Expert Report: Ergonomic Sitting

Arm position with AL support

Adjustment with user manual

correct seat height

Five Practical Tips for Ergonomic Sitting in the Office

"Are you actually sitting ergonomically at your desk?" Ergonomics consultant Malte Lenkeit often asks himself this question when doing his work. The impulse to spontaneously answer "Yes!" is quickly replaced by the realization that hardly anyone truly knows what ergonomic sitting really is. Because the main activity in the office, sitting, is a discipline that every healthy person learns early on and about which no one really thinks. The basic rule is that sitting should be level and ergonomic. However, the latest findings in sitting research show that each person has an individual sitting behavior that needs to be supported for ergonomic sitting. Therefore, even expert Lenkeit cannot say what is correct or incorrect sitting. However, he provides tips to ensure that the spine and muscles are not excessively strained while sitting, thereby promoting ergonomic sitting.

1. Tip: Use the instructions for ergonomic sitting!

When was the last time you looked at the user manual for your office chair? Never? Too bad, because it is the guide to ergonomic sitting. Even if you don’t know where it is stored, you can find information online from the chair manufacturer about all adjustment options and their purpose. Because the best prevention mechanisms of your chair are useless if not used correctly. You know this from seat belts in cars. They only work when fastened. By the way, they only provide optimal protection when the seat is also properly adjusted. Remember this next time you sit down on an office chair that isn’t yet adjusted to fit you!

2. Tip: Stay flexible!

Just as you need to adapt to new situations at work, your body should also be able to adjust to changing conditions. As a living organism, the body thrives on movement. Restricting this through a rigid posture or chair setting leads to uneven strain on muscles and the support skeleton. On a modern office chair, you stay in motion if you do not lock the backrest.

3. Tip: Get support!

Teamwork is highly valued in the office. Those who perform at their best need good support. In people who complain of tension in the neck and shoulder area due to their office work, it is often observed that they voluntarily forego obvious and constant support: they do not rest their arms on the armrests of their office chair. Anyone who holds an arm in a stiff position for a period of time feels how heavy that body part becomes. If the arms are not supported, the neck and shoulder muscles bear this weight on both sides. So let the armrests of your office chair do the work they are designed for, so you can relax physically and focus on what is expected of you.

4. Tip: Show true stature!

Those who sit high up have a lot to say – and over time, problems with circulation, metabolism, the intervertebral discs, and ligaments. It’s smarter to show true stature and make accents from the correct sitting height. This will help you last longer in the long run. Ensure a knee and upper body angle of more than 95° and a forward-facing seat tilt. This way, you will sustain longer: circulation is not hindered, and the organs of the upper body are relieved. This promotes better metabolism. Additionally, you prevent misstrain on your intervertebral discs and ligaments through proper seat tilt techniques.

5. Tip: Master the resistance!

Pressure creates counterpressure – and that’s not always a bad thing. After all, feeling completely without resistance quickly leaves you feeling like you're in a vacuum. The right amount of counterpressure should also be provided by the non-locked backrest of your office chair. Because balanced muscle load promotes natural movements. The individual weight determines the strength of the resistance offered by the backrest. This way, both lighter and heavier people find the natural balance that prevents falling back into static sitting.