Impact of Seat Material on Comfort, Preference and Performance During Computer-Based Tasks over a Prolonged Bout of Sitting

Abstract

Prolonged sitting time is associated with negative health outcomes, including physical discomfort. Chair design affects seat posture, micro-movement, and pressure distribution, which impacts the user experience. This study investigated the impact of mesh versus foam material, on comfort, preference, and subjective performance. Two chairs were used over a three-hour bout of sitting on two different days. Analysis showed no significant difference in pain, comfort, discomfort, or fatigue between chairs, but pain increased in both chairs during the last hour of sitting. The foam chair felt more supportive than the mesh chair at the end of the test period, while more participants preferred the mesh seat material overall. The overall results indicate that there was not a substantial difference in user experience during a long bout of sitting in chairs of foam or mesh material.