When is it time to purchase a new office chair? The minute your back has any extra aches or pains that you are not familiar with. A quality office chair allows the operator to lean back without losing balance. This is achieved by using a chair with a 5 point base. Other design elements that mark a chair as being of high quality are adjustable armrests and lumbar support. Another important ergonomic element to the office chair that most people are unaware of when shopping is the amount and curvature of foam on the upper seat back. Support of the upper back is as important as support of the lower in that allowing the user to lean backwards negates the constant slumping affect required when workers are moving forward to reach keyboards and see computer monitors.