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Bank executive Benjamin Lam suffered aches and pains about two months ago, after spending long hours at his desk while working from home.
After hearing good things about Secretlab chairs - originally designed for gamers who are known to sit for up to 16 hours at a stretch during computer-gaming marathons - the 29-year-old decided to ditch his normal study room seat in May for one.
"Although I'm not an avid gamer, the gaming chair was the best work-from-home decision ever," says Mr Lam. "At first, I thought the chair was a little too firm, but I learnt later that you need a firmer chair to get proper support."
Like Mr Lam, more workers in Singapore have been snapping up ergonomic chairs for their makeshift home offices since April, after spending long hours cooped up while telecommuting as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
"There has been a significant year-on-year increase in sales of more than 31/2 times for such chairs since the start of the circuit breaker on April 7," says Mr Ivan Sim, 33, assistant digital manager of the Home & Living division of lifestyle retail chain Gain City.
"Customers find that the lumbar support and adjustable armrests make the long hours working from home more comfortable," he adds.
Scandinavian furniture retailer Danish Design Co, which stocks ergonomic designer pieces from Denmark, Norway and Sweden for the home and office, saw a 30 to 40 per cent spike in the sales of ergonomic furniture during the circuit breaker.
At furniture and electronics retailer Harvey Norman, Mr Clinton Truman, general manager for furniture at the megastore, says: "We have definitely seen an increase in interest in ergonomic chairs.
"Customers are generally more aware of the importance of proper support, having worked from home for a prolonged period of time."
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