knows the long hours spent studying strain a child’s mind and body. Although thought to be a condition that primarily affects adults, an increasing number of children and adolescents have started complaining about lower back pain due to the lack of proper posture while studying.

A study also confirmed that lower back pain starts at a young age and tends to prevail throughout a child’s life. Kids around the age of 10 years had a lifetime prevalence of around 18.2%, while those around 16 years who complained of back pain had a lifetime prevalence of 65.6%. These statistics show that the older the child is, the more important it is for them to have a comfortable chair for studying to avoid health issues later on in life.

Setting Up A Study Corner For Your Child 

The right workspace can ensure that your child gets through their schoolwork smoothly. A study desk and chair are the basic requirements for creating the perfect working environment for your child to thrive. While choosing a study desk is pretty straightforward, and you can refer to our blog “How to Pick the Best Kids’ Study Tables” for more tips on making this decision. Picking a chair needs a little more thought. Here are a few things you should remember while choosing the best chair for studying for your child. 

Choose Quality 

Study chairs that are low in cost are not necessarily good options for your growing child. Investing in quality products needs to be your number one priority, as these kids study chairs will be ergonomically designed, thus reducing the harsh side effects of spending long hours sitting down. They also tend to last longer and can easily take the wear and tear of daily use, reducing the cost of replacing these chairs regularly. 

Prioritize Customizability 

What works for one child may not necessarily work for the other. Choose a chair based on your child’s type and body structure and ensure that they will have a comfortable chair for study, whether they are studying for their grade school exams or competitive ones. 

Merge Style With Comfort 

If you like their rooms perfectly designed, choosing a study chair for students would also mean picking one that matches your child’s room. Selecting an option that is the perfect blend of style and comfort is necessary to ensure that they can concentrate on their work. An uncomfortable yet stylish chair will only divert the child’s attention, defeating the sole purpose of getting them a study chair. 

Don’t Be In A Rush

Making a hasty decision based on the price or look of the chair is a sure recipe for disaster. Taking your time and treating the purchase of a study chair as an investment instead of an expense is the best way to get your child the best chair for studying, even if you have to stretch your budget just a little bit. 

Why Choose an Ergonomic Study Chair?

Here are a few reasons why you should prioritize getting an ergonomic study chair for your child 

• They improve posture 
• Aid in optimal concentration 
• It frees you from any pain you may have because of using the wrong kind of chair repeatedly
• It is adjustable and offers S-shaped lumbar support, which returns the spine to its natural S-shape by providing the needed support.

Types of Study Chairs 

If you are looking for study chairs based on their anatomic and practical standpoint, you need to consider five main types of chairs. Go through the types to make an informed decision before purchasing. 

High Back Chairs With Neck Rest 

This type of chair is the best for when your child has to study for long hours at home. It supports parts of the body like the neck, shoulders, and lower back that tend to get fatigued sooner than others. It is the perfect study chair for the home library and is more suited for older kids and even adults. Some models even feature adjustable headrests that can give your child full body support when properly configured. 

Check out these high-back chairs from GreenSoul for options that help support your child’s educational journey. 

Mid Back Mesh Chairs 

This is usually seen in the office but can also double as great study chairs for short to long study sessions. A mid-back chair is often less visually imposing from a designer’sdesigner’s standpoint. These also help make the rest of the room look more spacious. The mesh back makes the chair breathable for more ventilation keeping your child feeling fresh and ready to put in the hours of study they need to fulfil their dreams. Most of these study chairs have tilt and recline options for easy movement and come with backrests that support the lower back and shoulders. 

Find a variety of mid-back chairs in this expansive collection by Green Soul. 

Forward Tilting Chairs 

This is the best study chair for students who prefer writing or need to look down more like when reading a textbook. It is an excellent option for kids who like to take notes or need to solve a lot of mathematical problems as opposed to those who have to look straight ahead at a computer screen. The forward tilt feature of these chairs naturally allows the gaze to direct downwards, significantly reducing the amount of strain on the shoulders and back. 

If you are looking for a forward-tiling study chair, Green Soul has one that is specifically designed for kids and grows with them, so you don’tdon’t have to get a new chair every few years. 

Active Sitting Chairs 

This kind of study chair can only be used for short to medium study sessions and is designed for restless kids who cannot sit in one place for a long time. These chairs can handle some of the most fundamental health issues associated with sitting for a very long time. The chair positions your body in a way that deviates from the usual posture and promotes micro-movements while you sit. Most people prefer ergonomic study chairs for their kids, but you could also alternate between these and active chairs so that the body is not restricted for longer. 

Flip Up Arm Chairs 

This is another kind of chair that is very good for short to medium study sessions. It is also a more compact option, so it fits in smaller spaces like hostel rooms or compact apartments. These are excellent study chairs for teenagers and college students who do not like the spend much time sitting in one place and studying. While the flip-up arms are great when you want to use your chair as a makeshift dolly, they do not offer much in terms of adjustability, so they may not give the child as much support for their arms as they would need when studying for a longer period of time. 

Take Away 

Now that you know more about what constitutes the best study chair for kids, you can create an interesting study corner for your child that matches their personality. This space needs to be interesting enough so that they are excited to sit down and study but not distracting, which can take away the child’s attention when they need to be studying. 

So, get the best study chair for yourself or your kid from greensoul.online and make 2023 the most productive year yet!