Posted on 3rd Sep 2011 @ 5:18 PM

Is there anything ergonomic chairs can't do? For the vast majority of us who use them, ergonomic chairs prevent back pain, reduce strain on our wrists, and make us look really cool in meetings. (OK, maybe that last part is a stretch, but many chairs do have a pleasantly science-fiction vibe.) And this July, ergonomic chairs even won the UK version of “The Apprentice.”

Tom Pellereau, an inventor almost universally described as affable and shy, beat out a skincare guru, a salesman, and a corporate type to win the reality show. His product? An ergonomic chair.

Lord Sugar, the UK version's more awesomely named alternative to Donald Trump, was keen on the product, which was specifically geared to prevent back pain. Less exciting to Tom Pellereau's new boss? The inventor's plan to provide free posture checks to employees alongside the chair:

"I've got to tell you, as an employer, I would give up and emigrate if someone said to me, 'now what you've got to do is to allow all your employees to have a desk chair check'," Sugar said. Yikes! Remind us not to work for this guy.

Also, everyone on the program found it hilarious that Pellereau's business proposal, which presumably revolved entirely around a chair, never mentioned the word "chair.”

No matter. In the end, the good product won. Pellereau's chair, which offered key components of an ergonomic chair, was a shoe-in. These factors include an adjustable seat height, so that thighs are always parallel to the floor, a back rest made to adjust to your spine and provide lumbar support, and arm rests that move up and down as needed.

Want to perform your own Pellereau-style Posture Check at home? Observe these five tips:

1. Avoid slouching. Sit back into your chair, and make sure you have good back and foot support.

2. If necessary, use wrist supports to avoid putting too much stress on the joints.

3. Sit an arm's length away from your screen, and make sure your monitor is at eye level.

4. Keep accessories and peripherals within easy reach.

5. Take regular breaks.