Pressure Mapping

Men and women want to do a good job, and if they are provided the proper environment, they will do so.

Achieving comfort – and avoiding associated health problems – is very important in almost every office setting. The workforce is seated much more than it used to be due to the prevalence of computer technology, which places workers on a chair behind a computer monitor and keyboard to accomplish their work. This has important implications for worker health and comfort.

Results of Sitting

It hurts to sit in a chair all day – usually on your tailbone and sitting bones; the lower spine (lumbar); and the middle spine (thoracic) areas. Blood vessels can become restricted in the involved tissues which reduces blood flow to those areas – and the discomfort begins.

Pressure Mapping

Pressure mapping is the measured testing, via pressure-sensitive mats, of various pressure-sensitive distribution points in different seating components such as auto seats as well as chairs in office and medical settings. The results usually translate into different colors on a computer screen being used to monitor the testing device.

Reading Results

The reading of the results is not as easy as it would initially appear, as there are many deviations involved, based upon the person being tested. So how can an office chair be designed to take advantage of the information in pressure mapping and provide the most comfort and benefit to the most number of users? Surprisingly, it doesn’t just involve adding extra padding where the pressure distribution is the heaviest, as all that may do is re-direct the pressure to another part of the body.

The benefit of Ergonomic Chairs

Modern ergonomic chair design has identified a means to achieve certain desired distribution patterns under the above-identified body areas of the mid to lower back as well as the bottom area. That dynamic support is then provided and a chair is adjusted to fit differently proportioned users. Thanks to improving technology, it is possible to better read the pressure mapping results and apply that information to the design and customization of an ergonomic chair.

That is exactly what is achieved with the design of a BodyBilt chair by ErgoGenesis. Thanks to space-age technology and its application to modern problems, sitting behind a computer monitor does not have to leave workers tired and hurting at the end of a work period. What an important achievement for any company on behalf of its workers!