Mechanism of the chair – what is the most important?

2025-07-18

Most of us know that improper sitting can cause muscle pain, posture issues and circulation disorders. To minimize such problems, one should choose a chair not only based on color but also on the mechanism. Every chair consists of the same parts – backrest, seat, mechanism, cylinder, base, and wheels or feet. Different chairs may also have additional parts such as headrest and lumbar support. However, the main part of the chair is the chair mechanism. We will review the most common mechanisms and their features.

Chair control mechanisms

1. Contact mechanism:

This is the simplest mechanism that allows you to fix the inclination angle of the backrest and adjust the height of the chair. Often it is also possible to adjust the height and depth of the backrest. The advantage of this mechanism is that it is lightweight and simple to operate even for children. The flexibility of the backrest’s inclination is very limited. If the backrest is not locked, you will not have proper back support. Prestige

2. Tilt mechanism:

This is a slightly better mechanism than the previous one. The same handle adjusts the chair height and the chair’s swivel function. By lifting the handle up or lowering it down, you will raise or lower the chair, and by pulling that same handle outward, you will allow the chair to freely swivel. Pushing the handle inward will return the chair to a stable working position. The chairs with this mechanism include Manager, HIT W-03, and Mirage steel chrome.

The main advantage of this mechanism is that the control is really easy, as one handle is enough to manage everything. However, the main disadvantage is that the chair’s backrest and seat are connected, so there is no possibility to adjust them separately, and you will also not have the ability to adjust working positions, as there is only one – fixed working position.

3. Multiblock mechanism;

This mechanism is similar to a tilting one in that the chair’s seat and backrest are also connected to each other. However, this mechanism is better than the tilting one. It has the ability to lock the backrest in several working positions (the tilting one has only one working position) and allows the free movement of the chair. Often, such a mechanism also includes a protection that prevents the backrest from hitting the back of the person sitting when trying to return the chair to its original position. This type of mechanism is often used in executive chairs, where work is not very intense and a lot of time is not spent in the chair. Lynx, Nova wood chrome 

However, not fully controlling the chair puts you at risk of experiencing the negative effects of prolonged sitting such as back or headache and worsened blood circulation due to improper sitting posture. When choosing a chair for long working hours, days or shift work it is advisable to opt for a synchronous mechanism. In our range, about 90% of chairs have this high-quality mechanism. How does it differ from the previously mentioned ones?

4. Synchronous mechanism

One of the differences is that this type of mechanism not only has more adjustment options but is also thicker and heavier than all others. The weight and thickness of the mechanism also indicate its quality. While the metal thickness of other mechanisms is around 1.5 mm, the metal thickness of the mechanisms used in our chairs is not less than 3 mm. What does synchronous mean? A synchronous mechanism is installed in chairs of higher quality and more expensive configurations. An office chair with this mechanism is fully ergonomic, suitable for long sitting.

This mechanism allows synchronous tilting of the backrest and seat in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3, meaning that if the seat tilts by 1 degree, the backrest tilts accordingly by 2 or 3 degrees, depending on the mechanism. The tilt angle can be locked in any of several possible positions so that each sitter can choose the most suitable sitting position for themselves. This way, back muscle fatigue is reduced, and if the seated person feels comfortable, the work is more productive. Chairs like Vinerati HRU, Nordmark HRU, and many others feature such a mechanism.

Seat depth adjustment

The synchronous mechanism often comes with seat depth adjustment. This is particularly relevant for seated individuals with longer legs or for those buying chairs for teenagers. Because when buying a chair for a growing person, it is always convenient to have a chair that can be adjusted as the child grows. Then, no growth spurt will be daunting, and there will be no need to change the chair at every growth stage. A chair with adjustable seat depth is simply operated by pulling the seat forward. This feature also allows the chair to be adapted for several family members if they are of different heights. Most of our chairs, such as Trium HRU and Avanti HRU, have this function.

Negative seat inclination

Also, additionally, chairs of this mechanism may have a negative seat tilt. Such a feature is often found in more expensive chairs because it provides additional comfort and ergonomics to the sitter. This feature allows the sitter to control the seat tilt relative to the backrest themselves. It is an additional feature and is not available in all chairs, but it is very useful for those who want comprehensive ergonomic seating. We offer from our range the So-one and Souly chairs, which can be ordered with this feature.

Take care of your health by choosing the chair that suits you best. It doesn’t matter at all if your chosen chair seems uncomfortable to someone else. Everyone chooses the chair that is most comfortable for them and this may take time. Don’t make the mistake of judging a chair based on its appearance. Remember, that is really not the most important thing. If it’s too complicated for you to figure it out on your own, you can always consult with professionals in that field who will definitely understand more and can advise you on which aspects to pay attention to.

Ergonomic chairs | Musonas – ergonomic and office chair experts

Musonas | Facebook