Proper Chair Posture Setting

Best Seating Position for Desk Workers

How you sit at a desk is quite fundamental to how much back pain or discomfort you may or may not feel. While desks are a standard height, desk chairs aren’t and for good reason. We’re not all the same height, so it’s important to not only get a good quality chair to use at your desk, but also one that is adjustable so you can set the height properly.

This is very well described and shown in the video below. Essentially, the best seating set up is to ensure that your hips are higher than your knees, so that a good curve is formed on your lower back. This reduces pressure on the lower back resulting in less of a chance of pain.

Dr Perna shows this well in the video.

He also shows the impact of too low a height setting on the chair as well. A lower height results in the knees being closer in height to the hips and this generates a different curvature to the low back, which is the source of many problems. This creates additional pressure on the back which we obviously don’t want.

The simple rule is to ensure that the chair height ensures that your hips are higher than your knees.

See the video for more clarity.

If you are suffering low back pain, schedule an appointment to see us. We can also help you with your workspace set up and provide additional help and suggestions to improve how and where you work to reduce back pain issues.

Dr David Perna DC, CCSP, CCEP

Dr. David Perna DC, CCSP, CCEP is the founder and practice overseer at Back and Body Pain Relief in Springfield, NJ. A graduate of Life University Summa Cum Laude, Dr. Perna holds certifications in Active Release Technique (ART), Graston, SFMA, Neuro-Diagnostics (NCV/EMG), and Manipulation Under Anesthesia, among others. He is a Board Certified Sports Physician, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a United States Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Volunteer.

A competing athlete himself — a 2x Ironman 70.3 finisher with a background in Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, and martial arts – Dr. Perna brings firsthand athletic experience to his patient care.

He has treated presidents, royalty, diplomats, and professional athletes across MMA, baseball, tennis, and football, and has appeared on Dr. Oz demonstrating chiropractic therapies. His approach is diagnostic-first, combining evidence-based chiropractic care with rehabilitation to help patients get out of pain and back to full function.