Need a good chair

February 10, 2011 5:31 PM

Any suggestions for "office chairs" that aren't technically office chairs, but that let you keep your feet up or feel similarly relaxed?

I have an Ikea Poang chair, that I thought would work for this purpose. I got some 2x4's and attached them to the feet to raise it up to the level of my desk (well, dining room table; no room for an actual desk). This worked for a few weeks, but I started getting cramps so bad in my calfs that I couldn't walk. (This may be because I didn't raise the ottoman as well, because I was lazy, but now I can't sit in the chair at all.)

The thing is that I may be working at home for awhile, and I would like a comfortable place to work. My experience is that any office chair that costs less than $500 will not accommodate my butt for more than an hour, and I get sick of sitting up, lose my concentration and retreat to the couch. I would like to find something that will let me feel relaxed while I work. I don't have a lot to invest as usual.



Any suggestions are welcome. I'm going to Ikea next week, so any suggestions of what to look for there would be helpful too.

posted by amethysts to home & garden (7 answers total)

You know, a foot rest and maybe, if it's affordable for you, this cushion from Gaiam will probably make any chair work for you.
posted by bearwife at 5:41 PM on February 10, 2011

They look odd in an office (or home) setting, but I've found that one of these Lafuma recliners is the only chair that I can sit in for hours with no aches, pains or cramps, ever. There are cheaper versions available that I suspect are just as comfy, so you could try it without making a big investment.
posted by Corvid at 5:54 PM on February 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

It's not quite what you're talking about, but have you ever tried a "kneeling chair"? They are much easier on the butt, since a lot of your weight is supported by the knees.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:55 PM on February 10, 2011

Those yuppie yoga balls are surprisingly good at getting you into a good posture cause otherwise you'd fall off.

You might want to look into a standing desk. I tried one out when working on site and I was surprised how quickly I got used to it and how much less of a stress it was on my back/butt (of course there was a chair for sitting near, you'd work for a bit, sit, work for a bit, sit, it got very comfortable quickly)
posted by The Whelk at 7:23 PM on February 10, 2011

I like Corvid's link best so far. I can't do standing, kneeling or yoga balls - my stupid body delights in being pain at every opportunity. I'm looking for something that will let me work for hours without thinking about it or being uncomfortable. For me discomfort does not promote productivity.
posted by amethysts at 7:28 PM on February 10, 2011

An old professor of mine had an office setup with a couple of projectors making a huge desktop on one wall and (at a distance of 8-10') a reclining chair with keyboard/mouse on a swing arm at an ergonomic angle.
posted by clerestory at 9:28 PM on February 10, 2011

Just want to make sure you're taking the leg cramps seriously (it sounds like you are, if you're not sitting in the chair in that configuration anymore, but it's worth making sure). Those can be extremely dangerous if they're caused by DVT (which is often the cause of a cramp that happens after restricting blood flow to the legs).
posted by sparrows at 10:23 PM on February 10, 2011