Just as with those individuals who are taller or heavier than the average body, petite people have a difficult time finding a chair that fits properly. Most chairs, even when adjustable, are designed to fit the 5th - 95th percentile. A 5’2" female is technically right at the 5th percentile, but will still find that most chairs are really not scaled properly. An improperly sized chair can present genuine health risks. A seat that is too deep can create circulatory problems for the lower legs. A properly fitting seat has two to four fingers' width of space between the front of the seat edge and the back of the knee. Too high a seat can also cut off circulation to the lower extremities; however if seat height is the only fit problem, a foot rest is a quick and inexpensive fix. Many chairs have a seated height that starts anywhere from 16" to 19" or more. Given that the correct seated height for a 5’ tall person is 14" and only 15.5" at 5’4", too high a seat is a common problem.

Arms that are too far apart limit support for the shoulders and arms. Proper support of the arms is part of the solution to prevent hand, arm, thoracic, and neck problems, so improperly placed chairs arms can rule out an otherwise great chair. In addition to these fit issues, the lumbar may hit in the wrong place and the headrest miss the head if the chair back cannot be adjusted to fit the smaller person. Note to heavier people: a heavier, short person might not need as shallow or narrow a seat as their hips will require a larger space to fit comfortably and may be perfectly suited for a standard sized chair, provided it is equipped with a shorter cylinder to offer a lower seated height range. Great chair options for petite ladies Three chairs we’ve found that fit an amazing range of bodies are the Steelcase Amia chair, Steelcase Leap chair, and the Steelcase Think chair. In addition to having a generous seat depth range, these seats are narrower than many, and the standard arms can be slid inward, close to the body.

These chairs are especially well suited for corporate environments where one chair may have to fit many users over its lifetime. Neutral Posture, Bodybilt, Ergocentric and Via all offer chairs with the option of a small or even extra small seat. Seating Inc. has several models that offer a petite version that is scaled to fit a smaller body. Thus it is possible to offer an entire office a uniform appearance while fitting different body sizes. wedding chair rental kelownaAll of these companies offer arm options as well, that at a minimum are width adjustable. portable massage chair rental los angelesSome models have arms that will pivot inward or offer a double pivot, allowing the user to bring them closer to the body.table and chair rental macon ga

Some of our favorites In addition to the Steelcase chairs named above, The Ergocentric GeoCentric chair is comfortable, well built and an excellent value. The Neutral Posture XSM Petite chair is designed for the ultra-petite, under 5’ tall person and can work well even for an extremely petite person - as short as three feet tall. I’m 5’1" and bought a Neutral Posture NPS8500 chair for my personal use (without the headrest) and absolutely love it. riser recliner chair shopsA great home office chair at a budget price is the ErgoCentric Saffron Apt chair, which starts just above the $200 mark. table and chairs for sale tauntonThe Bodybilt J2406 chair or Bodybilt J3406 chair are the ultimate in comfort and are highly customizable, making them the best choice for those with serious pain issues. lazy boy chairs perth

All of these can be customized into a drafting stool with height adjustable foot rings for leg support to accommodate a taller desk or a sit to stand workstation. In summary, just as with any other body size, getting a chair that fits the body correctly is the key factor to all day comfort and injury prevention. While it is more challenging for the petite person to find a good chair, there are excellent options out there.A reader recently asked me if I had any recommendations for ergonomic office chairs for shorter people. glad for this request. I’ve been so busy describing the best chairs within certain price ranges that I needed this friendly reminder. Of course it is important for a quality chair to fit the individual body type of the user. Although most office chairs are somewhat adjustable, if you are in the market for a personal ergonomic chair, there are excellent options specifically constructed as petite office chairs. To begin, let’s define short, petite or short stature for the purpose of this post.

I am specifically referring to those less than 5 feet 4 inches tall who weigh under 200 pounds. There are other chairs made to fit those who weigh more and this will be a topic for another day. When a petite person sits for any length of time in a typical office chair their feet dangle above the floor causing circulatory problems and their spine is pushed out of alignment in order to reach their workstation. The result is pain, numbness, and the risk of nerve damage. A quality ergonomic petite office chair should posses the following features: For correct ergonomic fit, you should easily be able to do all of the following comfortably in your chair: The following 3 chairs all have the recommended features of a quality ergonomic chair. Because price is still an important factor for most people, I’ve selected one from each of three different price points. The Alera Elusion Series Mesh Mid-Back Swivel/Tilt Chair is a very affordable option that meets all of the requirements listed above for correct ergonomic fit for a petite person.

The lowest seat height begins at 14 inches but you are able to further adjust this down if necessary using the hex key that comes with the chair. Cool, breathable mesh back Contoured seat cushion with premium fabric upholstery and waterfall edge to help relieve pressure on legs Very nice chair for the price. Comfortable seat cushion with the right amount of support so you don’t sink into it. The breathable mesh back can be adjusted up and down so it supports your back at a level that works for you. There is not a firm lumbar support so if back pain is an issue you may need to use a lumbar support pillow. The adjustable armrests are made of a firm foam rubber. Petite Low Height Computer Chair in Black Faux Leather with Memory Foam is another option that has received very good reviews and costs less than $220. The seat cushion is dense and thick The back of the chair can tilt and that tilt tension can be adjusted The PVC free polyurethane upholstery is easy to clean with the look and feel of leather.

The height range is from 16.75″ – 18.75″ so I would suggest measuring your leg from your knee down to the bottom of your foot to make sure you don’t need a seat with an even lower height range. Although this chair receives very strong recommendations from people even under 5 feet tall, you need to make sure your feet will be able to rest squarely on the ground. If your knee to foot size is less than 16″, I recommend the The Alera Elusion Series chair described above. The Steelcase Leap Chair is my personal favorite ergonomic office chair for a person of any height (I am 5’10”) The seat height is adjustable down to 15 1/2″and so is a great choice for most with a height over 5 ft. The only quality chair that I personally recommend for those who need a height less than 15″ is the Alera Elusion Series chair. I love the Steelcase for many reasons, most of which are detailed in the following video that explains all of the adjustment features of this wonderfully comfortable chair.