How to adjust your office chair and height-adjustable desk correctly

When adjusting your office chair correctly, the first thing to keep in mind is that there is no single ergonomically correct sitting position. As the saying goes, the next posture is the best posture - so make sure to vary your posture as much as possible when working for more than two hours at a desk.

If you are looking for a more correct sitting posture, there is some good advice.

Here is our expert advice on how to adjust your office chair:

• Place your buttocks fully back in the chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor
• There should be a gap of two to four fingers from the back of the knee to the edge of the seat
• Adjust the backrest height to match the contours of the chair back to the lumbar curve

A good chair also allows you to vary the seat tilt and depth, and to adjust the seat and backrest independently of each other. Also remember that there is a direct correlation between the feeling of correct support from the chair and a correct sitting posture. If your back feels right, you are more likely to sit optimally.

If you have the possibility to work at a sit-stand desk, it is a good idea to change your working position several times a day. This changes your load points in the back and provides a distributed load on the 33 vertebrae of the spine. Similarly, the sit-stand desk allows you to stand up at work, which can help strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the back. Our experts have written down a few tips on how to set up your sit-stand desk.

How to set up your height-adjustable table correctly

• Relax your shoulders and keep your arms close to your body, then make a 90⁰ angle at the elbows - the table height should match the height of your forearms
• Rest most of your forearm on the table. The closer you place your body on the table, the more your shoulders can relax.
• Make sure to include the tools you use in the table height when setting up your height adjustable table. If you have a forearm support, Rollermouse or wrist support on the table, these must be included when choosing the height of your height adjustable table.

The desk should also be sufficiently wide and deep to allow flexible positioning of the monitor, keyboard, documents and other accessories. The depth of the table shall be sufficient to allow the monitor to be positioned at an appropriate viewing distance (50-70 cm), so that there is room to rest/rest hands and forearms in front of the keyboard. The desk should also have a low-reflective surface to minimize glare from sunlight and spotlights around the office workplace and work area.

Is your office plagued by poor posture? Then book an ergonomic review with Health Group.