P1 Lady Chair: Why Can the Lumbar Support Feel More Pronounced?

Since its launch in Australia, the Shappa P1 Lady Chair has received strong interest from customers.

Alongside the positive feedback, we have also received an important piece of feedback from a small number of customers: the lumbar support can feel more pronounced than expected.

We think this is worth explaining — because lumbar support is one of the most personal parts of an ergonomic chair, and the way it feels can vary significantly from one person to another.

Why We Designed the P1 Lumbar Support This Way

When we developed the P1 Lady Chair, one of the areas we focused on most was the lower back.

Some women using conventional ergonomic chairs find that the lumbar support does not always meet their lower back in the right place. In some cases, the support may feel too subtle, too high or simply too far away from the natural curve of the waist.

This can happen because many office chairs are designed around broader, more general body proportions.

Differences in torso length, waist position, body shape and sitting posture can all affect how well a lumbar support connects with the body.

That is why the P1 was not simply designed as a smaller version of a standard ergonomic chair.

Instead, we created a more defined lumbar profile, designed to provide clearer contact around the waist and lower-back area.

The intention is simple: rather than allowing the lower back to sit away from the backrest, the P1 aims to provide a more noticeable and continuous sense of support.

Lumbar Position Matters

The position of lumbar support is just as important as the amount of support it provides.

Depending on your height and torso length, the lumbar section should sit around the natural inward curve of your lower back.

If the support sits too high or too low, even a well-designed lumbar system may feel uncomfortable.

This is why adjusting the chair to suit your height is important before judging how the lumbar support feels.

Seat height, sitting depth and backrest position can all change where your lower back makes contact with the chair.

The P1 uses a breathable mesh backrest with a supportive padded lumbar section, designed to maintain its shape and provide consistent contact rather than collapsing completely under pressure.

Why Can the Lumbar Support Feel Too Strong for Some Users?

The simple answer is that every lower back is different.

Height alone does not determine how lumbar support will feel.

Pelvic position, spinal curvature, torso length, muscle tension, sitting habits and personal preference can all influence the experience.

For some users, the P1's more defined lumbar profile creates exactly the feeling they are looking for — close contact, clear support and a more secure sitting position.

For others, particularly people with a flatter lower-back curve or those who naturally prefer softer lumbar contact, the same support can feel more noticeable.

This is one of the challenges with ergonomic seating.

A very soft lumbar support may feel comfortable to more people initially, but may not provide enough contact for users who want stronger support.

A more defined lumbar support can provide better contact for some body shapes, while also being more noticeable for others.

Neither experience is necessarily wrong. It comes down to individual fit.

Ergonomic Fit Is Personal

This is also why we believe choosing an ergonomic chair should not be based only on how many adjustment points it has or how strong the lumbar support feels in a showroom.

A chair ultimately needs to work with your body shape, your sitting habits and your personal comfort preferences.

At Shappa, customer feedback is an important part of how we continue to understand and improve our products.

The feedback we have received about the P1's lumbar support has also reinforced something we have always believed:

More support does not automatically mean better support. The right support is the support that fits you.

Try the P1 in Your Own Workspace

We understand that it can be difficult to know exactly how an ergonomic chair will feel until you have used it in your normal working environment.

That is why the P1 Lady Chair is covered by our 30-Day Comfort Trial.

It gives you time to experience the chair at home or in your workspace and decide whether the lumbar support, seat and overall fit are right for you.

Because when it comes to ergonomic seating, specifications can guide your decision — but your own body ultimately tells you whether the chair fits.