Let’s face it, work takes up the majority of most people’s days, and some of us sit for up to 12 hours a day. Whether you work sitting down 4 hours a day or 10, chances are you’ve experienced some form of discomfort while working. While it can sometimes be expensive to alleviate work-related injuries related to back pain, as most of the time this can only be remedied with the use of an ergonomic office chair, leg discomfort is a easier and less expensive problem to solve.
Do you ever feel that your legs start to feel uncomfortable while sitting in your office chair? Maybe they start to feel heavy or maybe you start to experience the irritating sensation of your legs falling asleep. This pain can eventually turn into numbness and move down the thighs creating an uncomfortable and distracting work environment. Fortunately, most leg-related pain experienced at work can be easily alleviated by simply adjusting your current office chair.
Leg pain can be attributed to a number of different factors related to your office chair, so it’s important to determine which one relates to your circumstances. The first common culprit may be that your chair is not set to the proper height for your legs. This is a common problem experienced by taller or shorter people, however it can affect anyone who does not have their chair height adjusted correctly. You must be able to keep your feet firmly on the floor or on a footrest, with your knees bent at a 90° angle. If your chair cannot adjust properly for you, consider looking for a small office chair if you are shorter or a large tall office chair if you are taller. These specialty chairs are specifically designed for users who don’t fit the typical model of office chair. High quality and more ergonomic manufacturers will offer alternate sized gas lifts that will allow users who find that a standard gas lift is not recommended for them to get the correct seat height setup.
To determine the necessary seat height so that you can sit comfortably without experiencing leg pain, you will need to take a few simple measurements. First, measure from the floor to the inside of the knee joint without shoes. Once you have this measurement, check to see if your chair will adjust slightly above or below this measurement by measuring from the floor to the top of the seat. If your chair is capable of reaching this height, then you should be able to find your ideal configuration. If your chair is too low or too tall, you may want to consider purchasing a different office chair that allows for this height adjustment.
After adjusting your seat height, if you still find the pain lingers, other culprits could be inadequate seat depth or poor-quality foam in the seat cushion. The seat depth is crucial as it determines how much coverage your thighs will receive when you are seated. A chair with a seat depth that is too short will not provide the support needed to sit comfortably for hours on end. If a seat depth is too long, it can cut off circulation to your legs and protrude into the back of your kneecaps. You may also slide forward and sit in an unnatural position, causing back pain. Unfortunately, if your seat depth isn’t what you need and you don’t have a seat slider to pull out your seat if you need a deeper depth, your only option may be to buy a new office chair. The same can be said for a cheap office chair whose seat foam has flattened or deteriorated from use.
If you find that you are in the market for a new chair, be sure to take the proper steps as mentioned above to ensure that your chair meets your needs. Most online retailers provide all the information you need to ensure you choose the right chair, including the chair’s seat depth and seat height range. If you can’t find this information, be sure to ask a customer service representative before ordering. When trying to determine the quality of a chair’s seat foam, a good place to start looking is the manufacturer’s warranty. Most high-quality manufacturers will have at least a 5-year warranty on their chair’s seat foam. And above all, make sure not to sit on a chair that is a fixed height, such as a dining chair or meeting chair, as you will not only experience leg pain, but you may also experience back pain.
