Gamers spend several hours on their chairs with eyes glued to the screens. The hundreds of hours gamers put into their passion all add up when they begin to feel backache. To ensure that they can continue to do what they love, there is a need for a better chair. The gaming chair was established mainly for this, to promote comfort for long hours of sitting.
There is a huge debate among gamers and office workers regarding the ergonomics of gaming chairs vs. office chairs. Many gamers note that gaming chairs are more ergonomic and comfortable, while office workers have touted their ergonomic office chair – APOL Singapore as the best. To understand gaming chairs better, this article dives deep into what you should know about gaming chairs.
What is a Gaming Chair?
When it comes to defining what gaming chairs are, there are no rigid rules. Gaming chairs vary and are constantly being improved by manufacturers to promote comfort. Gaming chairs are available in various styles and designs to meet all your gaming needs. However, these features and key design elements are common for most gaming chairs.
Bucket Seat Design
Many gaming chairs aim for comfort. To enhance comfort while also protecting the user, many of the chairs come into the market with a bucket seat design. The bucket seat design gaming chairs have both sides raised and a depressed mid-section. This design is similar to a car seat. However, it is more pronounced. It keeps the user in the middle of the seat while ensuring that they do not slip from side to side. The bucket seat design cradles the user.
In terms of ergonomics, the bucket seat design may be counterproductive. This is because the user is confined to one sitting position only. Gamers who choose this type of seat design will find it hard to sit in any other position other than forward-facing. Crossing of legs may also be a bit difficult with this design.
Raised Front Lip
Unlike adjustable car seats where you can lift or depress the front lip of your seat, most gaming chairs come with a raised front lip. The raised front lip is expected to create a bit of clearance space between the user’s legs and the floor. In addition to this, the elevated front lip is also designed to help the user relax more on their back and the chair’s spine. While good for gamers in a relaxed position, this feature may be negative for gamers in the middle of a tense game.
Detachable Lumbar and Head Pillows
One of the biggest advantages of the gaming chair is that it takes comfort into account. With the detachable lumbar and head pillows, you can pad your neck and lower back regions after long hours of sitting. This helps to prevent low back pain and neck pain. In terms of ergonomics, the gaming chair scores huge points in this department. Compared to the office chair, you are sure to enjoy more comfort after long sitting hours. Supporting this claim is a study that proved the health benefits of external lumbar pillows in promoting pain relief in the lower back region.
Winged Backrest
One of the biggest telltale signs of a gaming chair is its winged backrest. Also, a feature borrowed from car seats. You can rest assured that they offer an ergonomic advantage. When in the middle of gameplay with adrenaline pumping, you need a seat that will hug and hold you in place as you maneuver your way using the gaming controls.
The winged backs are designed to keep you in place through the twists and turns of your gameplay. From an ergonomic standpoint, there may be little to no contribution from the winged backrest. However, if you are engaged in wicked and violent gameplay, you may find this feature comforting to have.
Fixed Headrest
The headrest is expected to keep your head padded and comfortable, especially when you are in the middle of relaxed gameplay. Obviously, the common office chairs lack this decent feature, thus taking away from their ergonomic points. The headrest is fixed with the gaming chair and offers you a higher level of comfort with your head nestled and comfortably cushioned.
Higher Level of Back Recline
Many gaming chairs offer users the opportunity to recline as far back as 180 degrees. This feature helps with stretching the lower back muscles after long hours of gameplay. With this feature, you get to enjoy a more comfortable sitting posture that puts less stress on your lower back. In the ergonomic department, gaming chairs are considered to be more comfortable to sit in.