May 27th, 2021 | Best Office Furniture
Ergonomic office chairs are essential for any workspace to ensure that your employees will not suffer from body pains especially while working through extended periods. These chairs are designed to support your body and have features that are typically unavailable from cheaper non-ergonomic chairs.
But you shouldn’t just get any ergonomic desk chair, you also have to find the right height. If the chair is not suitable for your employee’s height, it is likely that they’ll experience the same problems as those working with a non-ergonomic chair.
It’s important that your chair’s height can be well adjusted to your employee’s build and have them feel comfortable while working.
An ideal office chair is where you feel the reduced negative effects of sitting for long hours on your thighs, shoulders, neck, and arms.
The ideal seat height shouldn’t be fixed. It should be well adjustable according to the individual’s body. The best way to determine if your chair’s height is right is when your forearms are at the same height as your desk. Your elbows should be in an open 90 – 110 degree open-angle. Your feet should be touching the floor while your knees are bent at 90 degrees.
A seat height of 19 – 21 inches off the floor is usually good enough for most people, but having an adjustable chair height allows the employee to adjust it further to make it just right for them.
Here’s how you can calculate the ideal desk chair height for you:
Adjust your seat’s height lever until your feet are touching the floor completely and your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Be careful not to exaggerate lowering your chair since it can exert pressure on bones in the glutes area.
A quicker way to find the right height is by standing in front of the chair and adjusting the height until you see the top of the seat just below your knee cap.
Make sure your forearms are at the right height. You can raise your seat height until your elbows form a 90 – 110 open-angle. You can adjust the height a little bit more until your forearms are parallel with your desk or are sloping slightly towards it.
Once you have the proper seat height, your shoulders should be more relaxed, you should feel more comfortable, and your wrists should be in their neutral position. Proper posture reduces arm fatigue and prevents a host of repetitive strain injury (RSI) like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Not everything is your chair’s fault. You may also want to look into your other office furniture. It is also important that your other furniture exactly matches your chair’s dimensions.
For example: If your legs can’t fit under your desktop, the desk is too low for you. You might need to place your desk on risers or look for a desk with a proper height or an adjustable height desk.
If you find yourself sitting comfortably but you still need to raise your arms to reach your work surface and keyboard, your workstation is too high. You’ll need to look for a way to lower your work surface. You can either get a keyboard tray so you can at least lower it or you can adjust your chair’s height to ensure that your forearms are parallel to the desk and then use a footrest for your feet.
Looking for a great ergonomic chair for your home office or workplace? Get it only from trusted commercial office chairs distributors like Arenson Office Furniture San Diego.
Is it better to have chair too high or too low?
whether it's preferable to have your chair set too high or too low. At Desky, we aim to clear this puzzle with substantial information, emphasizing the importance of chair height in safeguarding users' health and enhancing productivity levels.In the context of ergonomic furniture, and more specifically chairs, a frequent query isAt Desky, we aim to clear this puzzle with substantial information, emphasizing the importance of chair height in safeguarding users' health and enhancing productivity levels.
This question can be tricky, however, always remember that the goal is to maintain a proper sitting posture. Sit upright, feet flat on the floor, your knees at the same height or slightly lower than your hips, and your back supported by a lumbar cushion or a rolled-up towel.
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You should also keep your shoulders relaxed, your head level, and your screen at eye level. Hence, sitting either too high or too low in a chair can cause strain on your neck, shoulders, and lower back leading to discomfort and potential long-term issues.
Remember, the key is to prioritize your comfort and overall well-being when choosing how high or low to sit in a chair.
As ergonomic furniture specialists, we endorse a high chair setting for optimal posture, comfort, and productivity. High chairs encourage you to maintain a proper upright position while ensuring your feet remain flat on the floor.
This arrangement aids in supporting the spine's natural curvature, thereby eliminating the tendency to slouch or hunch over your desk while typing or performing various tasks.
Maintaining an extremely low chair setting comes with potential risks. In such a scenario, the degree of flexion in your hip joints tends to increase drastically.
Unfortunately, majority of individuals' hip muscles lack the flexibility to handle this stressful position comfortably. If you tend to sit with your knees positioned higher than your hips, your seating arrangement might be causing your lower back discomfort.
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According to the Spine Health, a chair's best height varies between 16 to 21 inches from the floor, suiting a large percentage of the population.
This height range strictly maintains the user's feet flat on the ground, thighs in a horizontal position, and arms at the same level as the desk's height. Besides, focusing on seat width and depth is equally critical when considering optimal chair ergonomics.
From the professional stance of Desky's ergonomic furniture specialists, having your chair set with the correct height maximizes comfort and productivity while mitigating health risks related to poor posture.
Nevertheless, chair height is only one component of ergonomics to bear in mind. Ensuring a complete ergonomic setup, from desk setup to chair width and depth, is crucial for maintaining a healthy and efficient workspace.