Study Finds Steelcase Leap Chair and Ergo Training Increases Comfort and Performance

People who sit in the Steelcase Leap and the Leap Plus chairs are more productive and feel better, especially over time. But why?

In a productivity and health impact study, The University of Texas Health Science Center chose to explore just what kind of impact ergonomic training and ergonomic chairs have on workplace productivity. They worked with Steelcase and used one of our most popular chairs, the Leap Chair. A control group received ergonomic training after the study was completed, and a second group received ergonomic training for their current chair. The third, experimental group received ergonomic training and a new Leap chair.

Public and private sector companies in the study both showed a productivity increase by 17.8% and 8.3%, respectively. The volume and quality of work improved. Furthermore, the lucky experimental group that used Leap chairs saw their health status improve as opposed to the control groups. As the hours ticked by throughout the day, pain points for those in their own chairs showed a dramatic increase, particularly those without prior ergonomic training.

In the graph to the right, you can see how Leap chair users experienced a much lower increase in pain points. They even started much more comfortable, with almost nonexistent symptoms at the start of the day. What exactly about the Leap reduced pain points?

Steelcase credits its unique LiveBack technology which "changes shape to mimic and support the movement of your spine," no matter what position you are in throughout the day. The Leap chair's adjustable lumbar support is easy to maneuver into just the right spot where your lower back curves. Even the firmness of this support is adjustable. Other ways the Leap fits your body include:

• Highly adjustable arms that move by height, width, depth. They even pivot.
• A Natural Glide System seat that moves forward as you recline, so your eyes and reach are within the ideal zone for your work. This also allows for you to change your position and decreases "static load" on your spine.
• Adjustable Seat Depth and a Flexible Seat Edge accommodates a wide range of users and acts to keep you comfortable independent of leg and torso length.

People with back issues or who commonly feel "tight" may want to consider the Leap, or its sister chair the Amia. Next week I'll dig into some of the differences between those two. Until then, please give us a call at 800-531-3746 or click here to contact one of our ergonomic experts via live chat to have all of your ergonomic questions answered