Introduction
How much of what you have heard about office chairs is actually true? Many common beliefs about office seating turn out to be misleading. They shape how businesses buy chairs and how staff use them. When the assumptions are wrong, the consequences are quiet: discomfort, distraction, sick days and lost output. This post works through seven of the most persistent office chair myths and the reality behind each one.
Myth 1: An expensive chair automatically solves back pain
Many people assume that spending more on a chair means better support. Premium price tags create the impression that the chair will do all the work, regardless of setup.
Reality: The adjustment matters more than the price tag. A poorly adjusted Herman Miller Aeron, retailing at over £1,200 new, can be worse than a properly adjusted £140 refurbished operator chair. Seat height, lumbar support and armrests all need setting up for the person using the chair. Without that, the chair is not doing its job. Features only make a difference when people actually use them.
Myth 2: Good posture means sitting bolt upright
The image of perfect posture, back straight, shoulders back, chin up, is deeply ingrained. Most people grow up being told to sit up straight, so it feels like the right and productive thing to do at a desk.
Reality: The body likes movement. Sitting rigidly upright keeps muscles locked in one position for hours. That is just as tiring as slouching. Staying still too long makes it easy to feel sluggish and lose focus. Getting up every hour for five minutes away from the desk makes a real difference. It gives the body a reset and the brain a chance to refocus. The healthiest approach is to shift position regularly, recline a little, lean forward, and change it up. Movement beats perfection.
Myth 3: Do armrests get in the way?
Some people remove armrests entirely or push them out of the way, believing they restrict movement or make it harder to pull the chair close to the desk. In busy open-plan offices, they can even feel like a space issue.
Reality: Correctly adjusted armrests reduce shoulder fatigue. When set at the right height, the forearms rest lightly and the shoulders can relax and drop. Without that support, the shoulders hold the weight of the arms all day and quietly tense up, often without the person realising it until the ache sets in.
That said, some people genuinely prefer to rest their arms on the desk while they work. If that is the case, an operator chair without arms is a practical option and tends to cost less. At LOF, refurbished operator chairs without arms start from £20. That makes it easy to find a supportive seat without paying for features that will not get used.
Myth 4: Standing desks mean you never need to sit
Standing desks have been widely promoted as the antidote to the sedentary office. The message that sitting is bad for health has led some to believe that standing all day is the answer, making a good chair seem less important than it once was.
Reality: Standing all day brings its own problems. A review of 17 studies found that standing for more than 8 hours a day is associated with musculoskeletal pain in the lower back and feet, poor circulation and fatigue. (Waters and Dick, Rehabilitation Nursing, 2015) The answer is not standing instead of sitting. It is movement between the two. A good chair and a sit-stand desk work together. They give the body variety rather than locking it into one position all day.
Myth 5: Are ergonomic chairs only for people with back pain?
Many businesses treat ergonomic seating as a reactive measure. They bring it in after a member of staff develops a problem. The idea that the whole team needs proper seating from the start is less common.
Reality: Ergonomic chairs benefit everyone at a desk, not just those already in discomfort. Good seating is prevention as much as it is treatment. For those who already have back pain, a chair with lumbar support, adjustable seat height and armrests can make a real difference to daily comfort. It can also stop the problem from getting worse.
For everyone else, the wrong chair quietly builds up strain. Using a meeting chair as a main work seat day after day is a common example. Strain builds before any symptoms appear. A properly adjusted ergonomic chair supports the spine, helps circulation, reduces fatigue and makes it easier to stay focused through the day.
Myth 6: Ergonomic chairs are too expensive for most businesses
The price of new ergonomic chairs from well-known brands can be genuinely high, and for a business equipping a whole team, the total cost can feel out of reach. It is a reasonable assumption when looking at new price tags from premium manufacturers.
Reality: Premium brands carry high price tags. Their warranties cover manufacturing defects, not the daily wear that comes with regular office use. The core ergonomic features that make a chair supportive are available across many brands at a much lower price point. Different brands design their chairs differently, so the right chair depends on the individual and how they work. The best chair is the one that fits the person, not the one with the biggest price tag.
A properly refurbished ergonomic operator chair delivers the same essential support at a fraction of the cost. At LOF, refurbished ergonomic operator chairs start from £75. Branded options such as Orangebox start from £165. All come with a 12-month warranty.
Browse our refurbished ergonomic operator chairs
Myth 7: Any chair will do as long as staff are not complaining
In busy workplaces, seating rarely makes it onto the priority list. If no one is actively complaining about their chair, it can be easy to assume everything is fine and that staff are comfortable enough.
Reality: Chairs are not something most teams bring up, even when they are the problem. Staff may not say anything, but their bodies do. Have you noticed them constantly shifting, standing up to relieve discomfort, bringing cushions from home, or the familiar mid-afternoon energy drop? These are all signs that the chair is not working. Poor seating quietly affects focus, comfort and output every single day. Staff may not raise it as a complaint, but they feel it, and over time it shows in their work.
If back pain and low productivity are becoming familiar patterns in your team, it may be time to think about a workspace upgrade. Refurbished office chairs bring the comfort and support your team needs, without the premium price tag, making it the best value investment for both wellbeing and productivity.
Ready to upgrade your team’s seating?
Browse our refurbished ergonomic operator chairs, quality support at a fraction of the price of new, with a 12-month warranty included: Shop now
