How to Setup Your Ergonomic Chair

A key feature of any good ergonomic chair is the ability to make adjustments to the chair so that it best fits your body’s specific shape and size. If your chair is not setup correctly all the features in the world will be of very little help and you will not experience the multiple benefits that a good chair offers. The way you make adjustments may differ on different chairs, but the end result should be the same.

You want to achieve a proper sitting posture, while your lower back is properly supported at the same time.

To achieve this there are a few things you need to adjust.

Seat height

When adjusting the seat height you want to end up in a position where your hips are slightly higher than your knees and at the same time your feet should be able to rest flat on the floor. Your calves versus thighs should be at a ninety degree angle.

You should be able to make the necessary adjustments without too much problems, unless you are very short. In such a case, you may need a footrest.

To set the seat height to the correct level is fairly simple.

Most chairs have a lever underneath the seat to set the height.

Pull or push the lever until the chair is at its highest.

Now stand in front of the chair and adjust the chair to a height similar to that of your kneecaps.
Next you sit in the chair and make finer adjustments until your hips are slightly higher than your knees. But remember. Your feet must remain on the floor at the same time.

Seat depth

The purpose of seat depth adjustment is to match the length of your upper leg with the distance between the backrest and the front edge of the seat. By adjusting the depth of the seat to match the length of your upper leg, your back stays in contact with the backrest longer. This leads to better support. You also put less pressure on the underside of your legs which helps with circulation.

Seat depth is normally adjusted in one of the following ways.

1. Some chairs have a sliding seat in which case you simply move the seat closer or further away from the backrest.
2. In other chairs, the distance is changed by adjusting the backrest itself.

To do the adjustment, sit in the chair. Make sure your bottoms and lower back touches the backrest of the chair.
Now adjust the seat depth to a position where there is a little space (around two inches) between the front off the seat and the back of your knees.

You can also first measure your upper leg and then subtract 2 inches (5.08 cm). Adjust the seat so that the distance between the backrest and the front of the seat equals this measurement.

Easy enough? Good. Let’s move on.

Back support

Now that you have set up the seat height and the seat depth the chair should already feel much more comfortable.
But wait, you are not done yet.

You need to setup the backrest so that the curve in your lower back lines up with the curve in the backrest. By doing this, there will be less pressure on the discs in your lower back and the supporting muscles.

The way you do the adjustment will depend on the type of chair you own.

1. In some chairs the backrest can be moved up or down. Simply move the backrest to a position where you feel the curve in your back line up with the curve in the backrest.
2. Other chairs have separate lumber support where you can adjust the lumbar support up or down and in and out. Once again, line up the lumbar support to best match the curve in your back.

Had enough of all these adjustments? Don’t worry, we are nearly there. One more small adjustment to do.

Arm rests

Setup your armrests so that your forearms are at a ninety degree angle to your upper arms. The armrests are normally adjusted by buttons on the side of the armrests.

That’s it really. Your chair should now be setup correctly. Don’t be afraid to make small adjustments if anything does not feel 100% right.

And remember to take short breaks every now and again. It does wonders.

Now that your chair is setup correctly you also need to ensure that your desk and computer screen are set to the correct levels.

But that is outside the scope of this article.