There's an epidemic of people who suffer needlessly throughout their work day. Crammed into any old chair, they fritter and waste away their valuable work day shifting and adjusting, wincing in perfectly avoidable pain. The term "ergonomic" should come to mind, though not many people know exactly what it means. Though it may sound like some scientific term, it is a term that simply refers to a way of designing tools and furniture for repetitive human use. An ergonomic office chair, in particular, is made in such a way that it can be adjusted to fit whomever is sitting in it. An ergonomic office chair can accommodate any height and any back.

So you've got yourself an ergonomic office chair -- the sky's the limit, corner office here you come! Right? Not with that slumping posture, buddy! The best chair is useless if you can't sit up straight. Your mother's nagging was not for naught. A straight back is a healthy back, a healthy back is a healthy employee, and a healthy employee is one that can accomplish all his or her tasks in relative comfort. So, here's how you sit up straight: first make sure your hips are a bit higher than your knees, make sure the back of your knees are about three inches from the edge of your seat, and make sure your elbows are resting in such a position that your wrists can lay in a flat, neutral position. This will also help you get to your "types 100 words a minute" goal. You'd be surprised, but elbows that are positioned too high will stress the neck and shoulders and bend the wrists, earning you a one-way ticket to carpal tunnels-ville.

Feeling tired and sore will stop you from working at your full potential. If you push the tiredness and soreness for too long, something like carpal tunnel syndrome will stop you from being productive at all. The human body was not meant to stay seated for hours on end, day after day, as we stare intently at a LCD monitor. An ergonomic chair can be an effective tool to keep the modern stress injuries at bay.