Find the Best Office Chair for Your Money

Outfitting your office with chairs that are both comfortable and affordable can require quite a bit of research and legwork. In the end, though, the task shouldn't prove too difficult. Take into consideration the advice below and the office will be sitting pretty (and comfortably) in no time at all.

While price is a major deciding factor in choosing the right chair, you should resist the urge to make it your first criteria. Comfort

should be your top priority. The average office worker spends seven to eight hours a day, five days a week, sitting and working at a computer. This type of near-constant sitting has led to a sharp increase in neck and back pain among many people in today's workforce. In selecting office chairs (for yourself or an entire office), you're profoundly affecting the quality of the day-to-day work routine ? and this is why you should focus on buying an ergonomic chair.

Ergonomic chairs are designed to prevent desk workers and computer users from developing repetitive strain injuries (RSIs). An ergonomic chair will have an adjustable back (one that can easily switch to low, mid-level, and high back positions), seat, and armrests, as well as the swivel feature, to allow the person to fine-tune alignment and support for arms, legs, neck, and back.

All ergonomic chairs are not the same ? it's important to test different chairs to see which model works best for a particular body and the office setup. Head to an office superstore like OfficeMax or Staples and try out the different chairs on the showroom floor. Be sure to pull each one up to a desk that has an adjustable keyboard tray to see how the chair might work with a computer setup.