If you’ve felt too intimidated by the many levers and dials underneath your desk chair to adjust it properly, you may be sacrificing the best posture and position that will keep your back pain free after sitting for hours. According to the American Chiropractic Association, giving your chair the proper height adjustment can spare you from a load of problems. A chair that’s too low can cause lower-back pain, carpal-tunnel syndrome and rotator-cuff strain in the shoulder. A chair that’s too high can lead to what’s called Golfer’s Elbow—pain and inflammation on the inner side of the elbow. Here are some tips for adjusting your seat to the ergonomic position that best suits you.
It’s as easy as standing up. Stand in front of your chair, adjust the height so the highest point of the seat (when in the horizontal position) is just below your knee cap. When you sit down, your feet should be flat on the floor, with your knees at a 90° angle, the ideal lower body position for sitting down at a desk.
Adjusting your chair height is also a great way to check up on the ergonomics of the rest of your workstation.
If you can’t fit your legs under the desktop (you should have enough room to comfortably cross your legs at the knees) or there is not enough space to move them freely, your desk is too low for you. Put it on risers, or invest in a desk that’s the proper height.
If you can sit comfortably but you have to raise your arms to reach the keyboard or work surface, your workstation is too high. Find a way to lower your worksurface (a keyboard tray might help). Alternatively, you can adjust the chair height so your elbows are the same height as your desk and use a footrest high enough so you can lay your feet flat.
If everything else is comfortable but your computer screen has you craning your neck up, down, forward or backward to see it properly you may need to adjust the placement of your monitor. The best way to do this is with an adjustable monitor arm if your brand of monitor does not rotate in all directions.
If the adjustment levers on your chair do not seem to work you may be using them incorrectly. You can contact EON for help with your office furniture if you are having problems. Our team of furniture experts know how everything is constructed and adjusted.
