How do I set up a new office chair correctly?

Set it up in order, because each setting depends on the one before: seat height first, then seat depth, lumbar support, armrests and finally recline. Set the seat for your desk, not just your legs — if your feet then don’t rest flat, add a footrest rather than lowering the seat.

1. Seat height. Sit back in the chair and raise or lower it until your forearms are roughly level with the desk when your shoulders are relaxed. Your feet should rest flat with your knees at about a right angle. If they don’t reach the floor at that height, the desk is too high for you: use a footrest. Check the chair’s stated range against your height before buying — the CAPOT in our ergonomic office chairs hub adjusts from 47 to 56 cm (18.5 to 22 in), the Yaheetech from 35 to 45 cm (13.8 to 17.7 in).

2. Seat depth. With your back against the backrest, you should be able to fit two or three fingers between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees. Some chairs have a sliding seat for this; on others the lumbar position does part of the job.

3. Lumbar support. Move it until it sits in the curve of your lower back, supporting it without pushing you forward. On the CAPOT, the lumbar moves 5 cm (2 in) in 8 steps; the Marsail has a separate pad that moves both in and out and up and down; the Yaheetech has a fixed curve, so only your seat height changes where it meets your back. A lumbar cushion can add support on a chair without any.

4. Armrests. Set their height so your shoulders relax and your forearms rest lightly, level with the desk — not pushed up, and not hanging. If they stop you pulling in close to the desk, lower them or fold them away: the CAPOT’s and the Marsail’s fold up 90°. Should your elbows be supported while typing? covers how much to rest on them.

5. Recline and tension. Set the backrest angle and, if there is one, the tilt tension so the chair supports you leaning back without either throwing you forward or giving way. Upright, around 100 to 110°, suits typing; reclining further suits calls and reading. The CAPOT locks at 90°, 110° and 125°; the Yaheetech rocks between 90° and 120° with a knob under the seat.

Then live with it for a week. Small corrections after a few days of normal use are normal. If the desk height makes the seat setting impossible, see how tall a standing desk should be for adjustable alternatives. Not built yet? The assembly order for an office chair comes first.