Posted on 3rd Sep 2011 @ 6:23 PM

The joy and satisfaction of your child graduating from high school has now given way to the stress and commotion of preparing him or her for a trip to college. That means shopping for everything from ironing boards and shower caddies to backpacks and computers. You may also need to purchase a few furniture items for your student-to-be's dorm room or apartment.

Hey - they'll need to keep up with current events, right?

Here's a question: do you need to buy ergonomic furniture for your college-bound kid?

Well, it depends on how you define the word "ergonomic."

If you view ergonomic as another term for "maximizing efficiency," then it is a good idea to think ergonomically when buying furniture. Chances are, your collegian will be short on space in his or her new living quarters. So picking out space-saving items like multi-shelf bathroom organizers, end tables with extra drawer space, or even smartly-designed dorm furniture can provide extra storage room for your kid without eating up valuable square footage.

However, if you believe the meaning of ergonomic is closer to "minimizing discomfort or pain," then you probably don't need to buy furniture which emphasizes this trait. The vast majority of young adults are both healthy and adaptable, which makes them less likely to succumb to repetitive stress injuries than older people. Also, unlike office workers who spend eight hours a day at a desk, college students tend to work and study in various locations outside their dorm room or apartment (such as a study lounge, library, cafeteria, or computer lab). Even when collegians do stay home and study, they commonly do so in unorthodox ways -- like reading on the sofa, typing on a laptop in bed, taking notes at a table, or even spreading out on the floor with books and study guides. Therefore, investing in an ergonomic chair, for instance, that will largely remain unused is not a wise application of funds.

Because college students do their studying almost anywhere.

That said, if your child likes a piece of furniture that just happens to be ergonomic, there is no harm in buying it. After all, fashion and décor considerations make up a large part of all furniture-buying decisions. But if your choice comes down to two identical items and one costs more because it is touted as "ergonomic," you can feel free to purchase the lower-priced one with a clear conscience.

Most college kids often utilize nontraditional body positions while completing their assigned tasks.

Parents of college-bound kids worry about many things after they leave their babies alone at enormous learning institutions … as well they should. But furniture ergonomics doesn't need to be one of them.