I won’t take the time to rehash my particular bodily difficulties at this point (see Generation, Embody, and Planes Table for a history of my suffering)–suffice it to say that I have a very specific interest in ergonomic chairs. And that leads me to Neutral Posture, both the physical arrangement of the human form and the company of the same name. With offices in Texas and Ontario, Neutral Posture began by turning the ergonomic research of Dr. Jerome Congleton into 3-dimensional reality.

Neutral Posture’s booth at #NeoCon10.

The good doctor’s basic supposition is that a body prefers neutral posture, a stress-free position “similar to the free floating posture experienced when you totally relax in a swimming pool, or the posture typically associated with astronauts floating in space.” This gives our wonderful spines equidistant spacing between vertebrae, and generally relieves pain in our muscles, tendons, and ligaments–hooray!

But there’s more to Neutral Posture (the company) than what meets the eye. It remains “the only certified Women’s Business Enterprise in seating,” which is perhaps why they have one of the best practices in the ergonomic furniture business: since their inception, Neutral Posture “instituted a generous policy of providing demonstration models to any customer–a philosophy that still exists today.” Hooray again! But good policies (like intentions) don’t equal good design. We must look at the product to determine the value, so let’s hold a magnifying glass up to the NV Chair.

Part of Neutral Posture’s Executive Seating Line, NV was designed in partnership with David Jenkins. To begin with, the chair has already earned an Attendees' Choice Award at the 2009 National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition (NECE) in Las Vegas–which means that the very people in the ergonomics business thought it felt good. It features small or large seat options, upholstered or non-upholstered sliding arms, and a Revo Mechanism to ensure smooth adjustments such as “Synchro-Tilt, Tilt Lock, and adjustable seat depth.” Are you seeing eye to eye with NV so far? Add to that list soy-based foam and eco-friendly leather, so you can feel good externally and internally.

But how does it look? Thanks to a beautifully sloped back, a lovely seat split, and a pair of sensuous arms, NV looks as good as it feels. And the signature vertical split serves a purpose too: it gives your legs the flexibility they desire and reduces seat pressure. You might just wish you had a spouse who could accommodate your needs to such a degree! The real test for an ergonomic chair is how it holds up under daily use. Because I also admire the Generation and Embody Chairs, I propose a year-long test drive. Let’s see if all three companies will provide this writer with a model, along with some nine others. Then I can switch from one ergonomic chair to another every month–at which point we’ll see just how neutral I can be!