Knowing how to adjust office chair height helps in ensuring that you have a safe, comfortable, and ergonomic workspace. To properly adjust your office chair, you may need to pull a lever or turn a knob that will raise or lower your seat.
Adjusting your chair’s height sounds simple enough, but there are things to consider to make sure that you sit relaxed and comfortable while you do your work. Continue reading to learn how to adjust your office chair the right way!
How To Adjust Your Chair To Proper Levels
The modern office chair was invented by Charles Darwin when he put wheels on his chair so he can move freely around the room. Nowadays, office chairs have more functionality and are significantly easier to adjust. The following are two easy ways to set your chairs to the right height.
Method #1. Adjusting your chair while seated
Sit comfortably in your chair with your back straight. Look for a knob or a lever. Some chairs have two knobs or levers, with one adjusting the seat’s height and the other fixing the backrest’s tilt.
Determine which knob or lever adjusts your chair’s height by testing both or looking at the manual. Gently rotate the knob or pull the lever until you reach your desired height.
Method #2. Adjusting your chair white standing
Sometimes, it can be challenging to fix your chair’s height while seated. This difficulty could be because of loose knobs and levers, among other things.
The methods of adjusting office chairs while seated apply are the same when doing it standing up. The only difference now is how to estimate when to stop. As a general rule, your chair should be at optimal height when the seat reaches the tip of your kneecap or right below it.
What To Do When Your Office Chair Has A Broken Height Adjuster
Over time, our furniture degrades due to wear and tear. However, having a broken height adjuster on your chair is not an indication that you should buy a new one.
Office chairs have a gas cylinder inside, which allows you to move the seat of the chair vertically. If it starts to move randomly or would not stay in position, that means you need to change the broken gas cylinder.
First, lay the chair on its side. Then, remove the base of the chair. You can do so by removing the retaining clips or unscrewing the nuts and bolts found in the center of the chair.
Carefully place your pipe wrench on the gas cylinder, and spray it with WD-40. WD-40 will help lubricate the gas cylinder and make it easier to pull out. Remove the gas cylinder from the column by making twisting and pulling motions with the wrench.
Take your old gas cylinder to a supply store to find the perfect fit for your office chair. Install the new cylinder by following the instructions. In general, gas cylinders are installed by placing the tapered part into the column and rotating it into place.
Afterward, all you have to do is put your chair back together and adjust it to your preferred height. Test out your chair by sitting on it, and observe if the chair seat will not lower.
How To Make Sure That Your Chair Level Is Safe And Ergonomic
Proper adjustment of your seat’s height is crucial to maintain comfort and avoid muscle pains in the office. In general, it avoids bad posture.
Bad posture is when your back is curved or slouched. As much as possible, keep your spine straight to maintain the proper weight distribution of your torso. Sitting with bad posture for long periods can cause chronic back and neck pain, degenerate your spinal discs and pinched nerves on your lower back.
Adjust your chair’s height so that your computer’s monitor is exactly at or lower than your eye level. In doing so, you can comfortably sit up straight without having to slouch just to see your screen.
Adjust your armrests as well. Most modern office chairs have adjustable armrests that aid in keeping your elbows comfortable. For the most comfort, your keyboard should be at elbow level. Doing this ensures that your hands and wrists have no need to bend, which strains the muscles and nerves in the wrists.
Make sure that your knees are not significantly above your hips. If this happens, it means that your chair is too low and needs readjustment.
Adjust your chair seat so that your feet are perfectly flat on the ground. Having your chair too high can constrict blood flow to your legs, which could induce swelling of the legs and ankles and cause varicose veins.
However, there are instances where having your feet flat on the ground is impossible, especially for workers with taller tables. If this is the case, consider getting a footrest.
Conclusion
Knowing how to adjust office chair height helps you sit comfortably for long hours of work. Getting your chair to an ergonomic and optimal level, combined with standing and stretching every half hour, will prevent chronic back issues and ensure maximized productivity.