These chairs are not cheap!!! I went with a low end chair from Ekornes, called Stressless. Love the name:) Who doesn't want to stress less? With the ottoman, the cost was around $1600. Considering I paid about $400 for my original chair and it only lasted a few years and was killing my back, I decided that the upfront cost would eventually be worth it.
Upon setting up the chair, I immediately had buyers remorse. It looked different in my office, it wasn't super comfortable right off the bat, and it was so expensive!!! But I gave it a few weeks and was pleasantly surprised to find that my back pain slowly subsided. I also tried some minor changes in my routine, including taking standing/stretching breaks after each session and continuing with the physical therapy exercises I had learned. The difference those things have made is immense. While I am not completely without back pain, the change is monumental. I have had to accept that all forms of work cause injuries in their own ways, either physical, mental, or social. The curse of the therapist is that we must sit all day and there is no away to avoid the toll that will take on the body. But as I found out, there are ways to make it easier. They may be expensive at first, but I am sure they will pay off in the long run!!
I am no longer in physical therapy and only needed my massage membership for six months. While I am sure I would enjoy the perk of a monthly massage, I no longer feel it is necessary to keep me functioning well.
Let me address the cost of my chair as well-I was slightly picky with the design because I didn't want it to look like too much of a desk chair. After very thorough research and a recommendation from another therapist, I found the Stressless brand at Cardi's. It met my needs of ergonomics and design and looks great in my office. Check out their website for more information @ www.ekornes.com.
