Working at a computer all day can cause strain throughout your body. Most pain and injury from sitting all day is because of any number of poor body positions. Good posture is the key to minimizing pain and maximizing productivity. The chair you use has the greatest impact on your posture, whether good or bad.

Here are some helpful keys to choosing a desk chair that provides good posture and minimizes discomfort:

First, consider the seat of the chair, or the seat pan. When sitting in a chair, you should have plenty of room for your hips and a few inches to spare. Your weight also needs to be spread evenly across the pan to reduce pressure points, and after sitting for an hour, the chair should still feel comfortable. Make sure that the seat isn't too deep for your upper legs and that it is properly sloped so it does not catch you behind the knees.

Secondly, look at the height of the chair. Any good office chair must have height adjustment capability. It is even better if you can adjust it while you are sitting in it to maximize proper positioning. At the proper chair height, you should be able to firmly rest your feet on the ground.

Thirdly, evaluate the backrest. It is imperative that an office chair have proper lumbar support. Adjustable back support makes the chair more flexible. But even without this option, the lumbar support should fit to the contours of your spine to provide the most comfort. It is also helpful to have a chair that will easily recline for different positions; it is hard on your body to be in a single position for an entire day.

Lastly, determine if you need armrests. When typing, it is important to support your arms and hands, without adding strain to your wrists. The more mobility you have in the armrests, the better positioning you can achieve. If you have armrests on your chair, they need to be adjustable; the height should be set to support your elbow while resting your arms at your side. However, constant use of armrests puts pressure on the ulnar nerve in your elbow and can cause discomfort. A helpful feature is armrests that can be moved completely out of the way.