5 Tips to Help Set Your Adjustable Chair Perfectly

Making sure your chair is set up perfectly for your workstation and your body is so important to making sure you stay healthy at work. We list 5 tips to help you set up your chair perfectly.

1. Adjust the chair height so that you are not lifting your shoulders when keying. Your forearms should be at 90 and parallel to the floor or desk when keying. Elbow measure- Begin by sitting comfortably as close as possible to your desk so that
   your upper arms are parallel to your spine. Rest your hands on your work surface (e.g. desktop, computer keyboard). If your elbows are not at a 90-degree angle, move your chair either up or down.
2. If you have raised the chair and now find that your feet are not flat on the floor, you may need to use a footstool. Position so legs are at 90° when seated. Thigh measure- Check that you can easily slide your fingers under your thigh at the
   leading edge of the chair. If it is too tight, you need to prop your feet up with an adjustable footrest. If there is more than a finger width between your thigh and the chair, you need to raise the desk/work surface so that you can raise your chair.
3. Adjust the backrest so that it is supporting your back in a close to natural posture, as possible. Ideally the backrest should be between a 10-12° angle. Lower-back support- start with your buttocks pressed against the back of your chair, and
   then shimmy down a little. There should be a cushion that causes your lower back to arch slightly so that you don't slump forward as you tire. This support is essential to minimize the load (strain) on your back. Avoid slumping or slouching in your chair, as this places extra stress on your spine and lumbar discs.
4. Armrest- Adjust the armrest of your chair so that they are just slightly lower than your desk. Use of an armrest allows you to take some of the strain off your neck and shoulders, and it should make you less likely to slouch forward in your chair.
5. Calf measure- With your buttocks against the chair back, try to pass three fingers between the back of your calf and the front of your chair. If you can't do that easily, the chair is too deep. You will need to adjust the backrest forward, insert a
   lumbar support or get a new chair.