I’m about to spill some serious beans. You know that chair you have at work? You know, the small one that barely fits you with the soft cushion and wheels that can slide back and forth? Yeah. I’m here to tell you it’s not worth bullying yourself for. Furniture is supposed to fit you, not the other way around!
We know that heavy people have a tough time finding chairs that can accommodate them. The seats are too small, or the chair is so big and bulky that it takes up the entire room. And forget about trying to find a spot where you can fit your knees under the desk! We’ve all had the experience of not finding a sturdy chair enough for our weight, but we’re here to help.
This blog post is dedicated to those who are big and need an office chair that will support them without hurting their spine or their bank account. It’s time to find the best office chairs for a heavy person
Let’s dive in!
How to Best Measure Chair Seat Size for your Body?
As someone who has dealt with ill-sized chairs before, you will know that smaller chairs are absolute hell. They make you feel trapped, your whole body constricted. They will dig in your skin and leave marks, preventing you from being comfortable at any moment. Any seat that feels too small is not the one for you!
Similarly, any seat too big for you should be out of the picture too. Otherwise, it will feel like they put a toddler in an adult chair. This is not as bad as a small chair but is still not acceptable. Let us look into how to determine the chair seat size for your body:
- Sit down in any chair that you already have. Your back should be placed upright against the back of the chair while you sit with your thighs slightly apart. Just sit as you would typically sit in the chair unless you slouch, of course!
- Next, take a measuring tape and measure the distance from your tailbone to the inner portion of your inner thighs. Tio is clearer; this will just include the length of your thigh and hips. Subtract 2 inches from this measurement to find the perfect seat depth for your body. This seat depth will ensure maximum comfort without constricting any blood flow to your legs.
- To find the ideal seat width, retake your measuring tape and measure across your thighs. Where you measure on the thighs is very important. While your thighs are open to their usual amount, pinpoint the area where the seat ends. Measure from one thigh to the other at this point. Add 2 inches to this total for some wiggle room for comfort. If you like sitting with your legs wider open sometimes, just add three more inches to this total. This total will also allow you to sit crosslegged or with both legs on the seat.
- Viola! You are done. Just find a chair close to these measurements, and you are good to go.
Best Office Chair for a Heavy Person
Steelcase Leap Plus
Why do we love it?
| Pros | Cons |
| Extremely comfortable | Expensive |
| Aesthetically pleasing | |
| Adjustable Arms |
Herman Miller Aeron Chair
| Pros | Cons |
| Attractive color | Reports of poor customer service by the company |
| Has a seat angle modification | Complaints of lacking lumbar support for taller people |
| Made from recycled resources |
Secretlab Titan
Why do we love it?
| Pros | Cons |
| Incredible ergonomics | The design might be extra for some people |
| Corrosion and rust-free | Expensive |
| A breathable and durable fabric used |
Flash Furniture HERCULES Series Big and Tall Chair
Why do we love it?
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable | Not great ergonomically |
| Durable | Heavy to lift |
| Wide seat |
Office Star Space Seating Big and Tall
Why do we love it?
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable | Not suitable for people below 5’10” in height |
| Incredible customer support by the company | |
| Easy assembling process |
DXRacer Tank Series
Why do we love it?
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent quality | Expensive |
| Wide legroom | Locks in a position like a car seat |
| Adjustable backrest |
Big and Tall Office Chair by BestMassage store
Why do we love it?
| Pros | Cons |
| Padded breathable seat | The lumbar support should be improved |
| 360-degree swivel | Too wide for some people |
| Easy to assemble |
HON Wave Big and Tall Executive Chair
Why do we love it?
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy assembly | Fixed lumbar support |
| 360-degree full rotation | |
| 5-year long warranty |
LA-Z Boy Delano Big and Tall Executive Office Chair
Why do we love it?
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to assemble | Some parts are of cheap quality |
| Sturdy | Some customers complain about receiving damaged parts |
| Tailored lumbar panel |
Lorell Soho Big and Tall Mesh Back Chair
Why do we love it?
What makes an office chair ergonomic?
An ergonomic office chair provides a comfortable seating position with all the necessary adjustments to reduce tension in your neck, back and shoulders. The correct posture depends on several factors such as seat height and depth, armrests or not (and their placement), etc.
Many features can determine whether a chair is ergonomic or not. However, a common part of all office chairs is their ability to adjust the seat’s height and backrest, so we don’t slouch while sitting down for long periods. You should know what makes an Office Chair Ergonomics before buying it online.
Office chairs may vary depending on what they’re specifically designed for. For example, support during long work hours or a few-hour executive lounging session. Often when people think about an “office chair,” they picture something like this; stiff fabric covering rigid metal arms and legs along with plastic wheels underneath.
But that doesn’t have to be it! You need an ergonomic chair if you love your body and want to avoid aches from sitting for long hours at work every day. The ergonomic features required by a chair also vary with body type. Everybody is unique and needs a different kind of support. Below we will mention the factors you should consider before buying an ergonomic chair for yourself.
Adjustable seat
Many factors make a chair ergonomic, but the most important one has an adjustable seat. A majority of office jobs involve sitting in front of a computer for hours on end, which puts an immense amount of strain on your body’s back muscles, leading to chronic pain or discomfort if you don’t take care while working at the desk. One solution would be purchasing more expensive chairs with built-in support systems such as lumbar cushions and armrests, neck pillows, etc. However, these types may not always fit into everyone’s budget.
Even if you can’t afford high-end models, it is necessary to get a chair that lets you adjust the angle of your seat. YOu may want to alternate between leaning back and sitting up straight. Your chair should allow you enough freedom to do all that. The tilt angle is critical because a good tilt angle will allow you to relax and give a break to your back muscles, preventing fatigue.
Weight capacity
This may not be common knowledge, but every office chair comes with a maximum weight that it supports. If you enforce a weight greater than that on it, the chair will be very prone to breaking soon.
As a big individual, it is vital to consider the chair’s weight capacity that you want to buy. It is best to buy a chair with a limit of about 50 pounds above your weight. This will promote further chair longevity.
Height Range
Apart from weight, the most significant thing we see people struggling with is the height range of a particular chair. If it is too tall for you, your feet will experience numbness due to dangling in the air all day long.
On the other hand, a chair too small will leave an unnecessary strain on your knees and leave them aching. Therefore, it is essential to find the height rating of the chair you are going to buy to prevent both situations. Usually, shorter people struggle more with this issue. If you are on the shorter end of the spectrum with this problem, consider getting yourself a footrest if the chair is too high for your height.
Footrest and Headrest
If your feet and neck are aching as you work, it will feel like your whole body is in pain. As mentioned above, footrests are a great addition to taking pressure off your feet for shorter people. They also allow a more relaxed and upright position compared to if your feet were left dangling. Some chairs may come with a built-in footrest, and this is a great feature. However, you can always buy an additional footrest, so it isn’t that big of a deal.
On the flip side of a coin, the headrest is one of the most vital features. When you sit in a chair for prolonged hours of the day, your shoulder and neck muscles experience stiffness, leading to a lot of pain. Doctors suggest a headrest that supports your neck as you sit while also allowing your head to rest back on it comfortably whenever you take a break.
Lumbar support
The human spine is not entirely straight when we sit down. It curves at an angle when we sit upright comfortably. Many chair manufacturers keep this in mind when designing the back of their chairs.
Instead of going straight up, these chairs have a specific curvature to them to fit the curvature of the human spine, resulting in a perfect fit for sitting down in maximum comfort. This feature is especially vital if you want to avoid back pain or if you already suffer from chronic back pain. Whatever you do, just don’t forget about getting a chair with the perfect lumbar support for you!
Armrests
Armrest may be an optional comfort factor, but I do consider them quite significant. Our arms do get tired, resting on the sides or the desk as you type away. To get rid of fatigue, one must have support in the form of armrests.
However, it is best to have adjustable armrests to accommodate people of different heights. This may be common knowledge. But let us give you a piece of advice that isn’t. As a heavy person, you should opt for a chair that has removable armrests. This will ensure that you can have some extra space on the sides if you feel suffocated sometimes. This won’t be a problem if the chair is big enough for you, but in some cases, it is.
Width of Seat
As a heavier person, the width of the seat is probably the most crucial factor to consider apart from the weight capacity. If a chair is too small for you, its hard edges will dig into your skin and leave you marked all over. The armrests may also be in a very uncomfortable position, and most often than not, you will feel stuck.
It is therefore essential to consider the seat width on chairs before buying them. Most companies offer dimensions in their product descriptions. Always mark out the measurement in real life and see if it’s enough for you. Never make estimates and risk being stuck with a chair that doesn’t fit!
Upholstery
Sweating is a big problem for many heavier individuals. The other big issue surfaces not being soft and comfortable enough. Most products come with an option that gives you one or the other.
Many chairs feature a breathable mesh fabric that allows your body to rest without sweating a lot. The material is nonslippery and allows great coolness during warm months. Moreover, it usually lasts longer.
The other option is usually leather. While it offers a very executive look, leather is not breathable. It will leave a film of swear on your body even if it is slightly warm. Moreover, the faux leather used in these products usually wears off in time, leaving the chair discarded. However, the leather option provides much more cushioning and padding than the fabric. It is, therefore, softer and more comfortable.
How to sit ergonomically as a big person?
While all these factors and the chair itself matters, how you yourself make use of the chairs is also crucial in providing comfort.
Being bigger than most people, we are going to have extra pressure on our back, legs, and feet. Therefore, sitting for prolonged hours can be painful. But, this pain is avoidable by just keeping note of a few things that we will discuss below.
Take Breaks
Most people have a 7 to 8-hour workday during which most of the time is spent sitting. It is essential to give your body a break by getting up and walking for a few minutes after every hour.
This takes the extra pressure off your back and tailbone and allows those muscles to relax and rejuvenate themselves. It will also allow your leg muscles to stretch out, preventing them from going numb.
Position your knees and feet correctly
Not having the perfect height between the floor and the seat of the chair can lead to leg pain. Your feet need to lay flat on the ground with your knees either slightly lower or level with your hips. This position leads to the least stress on your leg muscles and knee joints and can make all the difference!
Rest your back with the chairs back
When you sit upright, it is of utmost importance to make sure that your hips touch the back of the chair as much as they can. A few factors will contribute to how far your hips can go. The first one is seat width; if your seat is too narrow, your hips will feel stuck and won’t be able to relax into the back of the chair.
Secondly, the lumbar support of the chair comes into support here. Since everyone has a different body shape, you should pick a chair that suits your shape and allows your spine to curve along with its back. The optimal angle for sitting upright is either 100 or 110 degrees, and you should adjust your chair accordingly.
Conclusion
Being bigger doesn’t mean you have to be deprived of the comfort of life. Despite it being harder to find products that fit, it is not impossible. After reading this post, we hope you found the perfect office chair for your needs. We tried to cover all of our bases and provide a range of options from affordable to more expensive to be something for everyone on the market. Which is your pick from the best office chairs for heavy people? Let us know in the comments below!
