Incorrect desk height can lead to pain long after leaving the office. Have you ever experienced shoulder, back, or neck pain after hours of sitting at a desk? In such cases, it's essential to check if your desk is at the correct height for you.
Ergonomic adjustable desks are an excellent solution to combat prolonged sitting. With proper height adjustment, you'll be more comfortable, and you'll find it easier to focus on your work, hobbies, or studies. Desk height should match your body's height, and with adjustable desks, changing the height is easy.
What is ergonomics?
Ergonomics is the science that deals with the impact of work equipment on the user and the adjustment and improvement of workplaces to prevent work-related injuries. It ensures that your wrists, back, eyes, and more don't hurt after hours of work. It prevents health problems and improves user productivity and work quality by making work and concentration easier.
Correct desk height
Unfortunately, incorrect desk height is a problem that affects many office workers. Due to the usual eight-hour workday and insufficient breaks and movement, problems often arise in the wrists, arms, and shoulders.
How high should your desk be? The height of a desk depends on your body height, the standard desk height should be between 72 and 75 cm. Most desks fall within the range of 70 to 80 cm in height.
However, this height is not suitable for everyone, as shorter or taller individuals may struggle to find a desk that supports them properly. In fact, most people under 175 cm may have difficulties. Desks with fixed heights are designed to be the correct height for 90% of the population, but a significant portion of office workers may not agree with this statement.
The correct desk height should allow your arms, wrists, and palms to be in a neutral position. The main rule for determining desk height is that your elbows should rest straight on the desk and armrests, with an approximate 90-110-degree bend in the elbow. This is the ideal height for resting your arms on the desk and applies to both sitting and standing desks. The optimal desk height will help you maintain the correct body posture during work. If you can't relax your shoulder muscles and have your arms at a 90-degree angle, the desk height is incorrect.
Determining the right desk height for your needs is crucial. Below is a simple table of desk heights for sitting and standing desks. Use it to determine the best ergonomic desk height for you, regardless of whether you want to sit or stand. Include your shoe height in your body height measurement.
|
Body Height [cm] |
Sitting Desk Height [cm] |
Standing Desk Height [cm] |
Chair Height [cm] |
Screen Height at a Sitting Desk [cm] |
Screen Height at a Standing Desk [cm] |
|
150 |
54 - 59 |
90 - 97 |
35 - 40.5 |
104 - 107.5 |
139 - 143 |
|
155 |
56.5 - 61.5 |
93 - 100.5 |
36.5 - 41.5 |
107.5 - 111.5 |
143.5 - 147.5 |
|
160 |
59 - 64.5 |
96 - 104 |
38 - 43 |
111 - 115 |
148.5 - 152.5 |
|
165 |
61 - 67.5 |
99 - 107 |
39.5 - 44.5 |
114.5 - 118.5 |
153.5 - 157 |
|
170 |
63.5 - 70 |
102 - 110.5 |
41 - 45.5 |
118.5 - 122.5 |
158 - 161.5 |
|
175 |
66 - 73 |
105 - 114 |
43 - 47 |
122 - 126 |
163 - 166.5 |
|
180 |
68.5 - 75.5 |
108 - 117 |
44.5 - 48.5 |
125.5 - 129.5 |
168 - 171 |
|
185 |
70.5 - 78.5 |
111 - 120.5 |
46 - 50 |
129 - 133.5 |
172.5 - 175.5 |
|
190 |
73 - 81 |
114 - 124 |
47.5 - 51 |
132.5 - 137 |
177.5 - 180.5 |
|
195 |
75.5 - 84 |
117 - 127 |
49.5 - 52.5 |
136.5 - 141 |
182.5 - 185 |
|
200 |
78 - 86.5 |
120 - 130.5 |
51 - 54 |
140 - 144.5 |
187 - 189.5 |
For proper screen height adjustment, the rule is to look at the upper third of the screen when looking straight ahead.
For the correct chair height, your thighs and feet should be parallel to the floor, forming a 90-110-degree angle between your thighs and lower legs.
Adjustable desks
An adjustable desk solves the problem of finding a desk with the right height for you, as it suits everyone. Because adjustable desks can be set to different heights, they can be customized for different users. This makes them particularly ideal for spaces and situations where the same desk will be used by multiple individuals.
In addition to the mentioned advantage of adjusting various optimal heights for sitting based on the user's height, adjustable desks have another significant benefit—they allow you to work while standing. Switching between sitting and standing positions is much better for your health than sitting or standing all day. Breaking up long periods of sitting with an adjustable desk will improve your well-being since changing your work position positively affects your body posture, muscle activity, reduces the development of pain and chronic issues, and improves work comfort.
Other factors influencing desk choice
Correct desk height isn't the only thing to consider when purchasing a new desk. If you focus solely on the right desk height, you might still choose the wrong desk for other reasons. Pay attention to factors like:
- Room size: Make sure you have enough space before buying a desk. Measure the length and width of the space you plan to allocate for the desk, and don't forget to account for the space you'll need for a chair. Allow enough room behind the chair for leaning back, turning, and standing.
- Desk dimensions: Think about what you plan to place on the desk. Some people follow a minimalist approach, while others need space for paper, photos, a calendar, a cup, books, multiple screens, a phone, and many other items. It's often best to choose a slightly larger surface than you think you'll need.
ErgoHide desks are available in various predefined sizes, and you can also select a custom desk size that suits your space. In addition to desk dimensions, you can customize other elements, including choosing between a lifting or traditional base, different colors, materials, desk shapes, and accessories to help with organization and setting up your work environment.
