How to Adjust Your Office Chair Ergonomically – A Comprehensive Guide
- 2024 okamura
- 7 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Do you often experience back pain or neck strain while working? The cause may be that you haven’t adjusted your office chair properly. In the article below, Okamura experts provide a comprehensive guide to help you easily establish an ideal sitting posture, reduce discomfort, and enhance long-term health.
1. Why Is Adjusting Your Office Chair Important?
Properly adjusting your office chair is not only a good habit but also a wise investment in your health and work performance. A correct sitting posture brings numerous benefits, such as:
Maintaining proper posture – protecting the spine: A properly adjusted chair helps your spine maintain its natural S-curve. This increases comfort while sitting and reduces the risk of spinal issues, hunchback, and neck or shoulder pain caused by poor posture.
Protecting overall health: Sitting incorrectly for long periods is a leading cause of serious health problems such as back pain, herniated discs, and carpal tunnel syndrome. When your chair is adjusted appropriately, pressure is evenly distributed, reducing strain on the thighs, hips, neck, and shoulders.
Improving blood circulation and reducing fatigue: A chair that is too high or too low can compress blood vessels in the thighs, causing numbness and impeding circulation. A properly adjusted chair allows you to sit comfortably, maintain healthy blood flow, and feel less fatigued.
Enhancing work performance: Maintaining a comfortable sitting posture reduces muscle tension, enabling you to focus entirely on your tasks. Without interruptions from back pain or numbness in your hands, you can work more efficiently, significantly boosting both productivity and work quality.
Saving on maintenance and replacement costs: When the chair is correctly adjusted for height, seat depth, backrest, and armrests, weight is evenly distributed. This not only increases user comfort but also prevents issues like sagging cushions, broken casters, or other damage. As a result, the chair’s lifespan is extended, reducing maintenance and replacement costs for businesses.
2. A 3-Step Guide to Adjusting Your Office Chair for the Perfect Sitting Posture
An office chair only truly works when it is properly adjusted. The following 3-step guide will help you easily set up a scientifically sound, comfortable sitting posture that supports long-term health.
2.1. Adjusting Chair Height and Seat Depth
Goal: Adjust the chair height so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and your feet rest firmly on the ground. At the same time, adjusting the seat depth ensures a comfortable sitting posture, providing proper support for your back and legs.
Steps to Adjust Chair Height:
Step 1: Locate the adjustment lever, usually found under the right side of the seat or beneath the right armrest.
Step 2: To lower the chair, sit on it and gently lift the lever. The chair will slowly descend. Release the lever once you reach your desired height.
Step 3: To raise the chair, stand up and gently lift the lever. The chair will rise. Release the lever when it reaches the desired height.
Steps to Adjust Seat Depth
Step 1: Locate the seat depth adjustment knob, usually found on the left side of the seat cushion.
Step 2: To move the seat cushion forward, gently squeeze the lever and use both hands to pull the cushion forward. This increases the distance between the seat and the backrest, providing comfort for taller users.
Step 3: To move the seat cushion backward, lift the lever and push the cushion gently toward the back. This reduces the distance, ensuring your thighs are fully supported while sitting.
2.2. Adjusting the Backrest Recline and Recline Tension
Goal: The backrest recline plays a crucial role in providing comfort and reducing spinal stress during long periods of sitting. Additionally, the ability to adjust the recline tension allows you to control the level of relaxation, which is especially useful if you often lean back for extended periods.
Steps to Adjust Backrest Recline:
Step 1: Locate the recline adjustment lever, typically located on the left side of the chair.
Step 2: To recline the backrest, sit comfortably and lean lightly against it until you reach the desired angle. Then, gently turn the adjustment lever backward to lock the position, maintaining a relaxed posture that supports your spine.
Step 3: To bring the backrest forward, lean lightly against it to create pressure, then turn the adjustment lever forward. The backrest will return to its upright position.
Steps to Adjust Recline Tension:
Step 1: Locate the tension adjustment knob or lever, usually on the right side of the seat cushion.
Step 2: To adjust the recline tension, turn the knob or lever backward to increase tension, or forward to decrease tension, making it easier to lean back. You can also refer to the guidance icon printed on the knob or lever.
Step 3: Test the recline tension by leaning against the backrest. If it doesn’t feel comfortable, repeat the adjustment until you reach the desired balance.
2.3. Adjusting Armrests
Goal: Adjusting the armrests helps reduce strain on your wrists, arms, and shoulders, especially for tasks that involve frequent use of a mouse and keyboard.
Steps to Adjust Armrests:
Step 1: Locate the adjustment buttons or levers, usually under or beside the armrests, for easy access.
Step 2: To adjust height, press or turn the adjustment button up or down. Then grasp the armrest and lift it to increase height or push it down to lower it.
Step 3: To adjust the angle, turn the knob or lever on the outer edge of the armrest until you achieve a suitable angle. Adjust your arms so that they rest naturally and comfortably.
Step 4: To move the armrests forward or backward, push or pull them accordingly. This aligns the armrests with your arm length, ensuring proper support and reducing arm fatigue during long periods of work.
3. Other Advanced Features Available in Premium Office Chairs
In addition to basic adjustment functions, many premium office chairs come with advanced features that optimize comfort and provide more comprehensive body support:
Backrest Recline Adjustment (Forward and Backward): This feature enables users to adjust the angle of the backrest to their preferred position. The chair can recline backward for resting or tilt forward (forward tilt) to support an upright working posture, especially useful when typing. While standard chairs usually only recline backward with limited fine-tuning, premium models offer multiple levels of angle and tension adjustments. Some modern chairs even integrate an automatic mechanism, allowing the chair to adjust recline or tension according to the user’s body weight.
Multi-Directional Armrest Adjustment: This feature enables armrests to move in multiple directions, including height, depth, width, and rotation (typically 3D or 4D). In standard chairs, armrests are often fixed or adjustable only in height, whereas multi-directional armrests on premium models provide full customization for optimal support.
Lumbar Support: This is essential for maintaining comfort and reducing pressure on the lower back throughout the workday. Using an adjustment mechanism located at the back of the chair, users can easily raise or lower the lumbar support to suit their personal needs. For best results, adjust the cushion so that it aligns with the natural curve of your spine, where support is most needed.
Headrest: This feature allows you to change the height and angle of the headrest, providing optimal support and relaxation for the neck and head. It is crucial to recline properly for rest, helping to keep the cervical spine properly aligned.
Hanger: Hangers are typically located at the back of the chair, where the backrest meets the frame. You can adjust the height using a lever or knob positioned underneath. Press or turn the adjustment mechanism and pull it upward to raise the hook to a suitable height for personal use.
4. Different Types of Adjustable Office Chairs
High-end ergonomic chairs are the top choice for those who prioritize flexible and effortless adjustments. With specialized designs, these chairs provide optimal body support and a comfortable seating experience throughout long workdays. Some premium Japanese ergonomic chair models include:
4.1. Finora
Inspired by the automotive industry, the Finora features a modern, minimalist design with angular lines and a sleek frame. It is not just an office chair but also a piece of art, serving as a perfect aesthetic highlight for any premium workspace.
Key advantages include:
4D Adjustable Armrests: The armrests can be adjusted in four directions—up and down, forward and backward, left and right, and rotation—providing optimal support for elbows and arms and reducing strain during computer work.
Multi-Density Cushion: The seat cushion is composed of three layers of urethane foam with varying firmness levels. The softer front reduces pressure on the thighs, while the firmer back supports the hips, maintaining proper spinal alignment.
Ankle Tilt Mechanism: This mechanism enables the chair to recline in sync with body movement, pivoting at the ankles for a natural and seamless feeling of relaxation.
Height and Seat Depth Adjustment: The chair height can be adjusted from 435–545 mm, and the seat depth can be adjusted by 50 mm, ensuring a comfortable fit for different body sizes.
4.2. Sphere
Committed to sustainability, the Sphere utilizes Re:net fabric, which is made from recycled plastic bottles and discarded fishing nets. This provides a comfortable sitting experience while supporting environmental protection. The armrests feature smooth, rounded edges that support the neck and arms, reducing elbow strain even during long hours of continuous work.
Sphere’s standout features include:
Body-Conforming Design: Utilizing Okamura’s proprietary technology, the backrest and seat cushion are designed to conform to the body, providing a natural fit tailored to each user.
Multi-Directional Adjustment: 4D armrests allow flexible adjustments in height, depth, width, and rotation, providing optimal elbow support for various tasks and device usage.
Flexible Backrest Recline: The backrest can be easily reclined, offering natural relaxation and helping reduce tension after long work sessions.
4.3. Abilis
Inspired by the stable hexagonal structures found in nature, the Abilis beautifully combines art and modern engineering. With sleek, soft yet flexible lines, Abilis serves as both a practical office chair and a refined design statement for professional, creative workspaces.
Key features of the Abilis chair include:
Height Adjustment: Users can easily adjust the chair height up to 92 mm using a button located on the right side of the seat, making it suitable for various desk heights and user body types.
3D Adjustable Armrests: The armrests can be adjusted in height, depth, and tilt, providing comprehensive support for the arms and elbows, and reducing shoulder and wrist strain during work.
Backrest Recline and Lock: The backrest can recline up to 23°, allowing for easy adjustment to various sitting positions. Users can also lock the backrest in a fixed position for work or relaxation.
5. Expert Recommendations for a Healthy Sitting Posture
After adjusting your chair, how do you know if you’re sitting correctly? Here are key signs to check and maintain proper ergonomic posture:
Feet flat on the floor (or on a footrest), not tiptoeing or crossed for extended periods.
Thighs parallel to the floor, knees at approximately 90–100°.
Hips and back are fully against the backrest, with the spine maintaining its natural S-curve.
Shoulders relaxed, not hunched or tense.
Arms and elbows at a 90° angle (or slightly open), wrists aligned with keyboard/mouse.
Eyes level with the top third of the monitor, about 50–70 cm away.
We hope this guide has provided you with a deeper understanding of how to adjust your office chair to maintain proper ergonomic posture. It is a wise investment in long-term health and a “key” to working more efficiently every day. Always listen to your body and make your office chair a reliable companion on your journey to energized, productive work!