Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Your Office Chairs Could be Hurting You


Most of us spend an average of eight to nine hours per day sitting down. If this is the case for you, stop and take a moment to evaluate how your body feels while seated for extended periods. Do you feel an ache in your back? Do you feel a slight numbness in your lower thighs or buttocks? Do you experience lethargy as a result of sitting? These symptoms usually stem from restricted blood circulation.

Believe it or not, these symptoms are completely normal, and they're not good. They may well be caused by doing precisely what you're doing, sitting. New studies in the fields of molecular biology, bio mechanics, epidemiology, and physiology is gravitating toward a startling conclusion. Sitting could be a risk to your health. Sometimes exercise alone can't offset the effects of consistently poor body position.

The general public needs to understand that the mechanics of sitting down are completely different than that of standing.Physicians recently determined that people with obesity have a natural predisposition to be attracted to a seated position and to chairs in general. That's true even after obese people lose weight. Physicians indicate that even when you're standing or just walking around, you're employing specialized sets of muscles designed for supporting your posture. These special muscle groups never tire.

When you are in a seated position these muscle groups are relaxed and enzyme production drops by 90 to 95 percent, leaving fat to lie dormant in the bloodstream. After being seated for several hours, healthy cholesterol drops by twenty percent. Older people who are active have approximately one half the mortality rate of their peers who are inactive. Folks who regularly surf the web or watch television develop higher rates of obesity, hypertension, high triglyceride levels, low HDL cholesterol, and higher blood sugar regardless of their weight. On average, lean people stand for two hours per day or longer than their lesser active counterparts.

The chair you're currently seated in right now is more than likely contributing to the problem. For the most part you can't do much worse than sitting on a standard office chair. The spine wasn't meant to stay stationary for long periods of time when in a seated position. Using an easy to understand C or S shaped spinal analogy, it's easy to predict which of these shapes will collapse first when under duress. However, when you sit, the lower lumbar curve collapses, turning the spine's natural S shape into a C shape. This hinders abdominal and back muscles that support the body. The body is then left to assume a slumping position. As a result the lateral and oblique musculature weakens and is incapable of supporting body weight. This produces a chain reaction effecting the entire body.

You see, when you are sitting, you are supporting all of your weight through pelvis and spine. This puts pressure on the discs in your back. The chair industry produces an incredible volume of advertising which subsequently drives perceptions about what makes for a healthy and comfortable seated position. Generally speaking, perceptions regarding posture were formed in the sixties and seventies as complaints of back pain from employees started to be vocalized.

The primary problem, according to industry experts was the absence of lumbar support. Lumbar supports do not actually aid your spine. This perception has become deeply embedded in the mind of the general public but the perception is not based on actual experience.

Over the past 30 years, task chairs have more than tripled in sales, into more than a three million dollar market fueled by more than one hundred manufacturers. Some of the best selling US made chairs are ones that feature lumbar support. You may want to consider Office Chairs by OFM for your business. They boast most of the same ergonomic features as chairs up to 3 times the price.

Conventional thinking could be our biggest nemesis as relating to healthy posture because most buyers still prefer chairs that look like sporty chairs. Your chairs could be killing you, but it's more than likely your thinking and perception, which are advertising driven, that are ultimately the deadly culprit. Please consider important ergonomic features when shopping for your next office chair.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Designing Your Home Office


Designing a home office can be very simple and fun if you prepare properly. In this post we will discuss a few simple steps that will make the process go smoothly.

First things first. MEASURE! Make sure you have measured your space and then double check. there is nothing worse than ordering office furniture you love and find out it's the wrong size.

Secondly, you will want to find a quality source for furniture at great prices. Many retailers online like OfficeAnything.com provide free shipping nationwide and a wide selection of home office furniture to meet your needs.

Third, you will want to decide on a manufacturer. I recommend popular and dependable brands like Mayline, Global Total Office, OFM, and Office Star. These manufacturers have great reputations and warranties.

Finally, decide if you can handle the installation yourself or will require help. Many companies offer installation services and even some manufacturers like Mayline can install your furniture the day it arrives!

Hopefully these few steps can help make the purchase of home office furniture fun and enjoyable.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

OFM Cubicles


Panel furniture has become a huge part of almost every office in the country. With such a wide demand it is essential to find a manufacturer to provide the best solutions for your individual needs.

RiZe Panel System furniture by OFM offers almost complete design flexibility at an extremely affordable price. For a fraction of what competing panel system cost, RiZe will convert your office space into an attractive and professional-looking modern business environment.

The RiZe panel furniture shown features:

• Easy assembly -- No tools required!
• First ever Panel System not to require tools for assembly, which will save you money on installation costs
• Wide variety of configuration options
• 2” thick steel frame for sturdiness and stability
• Vinyl cover makes it easy to keep clean
• Quick and Easy replaceable parts
• Sturdy 1.75" adjustable floor leveling glides
• 2" Square posts install in seconds
• Two-way, three-way and four-way panel connections
• Panel cover removes instantly for fast access to data, voice and other wire connections
• Removable wire control grommet cover helps keep your wiring organized
System Includes:
(4) Desks with keyboard trays, and panels to assemble four workstation cubicles
(4) Matching mobile file pedestals in Cherry or Maple

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Bungee Tables by Global


Modular Bungee Tables by Global make the perfect modern office furniture for nearly any space.

Bungee is a series of freestanding tables and accessories designed for classrooms, training rooms, boardrooms and any other multi-functional space that may require frequent configurations.

Tables are complete with legs and bungee cords so they may be connected together without searching for tools or worrying about loose parts. Available with optional spider or tapered legs silver only and a variety of surface finishes.

One set includes - Six freestanding tables with 4 tapered legs (per table) with levelers and bungee cords to be "bungee-tied" together.

Global offers Bungee tables in a variety of sizes to fit your individual needs.

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