How To Make Your Old Office Chair More Comfortable

The best kind of chair is one that is very comfortable – and hopefully ergonomic – to cope with hours of sitting. This means that you shouldn’t experience any back pain, and the office chair should remain comfortable until you go home at the end of the day! Some chairs, however, may leave you feeling uncomfortable after five minutes.

So, why not replace the chair? This may not always be an option – especially as this can be costly. However, you may not need to as sometimes all you need are a few adjustments – follow this guide to make your office chair comfier and safer to sit in.

Change your posture

Some are lucky to know the proper way to sit in a chair! Your chiropractor would say: “Sit straight, both feet in the floor, adjust your computer monitor so it is at eye level and your arms should be at right angles”. As bad sitting posture leads to back pain, it’s a good idea to sort your posture before you blame your chair! (It will also become far comfier to sit at your desk).

Make simple adjustments

Most chairs have simple adjustment features. Even if you originally adjusted your chair, over time it can become ‘undone’. Get down low and adjust the seat, height, back and arms. It won’t take long and can make all the difference.

Use some back support

There are many devices in the market that provide extra lumbar support. Some are designed specifically for office chairs. These products are designed to support the curvature of your back, especially when sitting for long periods of time. Some office chairs, such as our ergonomic desk chairs like this Draughtsman chair,  have built-in lumbar support, but you can easily add one of the lumbar support products.

Invest in a footrest

Ever thought that your feet may be the problem? They shouldn’t be hanging down while you are in a seated position. Instead, keep them flat on the floor with legs at a right angle. A simple solution is to add a footrest. Elevate your feet, align your back, sit comfortably and suddenly it feels as if you have a new office chair!

Add some arms

Shoulders play a big part in this too – usually overlooked. If shoulder muscles are tight, it may be that your armrests need to be adjusted – or you need to add some! Office chairs with armrests are notoriously more comfortable as the desired position (when not working) is to sit with the arms back at a right angle.  Add some arms – get comfy.

Is it time for a new chair?

You may have tried all these suggestions, and your chair is still uncomfortable. Sometimes the only way forward is to invest in a new chair. Make sure you research which kind of chair you would like – and take all of our pointers into account. You can browse our full range of office chairs here.