Sitting in an office chair at your office desk for prolonged periods of time can cause low back pain or aggravate an existing back or neck problem. The seated posture at an office desk increases stress in the back, neck, shoulders, arms, and legs, and in particular, can add large amounts of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs. Incorrect seated posture at an office desk exacerbates pressure while correct seated posture in an office chair minimises pressure.
When sitting at an office desk in an office chair for long periods, the natural tendency for most people is to slouch over or slouch down in the office chair, and these postures can overstretch the spinal & neck ligaments and strain the discs and surrounding structures in the spine.
Over time, repetitive incorrect seated posture at an office desk in an office chair can damage spinal structures that contribute to or worsen back pain.
Important Guidelines for Office Chair Setup at your Office Desk
An ergonomic office chair when used properly, maximises back support and maintains good posture while seated at your office desk. However, simply owning an ergonomic office chair and the correct height office desk is not enough – it is also necessary to adjust the office chair correctly to the proportions of the individual’s body taking into consideration the height if the office desk to improve comfort and reduce aggravation to the spine.
The first step in choosing the best office chair for your office desk is to establish the height of your office desk or workstation. The height of your office desk or workstation can vary greatly so will require different seat height range for your office chair, or even a different type of ergonomic office chair altogether depending on the office desk you have. eg. an office chair with a higher gas lift.
At the office desk you can adjust your office chair according to your physical proportions. Below are a number of important guidelines to make sure that your office chair and office desk are as comfortable as possible and will cause the least amount of stress to your spine:
Elbow measure: ( No. 1 on diagram)
Begin by sitting comfortably at your office desk on your office chair as close as possible to your office desk so that your upper arms are parallel to your spine. Rest your hands on your office desk work surface (e.g. desktop, computer keyboard). If your elbows are not at a 75 to 90-degree angle on your office desk, adjust your office chair height either up or down so they are at the correct angle on your office desk.
Thigh measure: (No. 2 on diagram)
Check that you can slide your fingers under your thigh at the leading edge of the office chair seat when keeping both feet flat on the floor while seated at your office desk. If you can’t, you either need to tilt your office chair seat forward or you need an adjustable footrest. under your office desk. Fully ergonomic office chairs have an independent seat tilt lever. This action is important as it takes the pressure off the under side of your knee and promotes blood flow to and from your lower leg while seated at your office desk.
Knees should be even with the hips, or slightly higher when sitting in the office chair at your office desk. If you are unusually tall and there is more than a finger width between your thigh and the office chair seat, you need to raise the office desk work surface so that you can raise the height of your office chair. You may need a higher gas lift installed on the office chair to suit the higher office desk top.
Calf measure: (No. 3 on diagram)
While seated at your office desk with your bottom pushed against the office chair back, try to pass the three of your middle fingers side-by-side between the back of your calf and the front of your office chair seat.
If you can pass more than 3 fingers through the gap then the office chair seat is too deep so you will need an office chair with a smaller seat. Conversely if the gap is less than 3 fingers deep your need an office chair with a larger seat.
Low back support: (No. 4 on diagram)
While seated at your office desk your bottom should be pressed against the back of your office chair, and there should be an accentuated lumbar support in the office chair back rest that causes your lower back to arch slightly so that you don’t slump forward or slouch down in the office chair as you tire over time.
Good ergonomic office chairs feature accentuated low back support as this is essential in an office chair to minimise the load (strain) on your back and promote good seated posture at your office desk.
Never slump or slouch forward in your office chair when seated at your office desk, as that compresses your lungs so you don’t breath properly and places extra stress on the structures in the low back, and in particular, on the lumbar discs. Sitting at your office desk with your head tilted forward, like a turtle, causes stress on the upper back, neck and shoulder area leading to a sore neck, stiff shoulders and regular tension headaches while seated on your office chair .
Resting eye level : (No. 5 on diagram)
While seated comfortably on your office chair at your office desk close your eyes with your head facing forward. Slowly open your eyes. Your gaze should be aimed at the centre of your computer screen.
If your computer screen is higher or lower than your gaze while seated at your office desk, you need to either raise or lower the screen to reduce strain on the upper spine and neck when using your office chair. Looking down to work while seated at your office desk rather than sitting up straight in your office chair causes shoulder pain and neck strain as your neck muscles tense to hold your head tilted forward.
Arm Rest:
Preferably don’t have them on your office chair as they will interfere with your office desk but as a minimum they must be Height Adjustable (No. 6 on the diagram)
Arm rests interfere with office desks and are a major cause of incorrect seated posture on an office chair as the arm rests stop the office chair users moving as close as possible to their office desk to sit up straight with shoulders, supporting your neck and head when working.(i.e. correct seated posture on your office chair while seated at your office desk). If your office desk depth allows, it is best to rest your arms on the office desk surface when seated on your office chair and not on the arm rests when working on a computer.
Resting your arms on arm rests while seated in your office chair and leaning forward to work rather than sitting up straight cause’s tension headaches as your neck & shoulder muscles work to hold up the 5kg weight of your head that is tilted forward like a turtle.
If an armrest is fitted, a good ergonomic office chair allows them to be removed easily. If they cannot be removed from your office chair they should at minimum be adjusted correctly so they do not interfere with the user moving as close to the office desk as possible to work when seated on their office chair.
Stay Active To Reduce Back Pain while seated at your Office Desk:
No matter how comfortable one is in an office chair sitting at your office desk , prolonged static posture is not good for the back and is a common contributor to back problems and muscle strain.
To avoid keeping your back in one position for a long period while seated in your office chair at your office desk remember to stand, stretch and walk for at least a minute or two every half hour. Even stretching while seated in your office chair at your office desk or some minimal movement such as getting up from your office desk and walking to the water cooler or bathroom will help.
In general, getting up from your office chair and moving about, away from your office desk, stretching on a regular basis throughout the day, will help keep the joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons loose. This promotes an overall feeling of comfort, relaxation, and ability to focus productively at your office desk when you are seated correctly in your office chair.
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