Table of Contents
Tips for setting up your ergonomic office chair
Sitting at your desk should be as comfortable an experience as possible, especially if you work at your desk for the majority of your day. When you are choosing the best office chair for your needs, you should get the one that has the highest back, as well as ensuring that the chair that you choose has lumbar support, a large enough seat and plenty of support under your thighs. Once you have chosen the chair that you need, you should then ensure that it is set up appropriately for your height.
You should remember that your chair is probably the most important part of the office environment. Before you even begin altering any of the other equipment in your office such as your keyboard position or height of the monitor, you should make sure that you set up your office chair properly.
Chair Height
When you first get your office chair, you should set it to the tallest height that it will go to. Sit on the chair and then slowly lower the height until you are happy that it is at the best height for you. The right height will mean that your legs and feet feel comfortable. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your legs should be bent at a 90-degree angle or a little more so that the thighs are not pressing down hard on the seat. If your chair is too high for you, you may find that you will end up with circulation problems. If your chair is still too high at the lowest setting, you should use a footrest.
Adjust The Lumbar position
If the chair has the option for you to do so, you should next adjust the lumbar support. Some chairs allow you to slide the seat and forwards or backwards so that you can sit comfortably with the seat of the chair fully supporting you and with your back to the base of the backrest too. This will provide you with lower back support as well as a more upright position.
Alter the Recline
Some office chairs give you a tilt feature. If you have a tilt and lock feature on your office chair, it is a good idea to set this up when you are setting up the rest of your chair. You should sit on the chair as you recline a little and gently lean back in the chair until you feel that you are in a comfortable sitting position. Don’t forget to periodically change this position. Being a little reclined at all times will take some of the pressure off your lower spine where most of the weight will bear down in a more upright position.
Adjust the Armrests
Not all office chairs have armrests. Even if your chair does have armrests, you may find that they are fixed and can’t be altered. If you do have the ability to alter the height, width, and tilt of the armrests, you should do so now. So that the armrests are comfortable for any size of the user, some chairs have width adjustable armrests. You should adjust these so that your elbows can rest comfortably on the armrest. You should also adjust the height and the tilt so that you will be able to lean your arms at right angles with the desk as you work.
Space to Move
Most office chairs have casters or small wheels attached to the bottom of the frame. This allows you to move around the office environment without needing to stand up. You should ensure that there is nothing underneath or around your desk that may get in the way of the casters. Handbags and laptop carry cases are just some examples of hazardous objects that may be on the floor.
Non-adjustable Chairs
It is possible that you may have a non-adjustable chair. If you do, you can still carry out basic steps to ensure that your office environment is as ergonomic as possible. It is still not advisable that you purchase a non-adjustable chair, and you should try to purchase a model that offers as much adjustment as you can find.
Height
If you find that the height of the office chair is too low for you, you may be able to raise your height by using a cushion. You should try to choose a firm cushion that is as evenly filled as possible so that your thighs will be well supported. If the chair is too high for you, then you could raise the level of your feet by using a footrest.
Back Support
Some people find that the seat pan is too far forward for their size. If you find that there is a gap at the back of the seat between the backrest and your lower back, you should ensure that you use a cushion to provide lumbar support and to help you to keep better posture in your chair.