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Set the chair so your feet are supported, there is space behind your knees, and you can reach the desk with relaxed shoulders. Use the standing kneecap check as a starting point, then verify the fit while seated at your actual workstation.

How do I adjust a chair for my height?

  1. Set a starting seat height. Stand in front of the chair with the seat horizontal. Adjust it until the seat’s highest point is just below your kneecap. This is a starting reference, not a final measurement for everyone. CCOHS’s chair-adjustment guide gives this check.
  2. Sit and check your feet. Keep both feet flat on the floor. If they do not reach the floor at the height needed to work comfortably, use a footrest to support them rather than letting them dangle. CCOHS and its guidance on good body position when sitting support floor or footrest support.
  3. Check the seat edge. Leave about a clenched fist—roughly 5 cm (2 inches)—between the front edge of the seat and your calves. The seat should not press behind your knees. This is CCOHS’s fit check, not a required seat depth for every chair.
  4. Fit the backrest. Adjust it up or down and forward or back so it fits the hollow in your lower back.
  5. Check your arm and desk position. Let your upper arms hang at your sides and bend your elbows about 90 degrees. Set the armrests so they just touch the undersides of your elbows without lifting your shoulders.
  6. Remove armrests that get in the way. If they cannot be lowered to elbow height—or their lowest setting still raises your elbows—remove them if the chair allows it.

After each change, check the whole seated position: feet supported, no pressure behind the knees, backrest fitting your lower back, and arms reaching the work surface without raised shoulders. CCOHS notes that there is no “average” person for chair selection; the chair’s adjustment range needs to fit the individual worker. Its chair fact sheet was confirmed current on 2025-02-04 and last revised 2014-03-10.

What if the desk is too high or too low?

First check whether the desk leaves enough room for your legs and lets you move them freely. CCOHS advises against regularly using a workstation that does not provide that clearance. If the desk is fixed-height and you have to lift your arms to reach the work surface, adjust the chair so your elbows are about level with it. Then make sure your feet are still supported; if raising the chair leaves them short of the floor, use an adjustable footrest that supports both feet. CCOHS’s fixed-height workstation guidance describes this adjustment.

Chair height is not the only possible fix. If you cannot get a comfortable elbow position and supported feet together, a height-adjustable desk is another option, though CCOHS notes cost can make this impractical. Choose equipment for the mismatch it actually addresses: whether the chair reaches the needed height, whether your feet remain supported there, and whether the desk provides leg clearance.

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Marsail Ergonomic Office Chair: Office Desk Chair with High Back Mesh and Adjustable Lumbar Support Rolling Work Swivel Task Chairs with Wheel 3D Armrests and Headrest
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What should you look for in a chair or footrest?

Check the chair’s seat-height adjustment range against the position you need at your desk. The label “ergonomic” alone does not show that a chair will fit you. CCOHS’s ergonomic-chair guidance, confirmed current and last revised on 2022-09-29, recommends considering whether users can support their feet without pressure under the thighs. If chair height and desk height cannot be reconciled while keeping your feet supported, an adjustable footrest may help; it should support both feet.

Keep moving after you adjust

A well-adjusted chair supports a workable position; it is not a reason to hold one posture without moving. Change position as needed while working. The checks above help identify obvious fit problems, but they do not establish that one exact angle or chair height is right for every person.

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Ergonomic Office Chair, Mesh Computer Desk Chairs with BIFMA X5.1 Certified, Adjustable Lumbar Support, 3D Arm, Tilt Back, Wide Seat, Comfy Swivel Work Task Chair for Company and Home (Obsidian Black)
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CAPOT Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair, Adjustable Lumbar High Back Desk Chair 400lbs, 4D Flip-up Arms, 3-Level Tilt Backrest, 3D Headrest, PU Wheels, Swivel Rolling Computer Chair for Long Desk Work
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TRALT Office Chair - Ergonomic Desk Chair with Adjustable Lumbar Support, Mesh Computer Chair, Executive Chairs for Home Office Comfortable Lumbar Support (Black)
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Ergonomic Office Chair with Footrest, 90-145° Reclining Mesh Desk Chair
  • 【Adjustable Lumbar & Multi-Angle Headrest】 Experience precision ergonomic alignment. Features a unique movable crossbar system allowing 2cm depth adjustment (forward/backward) to fit your spine's natural curve perfectly. Combined with a height-adjustable, 45° rotating headrest, this desk chair eliminates neck and lower back fatigue during long, high-intensity shifts.
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