How to correctly adjust an office chair for customised comfort
What makes the Ergohuman office and gaming chairs a step above the rest is the fact that they are highly customisable. With over a dozen adjustable features, Ergohuman offers the perfect office chair for a diverse range of body types or offices where people hot-desk and need to quickly change the setup to fit different users.
The Ergohuman range of chairs has been designed with easy-to-use controls and a wide range of positional settings to accommodate people of most anthropometric measurements. Proper chair setup is crucial for minimising pressure and tension on the back, neck, shoulders, and thighs and reducing the risk of musculoskeletal issues and pain.
How to adjust your ergonomic office chair
The Ergohuman office chair has over a dozen adjustable features. If you choose one with a headrest, legrest, and coat hanger, there are a total of 16 adjustments you can make for your comfort. Set up your chair correctly to promote healthy posture and enjoy the benefits of certified ergonomic seating.
> Adjusting the seat
Firstly, adjust the seat height so your feet rest flat on the floor, and your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping your knees at a 90-degree angle. While seated, lift the lever on the right of the chair to lower the seat. To raise it, take your weight off the chair and lift the lever.
Adjust the seat depth to fit the length of your thighs, leaving a 3 cm (or two-finger width) gap between the seat front and the back of your knees. Push the lever on the right of the chair forward while you're seated to slide the seat into position.
If you wish, you can activate the seat tilt feature to synchronise a forward seat tilt with the back of the chair. This will provide more support to the thighs, lower back, and abdominal area when leaning into the desk. Push the lever on the left down at the front and lean back to release the forward seat tilt. This only works when the chair is in free-float mode. To lock the seat angle and back, return the right lever to the neutral position.
> Adjusting the back and lumbar support
Next, activate or deactivate the backrest recline. While seated, push the lever on the right side back and push back. Leave the lever in this position if using free-float mode or return to the centre to lock in position. We recommend using free-float mode for healthier, dynamic movement while you work. This promotes micro-movements, preventing you from being completely stationary to reduce back aches and pains.
Set the recline tension to personalise the backrest resistance when using free-float mode. Rotate the long spindle on the right forward to increase the resistance and backwards to reduce it. You should be able to sit in an upright position with support from the backrest, but also be able to recline by pressing back a little. This gives you balanced support.
Set the backrest height so it nestles the curves and natural alignment of your spine and lumbar region. The pronounced part of the lumbar system should sit comfortably in the curve of your lower back. Reach behind the chair and lift using the back bar. To lower the backrest, lift it all the way up and lower to the bottom setting, then slowly lift to your desired position.
Adjust the lumbar tension so it supports the natural alignment of your spine and provides lower back comfort. Use the dial on the backrest (Ergohuman) or the knobs on the lower backrest (Mirus and Enjoy) to increase or reduce the lumbar support’s pressure.
> Adjusting the 5D armrests
All Ergohuman office and gaming chairs come as standard with 5D adjustable armrests. You can adjust their height, width, angle, depth, and tilt so your arms rest comfortably on the arm pads. For best posture, keep your elbows close to your body and your shoulders relaxed.
To adjust the height, lift the armrests to the preferred height. To lower, lift all the way to the top and drop before lifting to your desired height. To adjust the depth, slide the arm pads forwards or backwards for customised support. Push the arm pads in or out to adjust the width, ensuring your shoulders and arms sit naturally by your side with your elbows close to your body.
You can also adjust the angle and tilt of the armrests. Pivot the arm pads inwards or outwards to help position your shoulders, neck, forearms, and hands for mouse and keyboard work.
Tilt the front of the armrests up for comfortable wrist support when using handheld devices or reading a book. Lift to the top angle to release, then return to its neutral position.
> Adjusting the headrest
If your chair has a headrest, you can adjust the angle and height. To adjust the angle, pivot the headrest to support your neck and head, particularly as you recline. Lift or lower the headrest to comfortably fit into the curve of your lower neck.
> Adjusting the legrest
If your chair has a legrest, turn the wheels on either side to release the legrest. Lift the frame and unfold the mesh legrest. You can elevate your legs while working, which is especially comfortable when reclining, as it helps maintain a healthy posture.
> Using the coat hanger
The final customisable feature is the pop-up coat hanger. This handy feature allows you to store your coat in a safe and convenient place, so it doesn’t affect the chair's comfort or end up a trip hazard on the floor. Lift the arms to pop the coat hanger up and press the button under the centre to drop them.
What levers are on the Ergohuman office chairs?
The Ergohuman office chairs are straightforward to adjust, with just a few simple controls. We have introduced a single lever control with an ingeniously easy design that operates the three most frequently used chair functions: seat height, seat depth, and back tilt.
There is an extended tension lever on the right that turns to sets the backrest recline resistance and a separate dial on the backrest for adjusting lumbar tension. On the left side of the chair is a simple tilt control for the forward seat tilt.
There are four levers, dials, or controls in total, making it easy to remember which controls what. Everything else can be adjusted directly; for example, you can raise or lower the armrests to adjust their height.
How do I adjust my office chair to prevent back pain?
Back pain is unfortunately common for people who spend many hours at a desk. A good office chair that is correctly adjusted can alleviate musculoskeletal pain. First, you should adjust the chair height, keeping your knees at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor. This ensures you are sitting in a neutral position without additional stress on your lower back.
Next, adjust the seat depth so that there is a 3 cm gap between the edge of the seat and the back of the knees. This prevents pressure on the back of the thighs, improves circulation and ensures the lumbar support bar can be positioned correctly.
Afterwards, adjust the backrest height. This ensures the lumbar support system fits into the natural curve of your spine and provides sustained support. Once done, adjust the lumbar support tension so that you feel relaxed and comfortable.
Adjusting the armrests can also relieve back pain. When properly adjusted, your shoulders, neck, and arms will feel supported, which can reduce pressure on your spine.
You should also adjust the backrest recline and tension to suit your preferences and reduce tension in the lower back muscles.
Even with a properly calibrated office chair, taking regular breaks is crucial. Aim to leave your chair for a couple of minutes every half hour to stretch and change your posture.
Who are ergonomic office chairs good for?
An ergonomic office chair will benefit anyone who sits at a desk. Even if you don’t experience regular back pain, it will help reduce the chances of future aches and pain while encouraging healthy posture.
Whether you sit in a chair for two hours a day or more than eight, an Ergohuman office chair can alleviate pain, encourage movement, improve productivity, and improve blood flow.
From a business perspective, ergonomics improves workplace safety, increases employee happiness, and decreases worker compensation costs. Explore how ergonomics improves workday wellness here.
Set up your office chair correctly for customised comfort
When investing in an ergonomic office chair like the Ergohuman Elite G2, you must customise the settings to suit your anthropometric measurements. Otherwise, you may not experience the full benefits of its ergonomic design. Whether you’re setting your chair up for the first time or you have to regularly recalibrate it (in the event of hot-desking), it only takes a minute for an entire day of sustained comfort and support.