Pain

Is A Mesh Office Chair Worth It?

Written by Ashley Williams, PT, DPT, ATP/SMS, CASp | Feb 24, 2023 1:00:00 PM

Why not Mesh?

The most famous office chairs in the industry are made of mesh. But why? Mesh office chairs have a wide frame to which the mesh fabric is stretched to be wrapped around the frame. There is limited scientific evidence that says that this design is the best type of design for the human body.

The office chair companies market that mesh is more breathable and reduced skin temperature while sitting for long periods of time.

Conversely, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society evaluated the effect of skin temperature between a mesh, foam and gel office chair and found that there were no differences in thermal comfort votes or body and skin temperature. 1

If mesh isn’t breathable like the marketing claims suggest then what does research say that the effects on the body are? Since the mesh material has to be wrapped tight around the frame by design, what type of immersion or pressure relieving qualities are possessed by mesh?

Mesh Seat

Foam Seat

Mesh office chairs can provide less support for the lower body and can promote a hammock effect that increases the peak pressures on the seated surface. The Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health proved that increased seat contour and a greater uniformity on pressure distribution, and a lower peak pressure implied an improvement of the user’s comfort on the seat.2

In addition, the openings in the mesh material can cause pressure points and discomfort, especially for people who sit in the chair for long periods of time. The lack of cushioning and support can also lead to musculoskeletal issues such as back pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain.

Mesh on the office chair seat can compromise comfort but does an office chair with a mesh back compromise the body as well. Considering that the mesh has to be wrapped around a wide frame, this shape could result in limited shoulder range of motion. The mesh fabric is flexible and could allow for the upper back to be rounded which can promote slumped or slouched sitting.

 

If you are looking for a comfortable, non-mesh office chair, look no further than Anthros.

Anthros is the only chair in the world that is guaranteed to improve posture, or your money back. The science-backed, patented design is registered with the FDA as a posture-improving chair and is proven to have the lowest pressure (most comfortable) cushion on the planet (verified by university testing).

Take the next step to reducing pain, increasing comfort, and maximizing performance!

 

References:

  1. Hedge, A., Saito, M., & Jagdeo, J. (2005). Does Ergonomic Chair Design Affect Thermal Comfort? Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 49(8), 793–795. https://doi.org/10.1177/154193120504900801
  2. Li W, Mo R, Yu S, Chu J, Hu Y, Wang L. The effects of the seat cushion contour and the sitting posture on surface pressure distribution and comfort during seated work. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020 Sep 17;33(5):675-689. doi: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01582. Epub 2020 Jul 27. PMID: 32716013.
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