Start by sitting all the way back in your chair. This should encourage you to use your sitting bones (ischial tuberosities) and achieve a stacked-spine. You should now be aware of your chair being in contact with your pelvic and lower lumbar zone. If the front edge of your chair is placing any pressure behind your knees, you will need to adjust the seat depth to allow for a gap of 2-4 inches.
The next step is to address your sitting height. In order to relieve pressure on your lumbar vertebra, most people will need to raise their seated position so that the knees are visibly below the level of the hips. Your feet should be firmly planted on the floor. If you are unable to support your feet on the lowest setting, you will require a foot rest when working at a desk.
If your chair has arm rests, start by adjusting these to the lowest setting. Now incrementally increase the height until the arm rest provides contact with both your elbows, providing some relief for the neck and shoulder muscles. It’s important not to over-adjust here. The height of your arm rests will determine your ideal working height.
If the arm rests are lower than your desk surface, you will require a foot rest to comfortably work at the correct height. If the arm rests are significantly higher than your desk surface, your workstation will require some upward adjustment. See online catalogue for desk adjustment solutions and our adjustable range of workstations.
Try to find out if your chair has a tilt or recline function, referring to the instructions if available. Enabling this feature and correctly tensioning your chair can make a massive difference by promoting active sitting. This will help your blood to retain more oxygen and your muscles to become less easily fatigued. Lastly and most importantly – take regular posture breaks at least 5-10 minutes in every hour!
