Most office chairs are designed to accommodate people within the 5th to 95th height percentile. This range covers the 5th percentile female at 60.2 inches to the 95th percentile male at 73.6 inches. This range means that ergonomic chairs are designed to fit 95% of the total population. So where do people outside of this range sit? The truth is very few people outside of this range have ever given it a second thought. They’ve just become accustomed to being uncomfortable. If you fall into this category, rest assured you’re not alone. We talk to people like you every day, and it turns out there are a number of fantastic options. Five feet tall is the general point of reference for women at or below the 5th percentile. Because of variability in factors such as leg length or how much a chair cushion compresses, the five foot mark is a relative number. If you are near five feet tall, either taller or shorter, here are a few measurements to keep in mind. Find a chair with a seat height of at least 15 inches.
This is a bit lower than most chair standards, so look for chairs with “short cylinder” options. Don’t forget about seat depth. This measures the length of the seat from the backrest to the front of the seat. 5th percentile women should look for a seat depth around 15 to 16 inches. Chairs with a “seat slider” option are often best because you can adjust the seat depth to fit your personal dimensions exactly. For women near the five foot mark, I am a big fan of the Steelcase Amia chair. It has a great seat slider, allows for a relatively low seat height and has widely adjustable arms. My 5’1” wife can easily adjust this chair to fit her needs. Need a smaller chair? Checkout the Neutral Posture XSM. The narrow seat and short cylinder options have been a great fit for some of our shortest customers. Finally, if you still find your chair is a bit too high, consider a foot stool. It is important that your feet are supported so that pressure from the front of the seat does not constrict blood circulation to your lower legs.
Men standing around 6’2” or taller are considered to be outside the 95th percentile. You face the same issues as the women discussed above, but the measurements are reversed. Often the highest adjustment of average chairs will still be too short for you. A chair that is too low will increase the weight on the ischial tuberosities (sitz bone or sitting bones). Look for chairs with a seat height of at least 19 to 20 inches. Seat depth will be a novel idea to tall men. Most of you are used to your knees extending well beyond the seat edge. Look for chairs with a seat depth (the length from the seat edge to chair back) of at least 20 inches. My office mate stands at 6’4” and won’t sit in anything except our Nightingale CXO. The CXO is a standard chair that just happens to have a maximum seat depth of 21 inches. This is a great chair for people near the 6’2” 95th percentile mark. For even taller men, Bodybilt makes a “stretch” chair called the Bodybilt 3509 (or the 2509 if you don’t want a headrest).
This chair features a whopping 23 inches of seat depth and is available in a special “tall” chair cylinder that gives a seat height adjustment range of 21.5 of 29 inches. Ultimately there is a chair to fit any body. If you’re just getting started, checkout our petite chairs and tall chairs. Even better, give us a call. We love helping people learn how to be comfortable.Our ergonomic assessment tool is a quick and easy solution for determining the ideal height for your sit-stand desk, ergonomic chair, keyboard tray and monitor arm. Simply enter your own height; the desk height calculator will provide a set of reliable baseline measurements to help you work with maximum comfort and efficiency. Get started setting up your ideal ergonomic workstation with our desk height calculator: Tips for using the ergonomic adjustment tool Factor shoe height (typically 1'') or any clothing allowances into dimensions Adjust your workstation to vary posture throughout the day;
standing while using the computer helps vary your posture the most Using bifocal lenses can require lower monitor heights Your comfort is most important. If a specific measurement feels uncomfortable or awkward, reposition your equipment so that it feels more comfortable This calculator is not intended as a substitute for professional on-site ergonomic assessment Email or print the results for future reference Note that these measurements use an average of male and female anthropometric dimensions. Data is based on the 1988 Anthropometric Survey of United States Army Personnel. Ethnic and population differences can vary slightly. Learn more about setting up your ergonomic workspace Sit-stand desks are quickly becoming a popular trend in American workplaces. The idea is simple. By limiting the amount of time you spend seated in a given day, you can stave off a variety of potential health risks. Sit-stand desks also allow you to easily raise and lower your keyboard and monitor to proper heights.
Check out our sit-stand desks or fill out our height adjustable desk selector tool for some expert suggestions on which desk will work for you. An ergonomic chair is designed to fit your body and keep you comfortable over the course of an eight hour work day. Features such as seat depth adjustment and adjustable lumbar support allow you to vary your posture and stay efficient. View our selection of ergonomic chairs or fill out out ergonomic chair selector tool for expert recommendations. A keyboard tray is a crucial, yet sometimes overlooked component of any proper ergonomic setup. The role of the keyboard tray is simple: to bring the keyboard to you so you don't have to adjust to it. This can add up to a significant impact on quite a few muscles and tendons. Take a look at our ergonomic keyboard trays or fill out our keyboard tray selector tool to get expert suggestions. A monitor arm is a highly adjustable arm that attaches to your desk, usually with a bolt-through or clamp mount.