It’s hard to think of a home without chairs, without couches, without the pieces of furniture we view as essential. Chairs in particular have been around for a very long time, dating back as far as 5,000 years ago. Even plastic chairs were invented over 50 years ago in the mid 1960s. A chair with wheels, the kind we typically see used in an office setting, was invented by Charles Darwin even before the 20th century. And chairs have been popular furniture pieces in the average household since around the same time. Chairs have evolved over the years, introducing new styles like the butterfly chair in the era of modernism in the 1960s and chairs with electronic components like massage chairs have become increasingly popular in the 21st century. Chairs, and all of their accessories, like a custom size chair mat, are staples in our society. We would truly be lost without them.
However, though this may sound silly, it’s important to be careful in our use of chairs, as in everything that we do. Utilizing a custom size chair mat or office floor mat can help to protect floors from the constant movement of chairs throughout the day. A custom size chair mat can also help to keep a chair more stable, preventing accidental tipping over and potential damage to surrounding items as well as injury to the person occupying or looking to occupy the chair. Chair mats come in all different varieties, from the custom size chair mat mentioned above to oversized chair mats. Different chair mats can also be purchased depending on the type of flooring. Chair mats for carpet will sometimes differ from a typical chair mat for hardwood floor, and it’s important to take this into consideration when purchasing you custom size chair mat or other kind of chair mat.
Aside from chair mats like vinyl chair mats to help protect floors from damage, it’s important to protect your own health while sitting in a chair. Though it may seem difficult to accidentally injure yourself simply by sitting in a chair, sitting for long periods of time without a change in position can lead to serious back problems. In fact, in 2001 a million people were reported to suffer from work related musculo-skeletal issues, many of which were brought on simply by sitting for extended periods in a chair.
Though chairs are essential to many of our lives, from sitting down for a family dinner to working in your office – or even in a coffee shop, it is important that we take care of ourselves when using them. For example, getting up to stretch periodically when you know that you will be sitting for long durations can be helpful in preventing the onset of back problems. If back problems have already originated, seeing a medical professional or a physical therapist can help to reduce their impact on your life.
