Finding the Right Headrest For You!
Posted by Human Solution on Oct 30th 2014
When it comes to ergonomic chairs, it seems like most of the focus is on your torso, back, and arms. Indeed, of the five adjustments that are absolute requirements for a chair to be considered ergonomic, two pertain to the seat (seat height and depth), two pertain to the back (lumbar support and tilt), and the last is for the armrests. But those aren't the only factors to consider when buying a chair. After all, what if you have pain in your shoulders? Or maybe you are having trouble positioning your head in a comfortable spot. And I believe it was either Benjamin Franklin or RZA who said, "you best protect ya neck," but either way, the sentiment stands. Your head and shoulders are major considerations in finding the ergonomic chair that is the best fit for you. But since no two people are the same, what works for one may not work for someone else. So, how best to protect ya neck? For some users, the answer is clear: a headrest!
A headrest is, simply, an attachment to the top of an ergonomic chair that gives you a surface against which to lean your head. Just like the other features of the chair, the properties of the headrest will differ from chair to chair. Some are covered in fabric, others leather or mesh. Some have extra padding; some have no padding at all. While most have at least some height adjustability, the adjustment range can vary wildly, and some headrests even offer articulation or depth adjustments in addition to the height.
So you totally need a headrest, right? Well, it depends. For some, a headrest is an absolute must-have, especially for those with some kind of pain in their neck or shoulders. At the same time, I've talked to people before who simply prefer the freedom of movement that comes without a headrest. For most people, the answer is in between. Rather than being a definitive yes or no, it is more an issue of finding the right headrest for you. Maybe you need one with a great deal of movement and adjustability. Or maybe you need one with a lot of padding. If you're not sure, our chair experts are available to help answer your questions and determine how a headrest would work for you, however, here are a few of my favorite chairs with headrests.
A personal favorite of mine is the Humanscale Freedom Chair. This headrest is soft and supportive, offering contours that move forward to provide complete neck support, even as your head moved forward. Before I tried the Freedom chair, I had only been used to much lower quality chairs, with stiff, immobile headrests that weren't very comfortable. Unlikethose, the Freedom chair offers more versatility of movement and less stiffness in the headrest. In no time, I went from a headrest agnostic to a headrest convert.
Another great option with a very comfortable headrest would be the Steelcase Leap. This is one of our most popular chairs, and it is available with the option to add a headrest. In addition to the headrest, the arms are some of the best on the market, with a great range of adjustments for maximum comfort. The backrest and lumbar support are also excellent. Best of all, the Steelcase Leap qualifies for Steelcase's free 30 day return policy, so you can try it out for 30 days and return it for a full refund if it turns out the headrest isn't for you!
Of course, we've only begun to scratch the surface. From the cooling breathability of the Ergohuman ME7ERG's mesh headrest to the wide range of adjustability on the Bodybilt 3507, there's the perfect headrest out there waiting for you, and we'd be happy to help you track it down. Of course, the other advantage to these chairs is, should you be the type of person who prefers your chair without a headrest, these options are all available in models that are headrest-free. Because in America, you can protect ya neck however you choose.
To learn more about ergonomic chairs, visit TheHumanSolution.com.
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