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Which chair supports you best? Life! checks out six.迷你倉 Ergonomic chairs these days not only come with sleek control gears but in a variety of colours and materials tooWealth manager Brian Tan is desk-bound for up to 12 hours a day - but always on the move. Be it sitting in his office or home workspace, the 31-year-old often swivels in his chair, leans back, stretches to reach for documents and faces multiple computer screens.Previously, for about eight years, he used the 1958 Eames Aluminum Group Executive Chair.A month ago, however, he bought five ergonomic chairs - the Generation by Knoll (2009) in three colours for himself and his family - for a total of $5,581.On trading in his classic Eames office chair, the bachelor says: "The Eames is a prototypical work chair that was designed quite a while back. It's a beautiful chair, but it was built then for the nine-to-five worker."That's not how we work any more. I needed a chair that was built to be flexible to my movements."With white-collar workers hunting for the perfect chair - which combines style, comfort and ergonomic support - chair companies are rolling out new offerings, with some promising better productivity.A chair is considered ergonomic when it has been designed to suit a range of different body types and sizes, and is used mainly as a work chair.When buying such a chair, chiropractors advise looking for one where the seat height is easily adjustable and with ample seat space, lumbar support and a comfortable bum rest.The new breed of ergonomic chairs has everything from sleek control gears, uber-adjustable seat arms, in-built lumbar support and deep seats.Hot ergonomic chairs in the market include the Capisco chair by Norwegian label Hag and the Duorest series of chairs by Korean company Duoback, which are known for their dual backrest.The dual backrest design is meant to support the back without exerting pressure on the spine, and distribute pressure to the left and right back muscles effectively.They are a far cry from seats with one lonely lever to adjust the height or lock into one position.In September, Michigan-headquartered office furniture company Steelcase launched its latest ergonomic chair, named the Gesture.Four years ago, Steelcase started surveying 2,000 people in more than 11 countries to study how new technology such as smartphones and tablets affected sitting postures.It found nine new postures including "the cocoon", where you pull your knees up while cradling a device, and "the smart lean", which involves turning to one side with a smartphone in one hand while leaning back in one's chair.Mr Tim Elms, Steelcase's global category manager of seating products, who was in Singapore to launch Gesture, says there was a need to design a chair for everyone. The company also has other models of ergonomic chairs.Mr Elms, 42, says of the Gesture chair which can tilt 128 degrees: "Most people we spoke to said that ergonomic chairs are designed for men. Many chairs don't accommodate users who come in different shapes and sizes."People have gotten bigger over the years, but there are petite ones who won't fit comfortably in an oversized chair. There's an extreme range of needs that has to be addressed."Other ergonomic chair companies here say that home owners and companies see the value in investing in a good chair that is durable.The best-selling chair at Xtra, a furniture store in Park Mall, is the iconic Herman Miller Aeron chair ($1,899). Designed in 1994 by ergonomics maestros Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf, it is made of a meshed fibre called pellicle to keep the user cool, and has lumbar and shoulder support.Xtra would not reveal how many chairs it sells in a year.Ms Tiffany Totiensri, marketing and business relations manager at the store, which is the exclusive distributor in Singapore and Malaysia for Herman Miller, says the chair was built to last. "It should live up to its warranty period of 12 years. There's no reason to change it unless it suffers badly from wear and tear, which is unlikely."Chiropractor Terrence Yap says that a good chair plays a "vital role", especially for those who sit in front of a computer for hours on end, with little movement away from the desk.Such a sedentary lifestyle might lead in the long run to back pain and shoulder and neck aches.Dr Yap, who owns Atlas Chiropractic Clinic in Far East Shopping Centre and was a former president of The Chiropractic Association, says: "If you live with the pain your seating position causes, your body and spine will adapt to it. This may cause degeneration of your bones later on or problems such as a slipped disc."He cautions against picking a chair based on its price tag: A more expensive chair does not necessarily mean better ergonomic quality."You could have the most expensive chair, but if you're not sitting in the right position, it won't help correct the wrong posture," he says. "If people aren't taught how to use the ergonomic chair, all the bells and whistles are useless."But what exactly is the right posture?Chiropractor Neil Stakes shares a simple checklist: Make sure that your feet are apart and both are touching the ground. Your hips and knees should be bent at 90 degrees.Dr Stakes, 38, who runs two Back II Life clinics at Orchard Road and Raffles Places, adds: "Avoid having a too-straight back posture as well. It creates tight muscles which causes pain. Our bodies aren't designed for sitting for prolonged periods. So take walking and stretching breaks when you can, at 30- to 45-minute intervals."Private banker Yeo Aik Kiong, 53, agrees that prices of good ergonomic chairs can be steep, but if they last, he says, the investment is worth it.He swears by the Herman Miller Aeron chair, which he has used at work for the last 20 years. He also recently bought two for his home, after going through a few models of ergonomic chairs.Says the father of two boys aged 19 and 23: "The Herman Miller chair is expensive, but if you look at the longevity of it and how long I'm strapped to the chair, it makes good business sense to me to buy a chair that will save me from pains and aches in the long run."natashaz@sph.com.sg1 Markus Swivel ChairPrice: $299Where: Ikea Singapore, 317 Alexandra Road and 60 Tampines North Drive 2,self storagetel: 6786-6868Rating: ***This is not a skirt-friendly chair. Hem lengths above the knee mean that the scratchy fabric upholstery will make the back of your thighs feel itchy – not ideal if you are sitting for hours.While Ikea Singapore sent someone down to the office to assemble it for me, I can imagine the complex procedure being a little daunting for buyers with no professional-assembly budget. I doubt I can even screw the bolts on to get the ergonomics right.The chair does have plus points. Its high mesh backrest has built-in lumbar support and the tilt function is adjustable and lockable. Generally, it was quite comfortable.2 Herman Miller Aeron ChairPrice: $1,899 in graphite frameWhere: Xtra Park Mall, 9 Penang Road, 01-01/02-01 Park Mall, tel: 6336-0688; and Xtra Winsland House 1, 3 Killiney Road, 01-01/02 Winsland House 1, tel: 6836-0288Rating: ****This chair, which has a place in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection in New York, has many fans around the world. And it is easy to see why.The stylish seat is as comfortable as it looks good – once I figured out how to lock it in the configuration I wanted. The slight natural forward tilt, to encourage natural posture, was disconcerting at first, but I got used to it. The armrests that are adjustable in height were also not easy to push into place.After playing with the levers and locking positions for about half a day, I found the perfect position: Locked fully straight with the adjustable lumbar support in the middle of my back. The Aeron's meshed back also kept it perspiration- free and has a nice cushioned feel.The chair comes in three sizes: size A for petite users, B for average physiques and C for those of bigger build.3 Steelcase GesturePrice: Gesture Wrapped Back costs US$1,495 (S$1,876) and the Gesture Steelback costs US$1,545Where: Steelcase WorkLife Singapore, 57 Mohamed Sultan Road, Sultan-Link, 02-05, tel: 6738-5225Rating: ****1/2The Gesture chair lives up to its claim to adapt to nearly any of its user's seating positions, whether he is on a computer, laptop or mobile device. You can slouch forward, recline as far as you want or crouch on it – and still feel comfortable. Adjust the tension on a spring, so that the chair can recline more or less – an easy operation. There are also five angles to lock the back into, with the flip of a lever.All the controls are on the right side and below seat level, which beats having to reach for both sides or, worse, between your legs to fix your position.Major brownie points for the armrests and the ample seat padding: The armrests can be moved to any height you want, pushed away when you get up or pulled closer if you want more support while, say, you are sending SMSes and your arms are closer to your body. The padding goes all around the four sides of the seat, so that the backs of your leg are never pinched or scratched. Oh, and the seat material is made from a soft, cushiony 3-D knitted fabric.4 Generation By KnollPrice: $1,399Where: Crate & Barrel, Ion Orchard, 04-21/22, 2 Orchard Turn, tel: 6634-4222Rating: ****1/2A serious rival to the Gesture, the Generation literally bends over backwards for its user. Designed by New Zealand company Formway Design for the American furniture giant Knoll, the chair has a backrest made from a high-performance elastic material. The ultra-flexible material means that you can bend the top part of the backrest as much as you please. I never knew how useful a bendable backrest could be, until I had to reach behind me to grab something.The chair is also flexible at its seat edges, so that the blood circulation in your legs does not cut off at certain angles. With ample space between armrests and seat, you can slide your legs under the armrests and still be at ease.If you have to move your seat around the office, the Generation chair, which weighs between 16kg and 17kg, is easy to push around. I tried wheeling it around and needed only one hand and no more than a light touch to move it. Thumbs-up, too, for its colour options. Pick from various colours such as firecracker red, lemongrass yellow or pebble grey.5 The Freedom ChairPrice: From $1,956 to $5,488, depending on fittingsWhere: Vanguard Interiors, 71-77 Stamford Road, Vanguard Building, tel: 6538-4688Rating: *****One look and I was sold. That was how beautiful this chair looked. Debuting in 1999 and designed by American industrial designer Niels Diffrient, more than one million of these chairs have been sold.The sleek seat is also one of the most acclaimed ergonomic chairs on the market, having won 10 international awards. Looks aside, the chair was practical too. I liked that it moved with me, which means that I did not need to change and lock in new positions, and yet still feel comfortable.It helps, too, that its cushions are contoured to mirror the body in a seated position. The seat, headrest and backrest are individually adjustable, so you can configure the chair to your liking.The only bug bear is having to reach for the lever to adjust the seat's depth – it is located under the seat and, unlike other chairs, right at the front. This means I would have to move my legs to the side or stretch between them just to reach it. Doing so in the middle of a meeting might seem a little obscene, especially when you are wearing a skirt.6 ID Chair Concept by VitraPrice: From $1,554 to $2,190, depending on fittingsWhere: Vanguard Interiors, 71-77 Stamford Road, Vanguard Building, tel: 6538-4688Rating: ***The selling point of this chair, which has four models, are the many options to create a seat that reflects your preferences and identity. You can pick the ID Air for its perforated plastic backrest or the ID Soft for its classic upholstered backrest. There is the ID Trim Cap, which is an offshoot of the ID Trim and comes with a shielding hood.There are also many hues and materials to choose from. The ID Trim chair can be made with fixed or adjustable armrests, a leather seat and backrest in 11 colours.Despite the myriad options, the ID chair is forgettable. The chair is all right generally, with adjustable armrests and a comfortable, foam seat. But compared to the other five chairs, it does not make my back feel extremely protected.迷利倉