Are Gaming Chairs Any Good? 7 Things To Know Before Sitting
Are These Fancy Swivel Chairs All Hype?
Gaming chairs are not as blatant of a marketing gimmick as gaming socks, but arguable may fall into this category.
Compared to ergonomic office chairs, they are not offering the best bang for their buck or back.
What ergonomic features do most gaming swivel chairs lack?
Unfortunately, all chairs are not created equal!
Here are the most sought features to look for in your next chair.
Adjustable Lumbar Support –No pillows! This feature is often overlooked because they equip most gaming chairs with basic lumbar support as a memory foam pillow. An adjustable lumbar support system is better for your back because it curves to your spine with more accuracy.
Waterfall Seat Pad –These types of seats help better circulate blood flow through your legs. If the chair has no curved edge, then move on.
Arm-Rest –While 3D arm-rest are great. 4D offers better customization by letting you adjust them at an angle.
Durable Materials –Look for high quality breathable upholstery like top-grade leather or Pellicle 8Z. The five star base of the chair should be metal, not plastic.
Warranty –A good rule of thumb to check how confident gaming chair companies think their product will last is by looking at their warranty. Most of them are about 2 or 3 years, while ergonomic chairs like the Steelcase Leap have warranties up to 12 years.
Is your gaming experience stifled from what you are sitting In?
How less than ideal ergonomics can spur a world of hurting.
Common health concerns among gamers and office workers alike. Such as repetitive strain wrist injuries, circulatory disorders, and computer vision syndrome.
I doubt you remember the “Nintendinitis” histaria of the mid-’80s. They diagnosed people with tendonitis from playing too many video games.
Also called Nintendo thumb – The repetitive actions of button smashing, rapid clicking/using a mouse, and odd finger positioning caused injuries in the arms of hardcore gamers.
It’s more common to suffer from repetitive strain wrist playing action games as opposed to other genres. This career ending injury has E-sports professionals treating their bodies like college athletes.
Since you’re probably not either, an easy way to combat video game related injuries is to stop playing video games or lower it down to 60 minutes a day and take part in physical activities.
If you’re not about that life, I got 9 stretches to do from your desk to help curve that sedentary
The State of Gaming Chairs & Ergonomics
This in the combination of a small budget gamers spend on comfort has started a race to the bottom.
The vast majority of gaming chairs are designed for the average body and created as a one size fits all product. Since most companies are buying from the same manufactures, many gaming chairs look almost identical.
Currently, the high-end chair manufacturers like Herman Miller and Steelseries offer their products in different sizes.
They are also much more established and have put more resources into research and development of ergonomics.
As gaming chair brands mature, they will invest more into R & D and maybe even beat the high-end ergonomic chair brands to innovations in sitting.
Related Questions
Any actual difference between a regular office chair & a gaming chair?
Gaming chairs usually are overall bigger, with a higher backrest than a regular office chair. They are vehemently marked with brand logos and come in a variety of edgy colors. Most are exclusively sold online and deter those who likes to try before they buy.
Office chairs on the other hand are often manufactured in a single design and have modest branding, and color choices. They are easier to find in stores so you can sit in it before purchasing.
Interested in more? Here is a full break down between Gaming Chairs V.S. Office Chairs.
Tetryzoline decongestant drops can only do so much for a man.
A widespread issue across all genres is computer vision syndrome, which is commonly called eye strain. As someone who suffers from this, these three tips reduce strain.
- Following the 20-20-20 rule can help ease eye strain. Every 20 minutes stop looking at your screen. For a minimum of 20 seconds; glance at something other than an electronic screen is at least 20 feet away.
- Make sure you are in a well lit environment and avoid playing in a dark room!
- Using a glare-resistant screen cover or anti-glare glasses like Gunnar Optiks. Being exposed to blue light at night can mess with your circadian rhythm (sleeping schedule).
Which is better for your eyes, Shoot-‘Em-Ups Games or Simulator Games?
Brian Handwerk of National Geographic covered the story that “action” video games like first-person shooters can improve one’s contrast sensitivity function.
The fast pace and unpredictable environment is a better workout on your eyes. This enables the visual ability for crucial tasks such as reading and driving at night.
“That's why a regular regimen of action video game training can provide long-lasting visual power."
SOURCES
Asher CPT, Anne. “Understand Why Your Office Chair Is Causing You Back Pain.” Verywell Health, 8 Dec. 2019, www.verywellhealth.com/office-chair-height-and-hip-joint-angle-296775.
“Gaming Wrist Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Gamers Thumb from Esports!” YouTube, 16 Sept. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=quX7qKaw4s0.
Handwerk, Brian. “Video Games Improve Vision, Study Says.” Nationalgeographic.Com, 29 Mar. 2009, www.nationalgeographic.com/
Geoghegan, Like, and Justin C. R. Wormal. “Sport-Related Hand Injury: A New Perspective of e-Sports.” SAGE Journals, 20 Sept. 2018, journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177
“Active Gaming Footwear | Black – PUMA.” Nz.Puma.Com, nz.puma.com/active-gaming-footwear-306663-01.html?size=5.
Claude
ChairPickr | "Writer"
Hello, My name is Claude and I enjoy sitting comfortable. Research into what separates the good from the bad in the matter of chairs started when I made a new year’s resolution to have better posture.
You clicked here to find that first-rate chair. Why not stay and learn some self care?