How to Use Ergonomic Office Chairs

Although sitting in a chair seems like a harmless activity, extended periods of sitting may put your body at risk for developing chronic pain and tension problems, especially in the lower back and joints. Without proper postural habits, your knees, hips, wrists, lower back and neck can be subjected to an unnatural and disproportionate amount of weight. Combined with performing repetitive tasks, such as typing and using a mouse, the tendons and muscles that support your body may not have adequate time to rest and rebuild. An ergonomic office chair can significantly improve your posture, decreasing your chances of developing back problems, tingling and numbness in your fingers and hands and carpal tunnel syndrome caused by repetitive movements.

Things You'll Need

• Ergonomic chair
• Office desk

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Sit in your chair in front of your desk. Rest your feet flat on the floor or on a foot rest if your feet do not touch the floor.

• 2

  Using the adjustable lever under the seat, raise your chair to a level where your knees and thighs are tipped slightly forward and your back is straight. If the seat can be tipped forward and back, tip the seat slightly forward to encourage this sitting position. Allowing your hips to rotate forward in this way, will encourage the lumbar region of your lower back to remain erect and slightly concave. This posture will also relieve tension from your hips and upper thighs.

• 3

  Raise the chair's backrest so the lower part fits the natural curvature of your lower back and lumbar region. Sit with your hips fully back in the seat, so your tailbone is touching the bottom of the backrest. There should be 2 to 3 inches of space between the backs of your calves and the chair. When you are sitting erect, the top of the backrest should be positioned to allow you to lean slightly back, removing strain from your lower back and hip muscles. Adjust the forward and backward movement of the backrest until these conditions are met.

• 4

  Raise or lower the chair's armrests to allow your arms to rest at comfortable 90-degree angles using the adjustable knobs on the bottom of each armrest support. Your forearms and wrists should be level with your keyboard.

• 5

  Adjust your chair until you can sit comfortably for extended periods. Take short breaks frequently throughout your day to stretch and rest your muscles. Stand, stretch and walk around during these breaks.