The day has finally arrived. Your new, fancy ergonomic office chair is on its way and you can’t wait to set it up and see what a difference it makes to your working life.
It arrives, you unbox it, set it up…and you instantly sit down to start work. Hold up, eager beaver. You may have missed a couple of steps.
Slouch has designed the ultimate comfortable and supportive home office chair, but both comfort and support are out of reach unless you properly adjust your chair to suit you. We see the same mistakes being made time and time again, like having the chair at the wrong height or not using the lumbar support (tut tut).
So let’s try again, shall we? Here are the 5 ergonomic mistakes we see most often and how to fix them.
1. Not adjusting the height
The height of your chair may not seem like the most important thing in the world. But actually, if your office chair is too high or too low, it can have an impact on your back, your shoulders, your hips, your knees, your wrists. Almost everything, really.
You should sit in your chair and adjust the height so that your feet rest flat on the floor and your knees are level with your hips (not above or below).
Once you’ve done this, you may find there are further alterations to be made, such as that of the lumbar support or the arm rests (which we’ll come onto shortly).
2. Not using the lumbar support correctly
The lumbar support is there to protect, well, the lumbar. This is the lower part of your spine and it consists of five vertebrae: L1 to L5. It curves to provide balance and support, but when you’re sitting down, the curve becomes less predominant.
The lumbar support helps to cradle that section of your lower back. It encourages the surrounding muscles to relax and promotes better posture while you work.
When it comes to lumbar support adjustments, however, many people make the mistake of adjusting it too high or too low. This can lead to further issues, like slouching or excessive arching, neither of which will do your back any favours.
The lumbar support should sit right in the small of your back to encourage proper posture. Try a few different positions to find the one that feels most supportive for you.
3. Not adjusting the arm rests
Yes, the arm rests are there for comfort. But when they are too high or too low, it can cause aches and pains in your shoulders or your wrists.
When they’re too high, you’ll find that your shoulders are sort of forced upwards, which will not be comfortable after an hour in the chair. However, when the arm rests are too low, your arms and wrists have no support, which will only put a strain on your upper body (we know, it feels like you can’t win sometimes).
So what is the ideal height for the arm rests? Your elbows should sit at a comfortable 90 degrees and your shoulders shouldn’t rise up when you put your arms on the rests. If this is the case, lower them a little more.
4. Choosing looks over support and comfort
When you choose a chair that has more style than substance, you’ll start to notice it in your neck and back. Many chairs that look the part aren’t actually that supportive, and if you spend seven or more hours in your chair, it needs to be properly ergonomic and offer maximum support and comfort.
This is why Slouch created the best of both: a fully ergonomic and supportive home office chair that looks beautiful too. With fully customisable options, including the seat and frame colour, you can find a comfortable chair that will suit your existing style and decor.
When you’re choosing an ergonomic chair for your home office, look out for all of the important adjustable features, including seat height and depth, arm rests, forward tilt, recline and lumbar support. These are the things that are necessary for maximum comfort.
5. Lack of maintenance
Don’t spend your hard earned money on an office chair that then becomes neglected. If you look after it, we promise it will reward you with a long and prosperous lifespan.
You should clean your chair regularly, dusting it once every couple of weeks (getting the upholstery hoover attachment into that mesh backing), and cleaning any spillages as soon as they occur.
Take a look at our article about how to clean an office chair for more specific details about caring for your Slouch chair. We cover all the things you’ll need, and how to clean fabric vs. leather.
Also make sure you replace any damaged parts as soon as possible to prevent further damage. When you purchase a Slouch chair, you get a two-year guarantee included, should anything go wrong. The sooner you spot the damage, the better!
We believe that a great ergonomic chair can genuinely transform how you feel at the end of the working day…but only if it’s set up properly. By taking a few minutes to adjust your chair to your body, you can prevent all those unwanted aches and pains and make a difference to your long-term health.
