The Ultimate Guide to Optimizing Writing Desk Height for Comfort and Productivity

Incorrect height of a writing desk can cause you pain long after you leave the office. Have you ever experienced shoulder, back, or neck pain after hours of sitting at a desk? In such cases, it's worth checking if your writing desk is at the correct height for you.

 

Ergonomic adjustable writing desks are an excellent solution to the problem of prolonged sitting. With proper height adjustment, you'll feel more comfortable and be able to focus better on your work, hobbies, or studies. The desk height should correspond to your body height, and with adjustable writing desks, changing the height is effortless.

 

What is ergonomics?

Ergonomics is a field that deals with the impact of work equipment on users and the adaptation and improvement of workstations to prevent work-related injuries. It ensures that your wrists, back, eyes, and other body parts don't suffer after long hours of work. It aims to prevent health problems and enhance user productivity and the quality of work by making work and concentration easier.

 

Proper height of a writing desk

Unfortunately, incorrect desk height is a common problem for many people working in office environments. Due to the usual eight-hour workday and insufficient standing and movement, problems often arise in the wrists, arms, and shoulders.

 

How high should your desk be? The height of a writing desk depends on your body height, and according to official standards, the standard height of a writing desk should be between 72 and 75 cm. Most writing desks fall within the range of 70 to 80 cm in height.

 

However, this height is not suitable for everyone—shorter or taller individuals may struggle to find a desk that properly supports them. In fact, the majority of people below 175 cm height face difficulties. Desks with fixed heights are supposed to be designed to accommodate the correct height for 90% of the population, but a significant portion of office workers may not agree with this statement.

 

The proper height of a writing desk should allow for a neutral position of your arms, wrists, and hands. 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 at the elbow. This is the ideal height for resting your arms on the desk and applies to both standing and sitting desks. The optimal desk height will help you maintain the correct posture while working. If you can't relax your shoulder muscles and you can’t 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 as a starting position when determining the best ergonomic desk height for you, whether you prefer to sit or stand. Include your footwear height when considering your body height.

 

Body Height [cm]

Sitting Desk Height [cm]

Standing Desk Height [cm]

Chair Height [cm]

Screen Height for Sitting Desk [cm]

Screen Height for 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 the correct adjustment of the screen height, the rule states that when looking straight ahead, your gaze should be focused on the upper third of the screen.

 

When setting the height of your chair properly, your thighs and feet should be parallel to the floor. The angle between your thighs and lower legs should be around 90 to 110 degrees.

 

Height-Adjustable Desks

A height-adjustable desk eliminates the problem of finding a desk with the right height for you, as it is suitable for everyone. Since height-adjustable desks can be adjusted according to different users' needs, they are particularly ideal for spaces and situations where multiple individuals use the same desk.

 

In addition to the mentioned advantage of adjusting optimal sitting heights based on the user's height, height-adjustable desks have another significant benefit – they allow for standing work. Switching between sitting and standing positions is much better for your health than sitting all day or standing continuously.

Using a height-adjustable desk and alternating between sitting and standing positions will improve your well-being, as changing your working posture has a positive impact on body posture, muscle activity, reduces the likelihood of pain and chronic issues, and enhances comfort during work.

 

Other Factors Influencing Desk Selection

However, the correct desk height is not the only thing to consider when you are in the process of purchasing a new desk. If you solely focus on the correct desk height, you might still end up selecting the wrong desk for other reasons.

 

Also pay attention to factors such as:

Room size – Before buying a desk, make sure you have enough space available. Measure the length and width of the area where you intend to place the desk, while considering the surface area needed for the chair as well. Leave enough space around the chair to lean back, rotate, and stand up comfortably.

 

Desk dimensions – Consider what you plan to place on the desk. Some people prefer a minimalist approach, while others need space for paper, photos, a calendar, cups, books, multiple screens, a phone, and various other accessories. It's best to choose a slightly larger surface area than you think you need.

 

ErgoHide desks are available in various predefined sizes, but you can also choose a custom size that suits your space perfectly. In addition to customized desk dimensions, you can also customize other elements - choose between a height-adjustable or fixed base, different colors, materials, and desk shapes, as well as accessories that help with storage and workspace organization.

 

Start building your ErgoHide desk today!

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