Office chairs are essential to have around an office,
yet they offer so many features. For people of all
sizes, adjusting an office chair is something we all
should know.
You should adjust the height of the chair so that your
feet are able to rest comfortably on the floor, with
your thighs horizontal. If your feet cannot rest on
the floor, you'll need a footrest.
If your office chair has a pneumatic level, height
adjustment can be accomplished from a seated position.
In order to raise or lower the height of older office
chairs, you'll need to stand in front and rotate the
seat clockwise or counter clockwise. You'll know the
height is right when the height of the seat pan is
just below the height of your knee caps.
You should always avoid situations where your feet
dangle, as this will compress the tissue on the back
of your thighs and behind your knees, also leading
to aches and discomfort in the lower legs. There
should be a space about the width of a clenched fist
between the back of the knees and front of the chair.
If there isn't, lower the chair slightly. If the
chair has the ability, tilt the seat pan forward to
slightly relieve the pressure. You may need a foot
rest. The rounded edge on many office chairs will
also help to prevent uncomfortable pressure behind
the knees.
At your desk, your office chair should be adjusted
to accomodate the working surface. What this means,
is that your chair should be raised high enough to
keep your sitting comfortably at your desk.
Adjusting the backrest
You should adjust the backrest so that it supports
the lumbar area of your lower back. As this is the
most important contact point, taking care of your
lower back is very important.
In most situations, and especially where your job
requires you to sit in your chair for an extended
period of time, your backrest will need to have an
adjustable height so that you can get the maximum
amount of support for your back. There are some
backrests that can even be moved forward or backwards.
If the seat pan is deep, these features can be even
more useful. Whatever you do, never sit in a chair
for a long period of time without back support. You
should adjust the chair instead, as this will protect
your back while you work.
