Office Chair Arms Getting In The Way? How Swing Back Technology Fixes The Problem
Most office chairs tend to be fitted with arms and in most cases this is a good thing. And yet often arms just get in the way usually when you want to work close at your desk or move your chair around a tight space.
This most frequently happens with fixed arms which don’t adjust at all. So not only can you not move them when you need to, you can’t adjust them to suit your individual needs.
As a result you end up with double trouble. First, not being able to get your chair under your workstation and second, suffering discomfort in use because the fixed height isn’t a good match for you.
The obvious answer is to go for adjustable arms and yet this may very well only solve one of the two problems.
Swing Down Type Arm
The good news is that at least you can set the arms at a height matching your needs and so avoid potential neck and shoulder pain. Frequently though even adjustable arms won’t go low enough to fit under your desk edge or move through tight gaps.
Fortunately a number of manufacturers have taken steps to provide an answer to the problem by designing what are known as swing back arms. They are still height adjustable for personal user comfort.
As the name suggests this type of arm can be readily swung out of the way.
Typically they come in two styles, the first type allows the user to release the arms at the base and quickly swing them down towards the rear of the chair.
Swing Behind Type Arm
The second type remains at the same height but allow the user to push them back and swing them behind the chair back.
Both types achieve the desired effect and quickly convert the chair temporarily into an armless chair until you are ready to push the arms back into position.
Typical examples of the swing down type include Via’s Riva ergonomic chair and Neutral Posture’s 5000, 6000 and 8000 series.
HÅG’s H05 chairs use the swing behind approach which is perhaps the slightly better way of moving arms out of the way.
So, if you find your present chair’s arms limiting in use, these alternatives are well worth checking out when it comes to time to buy a new chair.
Tags: adjustable arms, fixed arms, swing back arms
Apologies for hijacking the topic but the HAG link made me check – I can find no refereenc to HAGs HO9 chair on this otherwise excellent site.
I get on well with HAGs Credo as it offers excellent low back support but in my opinion not so good upper back support (even with headrest). Does the HO9 offer equal low back support but better upper back support – as it appears ‘taller’ in pictures.
Also, whilst talking seating, I have checked out Steelcase’s range and the AMIA seems good – my only concern is that with me being used to HAGs forward tilt and Steelcase chairs not tilting forward, is how are you supposed to read/write in the AMIA as these tasks require you to leave the backrest to actually do them? Thanks
It’s fair to say that the H09 will be better able to give you upper back support due the height of the back. With its sliding back support lower back comfort should be readily achievable. Headrests only really work when you’re reclining.
I can understand your concern with the Amia’s lack of forward tilt after using a Credo. The Amia approaches this in a slightly more subtle way by having a flexible front edge, you really would need to try this to see if it works for you.