Health at the desk
Office chair adjustment checklist
Work through these adjustments in order whenever you get a new chair or inherit someone else's. Each setting depends on the one before, so start with seat height and finish with the recline. Most office chairs have more levers than people ever touch.
Seat height and depth
Back and lumbar support
Armrests and recline
Why the order of chair adjustments matters
A chair only helps if it is set for your body and your desk, yet most people sit in whatever position the last user left. Adjusting in sequence matters because each setting changes the next: seat height decides where your elbows meet the desk, which decides where the armrests belong, and seat depth decides whether the backrest can reach your spine at all.
The target is the neutral seated posture that occupational health guidance describes: feet flat and supported, knees around hip level, lower back supported by the chair's curve, shoulders relaxed and elbows near a right angle. Getting feet flat and the lower back supported takes pressure off the spine and legs, which is where seated discomfort usually starts. Armrests set too high are a common hidden cause of shoulder and neck tension, so err on the low side. No chair, however good, replaces movement; even a perfectly dialled-in seat is meant to be left regularly. Treat these adjustments as the baseline you return to, then stand, stretch and change position through the day rather than trusting the chair to do all the work.
A calculator that helps
Frequently asked questions
What should I adjust first on my chair?
Seat height, because it sets everything else. Get your feet flat and knees near hip level first, then fix seat depth, then the backrest and lumbar, and finally the armrests and recline. Adjusting out of order means redoing earlier settings.
Where should the armrests be?
Low enough that your shoulders stay relaxed and your elbows rest at roughly a right angle, pulled in close to your body. Armrests set too high quietly lift your shoulders all day. If they get in the way of the desk, drop them or remove them.
Do I need a footrest?
Only if your chair will not go low enough to keep your feet flat while your elbows stay level with the desk. In that case a footrest supports your feet so your legs are not left dangling, which strains the backs of your thighs.
Sources
- OSHA. Computer Workstations eTool: Chair. www.osha.gov/etools/computer-workstations/components/chair