These days, gaming chair benefits are getting clearer as the risks of sedentary behavior emerge. Human bodies work best when active. Even so, the average American worker sits for 13 hours a day. This time includes working, commuting, eating, and relaxing on the couch at home.
In recent years there has been growing evidence of health risks caused by too much sitting. These include obesity, diabetes, depression and cardiovascular disease.
Gaming chairs address these problems by protecting the body during long periods of sitting. Three things happen once you start using a gaming chair:
- Improved posture: a contoured backrest and support cushions keeps the spine in alignment.
- Better circulation: gaming chairs ensure the feet lie flat on the floor. This helps with optimal blood flow.
- Reduced chronic pain: gaming chairs keep the spine in alignment. As a result, overworked muscles can relax against the chair’s support.
When used correctly, a gaming chair can improve quality of life and boost performance. This article explains the key gaming chair benefits for both men and women.
Poor sitting habits cause health problems
Cheap office chairs place massive stress on the back muscles, neck, and spine. In addition, excessive sitting raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. A gaming chair benefits users by drastically improving posture – but the chair is only part of the solution.
Poor posture works the same across both genders.
For both men and women, a healthy spine aligns in an ‘S’ shape, with an indent at the small of the back (aka the lumbar area).
People with poor posture lose the S-shaped indent. Also the shoulders sag, the neck tilts forward and the pelvis thrusts the belly outwards. This misalignment puts tremendous strain on the body. As a result people suffer severe neck, back or shoulder pain.
IMPORTANT: only if you use a gaming chair correctly, take plenty of breaks, maintain an active lifestyle and eat well will a gaming chair will give you a serious performance edge.
However, if you suffer from obesity, lethargy, poor posture or chronic pain, a gaming chair can be used as a tool to kick-start a healthier and more disciplined lifestyle.
Health benefits of gaming chairs
All gaming chairs feature high backs, neck support pillows and lumbar (lower back) support. When positioned correctly, gaming chairs force the user to sit with optimal posture. Over extended sitting hours, the body thus gets ‘trained’ to sit in correct posture, until the habit sticks.
According to Healthline.com, these are some of the benefits that both men and women can expect from having good posture:
- Reduced lower back pain
- Less headaches
- Increased energy levels
- Reduced tension in neck and shoulders
- Increased lung capacity
- Improved circulation
- Improved core strength
Superior back support
Quality gaming chairs come with many features designed to support the spine:
- High backs, contoured to support the spine
- Extra soft memory foam cushioning
- Lumbar and neck support pillows
- Bucket seats for a streamlined fit
Improved circulation
The crude alignment of cheap office chairs prevents blood flow. If you’ve ever felt pins and needles after a marathon sitting session, this from clogged blood flow. When you stand, blood rushes to your feet, causing the pins and needles sensation.
With a gaming chair, you should adjust the height so that your feet planted firmly on the ground. Tucking the feet under the body impairs blood flow.
Place the arms in the armrests when idle to spread your weight distribution. Keep the lumbar pillow pushed into the curve of your lower back.
Doing these things will ensure optimal blood flow while sitting. Even so, you should still take a walking break every twenty to thirty minutes.
Boosted energy levels
Sitting with improper posture places severe strain on the back, neck and shoulders. For example, when hunched over a desk, the head leans too far forward. This forces muscles in the neck and back to work four times harder to compensate for the imbalance.
This depletes oxygen levels, builds up lactic acid and causes fatigue. Over time these stresses materialize as physical pain, stiffness or muscle tension.
In contrast, when sat in a gaming chair, weight distributes across the spinal column. This requires less muscle support. Also, an aligned spine allows for deeper breathing and 30% more oxygen supplied to the body.
Adjusting to proper posture
Be prepared for an adjustment period, especially if you have chronic poor posture.
At first, a gaming chair might feel very uncomfortable. Regardless, since you’ve gone through the trouble to buy a gaming chair, you might as well persevere. Start by reading our Ultimate Gaming Chair User manual.
Within a week of proper use, your body should adjust. After that, your posture will begin to improve. After that other health benefits will kick in:
- Reduced tension in neck and spine
- Better blood flow through the legs
- Greater focus on work
- Improved energy levels
Case study: DXracer gaming chair benefits
After several years of desk work, I suffered chronic tightness in my hamstrings and back. That pulled my body inwards into an ugly slouch. For health reasons, the cost of a high quality gaming chair seemed reasonable, so I purchased a DX Racer Formula Series chair. After a week of struggling to get used to sitting upright, magic started to happen. Check out this Youtube video about my benefits gained from using a gaming chair.
Long term benefits
The most immediate physical changes were a looser back and better blood flow through my legs. I added stretching and basic yoga to my gym routine. This led to steady flexibility growth.
- Two years later: work performance and physical fitness improved. So too did my standing and sitting posture.
- Four years later: continued improvements in work performance and fitness.
Verdict: my gaming chair investment was not the only reason for my improved wellness. But it was a vital part of the equation.
A gaming chair allowed me to sit for long hours and focus on work with peak concentration. When getting out of the chair, I stood taller and felt much more energetic. These days my back feels great and my health is on-point.
In conclusion, the benefits received from gaming chairs was well worth the price. Expect improved health while sitting for long hours at the computer. This will allow you to work or gamer longer, without health issues.