Mid back vs High Back Office Chair
No office is complete without office chairs. This is why more and more chair brands, styles, and variants are coming in with each passing day. Accordingly, there is a lot of debate about the right office chair, especially regarding the mid back vs high back office chair.
Therefore, in this article, we are going to throw some light on the most popular comparison: a mid back vs high back office chair. Read till the last and you will know which is the best office chair for you.
So, without wasting any further time, let’s dive straight into the real discussion.
Mid Back Office Chairs
As evident from the name, a mid-back office chair comes with a medium or slightly taller back length, which fits people of short to medium height. A mid-back office chair is best suited for you when you have any of the following requirements:
1. Perfect for short-medium height
Generally, the back height of mid-back chairs also referred to as task chairs, is slightly lower than the shoulders of the person sitting on them.
This means a person with short to medium height can sit comfortably on a mid-back chair because they come with reasonable backrest support.
On the other hand, those with taller heights end up being uncomfortable. This is because most of their upper body doesn’t have support as the adjustable lumbar support option is missing in a mid-back office chair.
2. Don’t have headrests
Mid-back office chairs don’t have headrests, so the users should be conscious of their postures themselves.
It’s on them to keep their shoulders, neck, and head in an upright position so as to avoid muscle pulls and pains.
3. Provides ease of movement
Similarly, if your work requires a lot of free movement, a mid-back office chair is for you. Most of you are constantly moving from one desk to another to get things done.
As midback chairs are lightweight so you can freely slide them anywhere in the office and thus a perfect fit for flexible workstations.
4. Ideal for short-duration sitting
A mid-back chair is perfect for short-duration or sporadic sitting experiences ideally between 4 to 5 hours.
So, if you work for long hours, a mid-back chair isn’t the right chair for you because it doesn’t have a taller backrest.
Also, you can use mid-back chairs in the meeting or conference rooms because they don’t require long hours of sitting.
High Back Office Chairs
The second type of chair is a high-back office chair, which comes with a tall backrest and various other ergonomic features. A high-back chair is the perfect desk chair for people with the following requirements:
1. Perfect for taller people
High-back office chairs are the best option for taller people as their upper bodies cannot be well-supported by mid-back office chairs. Being a tall back office chair, it provides more support to your upper back and enables you to sit in the correct posture for long hours.
2. Best for heavy-weight people
These chairs also work well for heavyweight people. these chairs support the body weight of bulky people and provide additional support to their upper back.
A high-back office chair perfectly aligns with their shoulders, prevents neck pain, and provides proper head support, and sufficient support for the upper back as well.
3. Offers various ergonomic features
The best part about a high-back chair is that it comes with plenty of adjustable features. For instance, highly adjustable armrests, adjustable headrests, lumbar and back support, and adjustable seat depth.
So, anyone can adjust them according to their preferences. Because of this adjustability, you can lean back when not working by making use of the recline feature offered by most high-back office chairs.
4. Ideal for long sitting hours
Not only this, but high-back office chairs are perfect for long office hours and let you sit straight even if you don’t take breaks.
Sitting on a high-back chair prevents you from slouching so you remain pain-free for longer durations. So, your choice between a mid-back vs high-back chair should be based on your sitting duration.
5. Suits spacious office spaces
A high-back office chair is suitable for spacious office spaces as it gives a very congested feel to the office because of its tall back. So, offices with limited workspace should go for mid-back chairs.
Also, because of their highbacks and other added components, high-back office chairs are heavier as well. So, moving them from desk to desk isn’t as easy as in the case of mid-back office chairs.
Mid back vs High Back Office Chair – How do I Choose a Back Support Chair?
Now that you’ve learned a lot about the comparison of a mid-back vs high-back chair, it’s time to choose your new office chair. In that regard, a number of factors come into effects such as comfortability, ergonomics, usage, pricing, and office space.
All of these things should be considered while choosing an ergonomic office chair that provides maximum support to your back as well as shoulder blades.
1. Comfortability
Comfortability is the first factor that comes to mind when you think of the best office chair. This is because most of the office workers sit on these chairs for long hours.
So it is essential for an office chair to be highly comfortable. Both, a midback and high-back desk chair are comfortable in their own way.
One supports your mid and lower back while the other offers maximum support to your entire back along with your shoulders and head. So, your choice between both types of office chairs really depends on what type of support you want during your office hours.
2. Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the heart of any chair and it becomes more relevant when we talk about an office chair. An office chair with a perfect ergonomic design adds comfort and productivity to your working hours.
High-back office chairs are more ergonomic in nature as they come with a lot of adjustable features. These include adjustable seat height, adjustable lumbar support, and adjustable head and back support.
All of these features are offered in almost all gaming chairs. They come with headrests that can not only be adjusted up and down but also inward and outward.
On the flip side, mid-back office chairs don’t offer this much adjustability. So, if you want lumbar support or you suffer from shoulder or neck pains, you should definitely go for high-back office chairs. Additionally, mid-back office chairs don’t offer a firm footing, which is a big issue for taller people.
3. Usage
Usage is also an important element that comes under consideration as soon as we think of buying any furniture. Similar is the case with office chairs. Mid-back chairs are more suitable for short-duration sitting environments like conference rooms.
On the other hand, high-back chairs can be used for long office hours. This is because of their high-level support for different types of users including those seeking lumbar support or headrest.
Moreover, high-back chairs give an executive look and feel to the office space while mid-back chairs are more casual to work with.
4. Office space
Another major factor that puts a barrier to the free choice of office furniture is the space of your office or your desk space. If you have limited desk space, a mid-back chair should be your choice because it occupies less space.
For offices with large spaces, there is always room for making the choice between mid-back and high-back office chairs based on other factors such as comfort and ergonomics.
So, if they choose a high-back chair for their office, they would know that they are heavier and occupy more floor space. Thus making the overall area look congested and cluttered.
5. Pricing
Next comes pricing, which is a major constraint for most people and offices. As high-back chairs offer a lot of adjustability options compared to mid-back office chairs and use expensive materials in their manufacturing process, they are pricy as well.
So, if you are on a budget, you should go for a mid-back instead of a high-back chair. Otherwise, you have the option to make a free choice between mid-back and high-back office chairs.
Mid Back vs High Back Office Chair – What Kind of Chair is Best for Your Back?
Most people ask if is it better to have your office or computer chair low or high. This varies from person to person. Different people have different back heights, body shapes, and health conditions.
So, a chair that fits one person may not necessarily fit the other. Hence, the choice of an office chair varies for everyone. As a general rule of thumb, a tall person should opt for a high-back office chair and people with short to medium height can go for a mid-back office chair.
Also, if you have back issues or can’t sit for long hours without proper back support, you should go for a high-back ergonomic chair.
Between mid-back and high-back office chairs, if you think a mid-back office chair is the right chair for you, consider buying the Quantum 9000 or the Herman Miller Aeron. These two chairs are the best office chairs available in the market with medium back height.
On either side, if you find a high-back chair the perfect fit for you, you should give ErgoChair Pro and ErgoChair Recline a try.
Conclusion – Last Thoughts!
Lastly, your choice of an office chair depends on a number of features. Back length is one among them. It becomes more relevant when you have back issues. So, finding the right ergonomic chair, with the perfect back to fit your back, is highly crucial.
Generally, there are three back-length options in office chairs. These include a high-back, mid-back, and low-back office chair. All of these are made for different users and purposes.
Therefore, it is of paramount significance to identify what are your expectations from an office chair and how you want it to adjust to you.
In this detailed comparison article of mid-back vs high-back office chairs, we have tried to cover every bit of information to help clear your confusion about both these office chairs.
So, in your hunt for the right ergonomic office chair, now can make a better decision that whether you need a mid-back office chair or a high-back office chair.
