Having a job that requires you to sit all day in your office chair is not as pleasant as some may think. Sedentarism raises a whole new set of problems. Your back starts to hurt and suddenly that office chair starts to look less and less comfortable. The solution: get the right ergonomic chair and know how to use it.

Adjust the chair to your body

Simply owning an ergonomic chair is not enough if you don’t know how to use it properly. The first step should always be adjusting the chair to your proportions and your body.

First of all, establish the desired height of your desk or workstation. Then you can start adjusting your chair.

Elbow angle

Position yourself as close as possible to your desk. Your upper arms should be parallel to your spine. Rest your elbows on the work surface and if they’re not at a 90 degree angle, then your chair height needs to be adjusted.

Thigh angle

The next step is to check if you can easily slide your fingers under your thigh at te leading edge of the chair. If you’re having difficulties then you need to get an adjustable footrest. If there;s too much space there then you need to raise your desk and your chair.{found on washingtonpost}.

Seat depth

Sit in your chair, with your bottom pushed against the chair back. Try to pass your clenched fist between the back of your calf and the front of the chair. If you can’t do that easily, it means your office chair is too deep and you need to adjust the backrest forward.

Low back support

When you’re sitting in your office chair, there should be a cushion that causes your back to arch slightly and that also prevents you from adopting a bad position as you get tired.

Try some alternatives

Traditional office chairs are everyone’s first choice but they’re not the only option.

Exercise balls

These are used to increase balance and to strengthen the core muscles in your back and stomach which can add support to your spine. If you decide to use an exercise ball, make sure you shoose the right one for your height and weight and that you also adjust your desk.

Kneeling chairs

They are used to reduce lower back strain by dividing the burden of the weight between the knees and the buttocks.

Standing desks

Another alternative is to give up the chair and anything that could take its place and opt instead for a standing desk. Basically, you’ll be sitting up while working. Still, you might want to get a high chair to sit on whenever you feel the need to rest for a little bit.