Shopping cart

Ergonomic Assessment

Office Ergonomics is about designing office equipment to suit the person using it. This means that the chair, desk, monitor, keyboard and any other pieces of equipment, are designed and adjusted to reduce or prevent unnecessary fatigue, stress and injury. An ergonomic workplace will result in lower absenteeism, improved productivity, greater quality and overall improved wellbeing. The dangers of sitting – why sitting is the new smoking. Because the average office worker spends about 80% of their day sitting, a good posture together with an ergonomic or orthopaedic office chair is vital to promote good health and wellbeing, as well as reduce the risk of back and neck pain, headaches and problems with legs and feet. What is the difference between an orthopedic and ergonomic office chair?

1. How does Ergonomics relate to sitting and your chair?

At the beginning of the last century, people realised that the wellbeing and productivity of employees could be improved, and fatigue reduced, if workers were allowed to sit down while working. Today, more than 75% of employees in industrial countries have seated jobs. How to Protect Your Health in the Age of the Office Chair.

Unfortunately, our bodies are not designed for sitting, and doing so for long periods can have a negative impact on our long-term health and wellbeing. The most common health-related issues caused by sitting for extended periods include:

    • Neck pain
    • Backache, both lower and upper back – Back pain in the workplace
    • Shoulder pain
    • Obesity
    • High blood pressure
    • Indigestion and excess body fat around the waist
    • Constipation 
    • Weakening of the large leg and gluteal muscles
    • Chronic fatigue
    • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

2. Our team at Wellback are experts in ergonomic office chairs, desking and general workplace setup

At Wellback, we talk about your health first. Our story began in May 1986 when we started designing specialist ergonomic chairs in accordance with contemporary design principles. Our highly qualified design engineers have studied ergonomic workplace design and constantly liaise with experts in the field. Important factors to consider before buying an office desk chair.

3. Visiting our office chair showroom in Johannesburg

In our showroom located in Spartan near Johannesburg, we have many ergonomic, orthopaedic and heavy duty office chairs. What is a heavy duty orthopedic office chair? We also have height adjustable and sit-stand desks, monitors and keyboards. This allows our Ergonomics Risk Facilitators to make a thorough analysis of how you normally sit at your workstation, and so provide you with the best possible advice.

To make your visit to our showroom a real success, it is important that you have the following information available:

a) The height of your desk at home or at the office

Measure the height of your desk, table, workbench, etc, from the floor to the top of the working surface. We will then setup one of our adjustable sit-stand desks to match the height of your actual workstation. What is the correct ergonomic height for my desk, computer monitor and office chair?

b) Laptop or desktop computer

If you work on a laptop without a monitor, bring it with you. This will allow us to duplicate your current workstation setup and determine whether you need additional accessories like a wireless keyboard, monitor stand, etc.

c) What shoes do you normally wear?

Your footwear can influence the optimal setup of your workstation, so wear the shoes that you normally wear to work.

d) Do you wear glasses?

If so, bring them along so that we can ensure the monitor is placed at the correct distance for you.

4. What you can expect when you visit our office chair & furniture showroom in Johannesburg

Selecting an ergonomic, orthopedic or height adjustable desk is not a trivial matter because your final decision can impact your long-term health. This is why our ergonomic assessment must be a thorough process.

    • First and foremost, our experts will LISTEN to what you have to say. Do you have back, neck or shoulder pain when you sit? They need to understand whether you need an orthopedic or ergonomic chair and/or an adjustable desk.
    • Our experts need to understand what type of work you do as there are various types of work chairs available.
    • We will then setup an office chair, desk and monitor that matches your existing workstation. This will be followed by conducting a series of measurements to analyse your seated posture.
    • The next step is to complete the ergonomic workstation setup that matches your work, your body, and addresses any aches and pains that you may have.
    • You will then have the opportunity to test various office chairs, desks and other accessories.
      Test. Feel. Touch.
    • Our qualified personnel will show you the differences between the various office chairs, what features are important and what makes one chair better than the next. They will assist you in selecting the particular chair and desk that best suits your needs, preferences and of course, your budget. 
    • We do not ‘hard sell’ any products. Our objective is to create an optimum ergonomic chair, desk and general setup for your office environment.
    • Finally, if you are satisfied with the setup and product selection, you have the option to purchase the products and take them home with you.

The 10 important features you should look for when buying a study chair.

5. Why should I book an Ergonomic Assessment?

A session with one of our Office Ergonomics Risk Facilitators will change the way you work. Injury management can be costly and the sooner problems are addressed, the better. If you are experiencing musculoskeletal problems, an ergonomic workstation assessment and the selection of the correct office, orthopedic or heavy duty chair can make a huge difference to your recovery and long-term wellbeing.

During your assessment, our experts may make other recommendations, such as exercises, stretches and postural changes. The ultimate ‘how to’ video guide of exercises and stretches for office workers.

Contact us for an ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT today!