Adjust an ergo chair in this order: seat height, seat depth and backrest, armrests, then recline. Each step sets the starting point for the next, so changing the armrests before the seat height usually means doing them again. The steps below work for most ergo chairs, though the controls differ from one model to the next.
Set the Seat Height First
Stand in front of the chair and raise or lower the seat until its highest point sits just below your kneecap. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) gives this as a starting point. Then sit back and check: your feet should be flat on the floor, with your knees level with or slightly lower than your hips. Singapore’s Workplace Safety and Health Council lists feet flat on the floor among its good practices for an office workstation.
If your feet do not reach the floor even at the lowest setting, use a footrest.
Fit the Seat Depth and Backrest
Sit all the way back in the chair. Where the model has a sliding seat, set the depth so the front edge does not press into the backs of your knees; a gap of two or three finger widths is a common check. Then move the backrest or lumbar support until its curve meets the curve of your lower back.
Lumbar support comes in two types. Some of our ergo chairs have height-adjustable lumbar support that you move into place, and others have a self-adaptive lumbar that moves with you, so check the product page to see which type a model has.
Armrests Come Next
Let your arms hang relaxed at your sides, then raise or lower the armrests until they just touch your forearms and your shoulders stay relaxed. The armrests should support your arms without pushing your shoulders up.
Armrests vary a lot between our ergo chairs. Some are fixed, some adjust in height, forward and back and in angle, and flip-up armrests let you move the chair closer to the desk. If fixed armrests stop you getting close to your desk, a model with adjustable or flip-up armrests is worth a look.
Recline, Lock and Tension
Lean back until the backrest sits at the angle you work at, then lock the tilt if the chair has a lock. Locks and tension controls differ by model: some of our ergo chairs lock at three angles, others at four, and several have a tension control that sets how much the backrest resists when you lean back. If you have to push hard with your feet to recline, try loosening the tension.
Check the Chair Against Your Desk
Once the chair is set, look at the desk. Your elbows should sit about level with the work surface. If the desk is too high, CCOHS suggests raising the chair to bring your elbows level with it, and using a footrest if that leaves your feet off the floor. If you use a height-adjustable desk, set the chair first and then bring the desk to elbow height.
When an Ergo Chair Runs Out of Adjustment
Sometimes the problem is the chair, not the setup. If the seat will not go low or high enough, the armrests collide with the desk, or the backrest cannot reach your lower back, no setting will fix it. Seat height ranges differ by model, and each product page lists the ground-to-seat height, so compare it with your own measurements before you choose.
Trying the adjustments on a real chair is the easiest way to judge this. Our new showroom is at 54 Genting Lane #04-05, Block II, Ruby Land Complex (S349562). Contact our team to confirm opening hours before you visit. We don’t accept returns once a chair is sold, so a short test in person is worth the trip.
Shop Now to see which adjustments each of our ergo chairs lists, or choose “Bulk Purchase” on our contact form if you are fitting out a team.