Many workplaces have ‘one size fits all’ office furniture. This means that anyone who is much taller than average height will find their chair size, sitting height and desk height does not suit their body’s proportions or help them to work with good postures.
Tall people can often experience discomfort, pain and even injury due to working with poor postures.
A very tall person will find that a standard chair’s seat pan is too small to support their legs. They sit with much of their leg unsupported and overhanging the front of the seat. This is not comfortable and can cause pressure on the underside of the thighs.
Taller people also often find that the chair they are using does not raise high enough for their needs, forcing them to sit too low; with their hips below their knee level.
Standard desks are about 720mm high – based on the average height of the population. If a tall person sits at the correct height (hips slightly higher than knees) a standard desk will be too low for comfortable and safe computer use. They will lean forward and down to the desk, causing poor and potentially dangerous back postures.
Taller people may also need to drop their chair height down so that their knees can fit under the desk. This causes unsafe and uncomfortable leg and hip positions.
Taller people do not need footrests. The exception to this rule can be where knee pain is present and there is a preference to move the knees by regularly moving the feet from floor to footrest.
If you need assistance with correct ergonomics, Back Centre offers on-site Ergonomic Workstation Assessments to identify issues and tailor solutions to each individual.