So you have gotten yourself a high-end expensive gaming chair equipped with the best ergonomic features? You need to know that you have attained only half of the right sitting experience there; the other half will come with the right setup of the gaming chair. You shouldn’t compromise on the comfort of the gaming chair, but whether you have set it up the right way is equally important.
Maybe you have already realized that your gaming chair, with all its promising features, is still not as comfortable as it is meant to be. The right adjustment and setting of the gaming chair are extremely necessary for your posture and health; some other factors are worth considering as well, which will be touched upon here. This article will guide you on how to set up a gaming chair to benefit from its ergonomic features.
How to Set Up a Gaming Chair
Set the Right Seat/Chair Height
Setting the seat height right is extremely important while adjusting the gaming chair. It determines the position and health of your spine and legs as well. So, how to ensure the seat is set at the right height by ensuring your spine is straight and upright when you sit on the chair. Adjust the seat at the height where your feet lay flat on the floor.
Your lower legs should not dangle, and the angle between the upper and lower leg, at the knee, should be larger than 90 degrees. That angle can be larger according to your comfort. The knees should be a few degrees lower than the hips. If, by keeping your feet in the ground, you don’t find yourself at the right height for the screen, use a footrest. That way, your seated height will get taller and at the right level with the screen.
Also, when you lean back on the chair, your upper body and thighs should be at an angle greater than 90 degrees. The right of your gaming chair will save you from back pain caused by muscle strains and tension. Planting the feet firmly on the floor will increase the weight balancing points of the 5 star base of a gaming chair to seven. That much support for your weight will not leave chances of strain and pressure on your muscles.
Adjust the Armrests
After adjusting the right seat height, the second thing holding utmost importance is the right armrest adjustment. The right and relaxed position of the arms is important for your shoulders, neck, and upper back since they hold the weight of your arms. Align the armrests of your gaming chair to a height where your arms are in level with the desk.
The upper and lower arm needs to be at exactly 90 degrees. That way, you will have increased weight distribution, and your shoulders, neck, and upper back will be relaxed from the weight of your arms. Some gaming chairs have armrests that allow a great deal of adjustability, including sideways. Those can be set up according to the broadness of the shoulder of the person sitting, so he/she doesn’t have to settle with the arms pushed too much outward or inward. The bottom line is, rest the arms in a completely natural and relaxed position.
Seat Depth
The right seat depth is necessary for proper and unhindered blood circulation in the legs. The seat depth is the length between the backrest and outer edge of the gaming chair; it depends on the length of the thighs. The back and pelvis should be in complete contact with the backrest, and the calves should rest at a distance of a few inches below the front edge of the chair. The front edge should not press against the calves, which can hinder blood circulation.
Adjust Backrest and Tilt
Adjusting the backrest and the right tilt angle is crucial for your entire back area. The back tilt should be fixed to maintain an erect, upright posture. The lumbar cushion should be properly adjusted to the curve of your lower back; you might find the pressure a bit uncomfortable at first, but it’s important, and one grows used to it.
Adjust the Support Pillows
Support pillows enhance the backrest support and encourage healthy sitting and posture by fixing the natural curves of your back when you lean on the backrest. Every time before sitting, make sure to adjust these pillows on your neck and back for a perfect fit, and you will get used to sitting with a straight posture.
Without support pillows at your neck and back, you cannot maintain an upright spine and posture for long without tiring your back. Without support, the muscles of your back will have to do all the work of holding up the weight, and the feet will have to push off the floor. After some time, you will be tired and will curl the back forward.
The pillows and pads at the neck and back curves will provide lumbar support by exerting pressure on those points and keeping the spine straight. DIY lumbar support can use a rolled-up yoga mat or towel placed at the lower back. Gaming chairs that have this feature for increased support and comfort are a great choice. They come with a padded backrest and adjustable neck and lumbar pillows for comfort and perfect alignment of the spine.
Adjusting the Desk and Screen
For the right setting, with uncompromised health benefits, the desk and the screen needs to be adjusted as well. It’s best to invest in desks that are height adjustable. The height of the desk should be at the level equal to the armrests of the gaming chair, so your arms are placed partially on the armrests and partially on the table.
The monitor has to be adjusted at a height where it’s in perfect alignment with your visual axis, and the distance between the screen and eyes should be as long as an arm’s length. The mouse and the keyboard should be placed at a distance as wide as a hand from the edge. Although, even if the setup of the gaming chair and the desk is ideally comfortable and favorable to health, extended sitting is problematic and harmful. Taking breaks between the gaming sessions and getting up from the gaming chair is important for health.
Right Size of the Chair
No matter what high quality and expensive gaming chair you get, with the best of ideal ergonomic sitting features, if it’s not the right size for your body, you will not benefit from any of it at all. So make sure you get one with the right size for your body. If the chair is too small, the backrest will not be supportive of your spine, and the seat depth will be short. This can result in restricted blood flow and unhealthy posture.
If the chair is too big, the pads will not fit either, and you will not get the necessary pressure at the spots that need it. Also, you will find your feet dangling rather than placed firmly on the floor.
Most of the gaming chairs come for average body size, but some people can be shorter or taller than that. So keep that factor in mind while buying a gaming chair.
Benefits of Footrest
A footrest can solve a number of problems you can potentially face while trying to sit properly on a gaming chair. Particularly for those with shorter height can find it difficult to attain the right height of the chair, aligned perfectly with the desk and screen. They would find it hard to place their feet firmly on the floor and might find them dangling, which compromises important support and weight distribution spot.
In that case, adding a footrest solves the problem. An elevated footrest also reduces the pressure on thighs while you sit, which otherwise presses into the seat. When your feet are rested on the footrest, that power, which presses the thighs onto the seat, moves to the lower back instead, increasing the pressure on that area. If there is the right lumbar support as well, your lower back will have enhanced support and alignment.
The footrest can also allow you some deal of mobility while sitting. Sitting statically in one position for extended periods can get your shoulder and back muscles stiff because of the pressure. The changes in pressure are crucial for other bodily functions to perform properly as well. Sitting in static positions for a long can cause problems in that and other long-term vertebral issues as well.
Using a footrest allows you to move your lower leg, like calves and ankles, while sitting. The ergonomic benefits of a gaming chair are multiplied if it features a rocking footrest. That puts you in a perfect position and provides your lower leg and feet with mobility.
FAQs
How high should your gaming chair be?
The gaming chair needs to be high enough for your feet to naturally and comfortably lay flat and firm on the ground. There should be no strain on your legs while doing so. A gaming chair too high will make your feet dangle off the ground, and too low will make your upper leg uncomfortable.
Where should lumbar support be on a gaming chair?
The lumbar support needs to fit exactly at the natural curve of your back, at the spot right above the beltline. The lumbar support is built with the chair, so you don’t often need to adjust it separately. It can be adjusted with the height of the chair.
What is the advantage of a gaming chair?
Gaming chairs enhance the sitting posture and make you used to sit with the right one, even without the support. That is because of the ergonomic features gaming chairs have, which make the chair adaptable according to the posture of the occupant. The right sitting posture improves blood circulation and decreases muscle strain and fatigue.
Conclusion
This article touches on the spheres of how crucial it is to sit properly on a gaming chair and how to set up a gaming chair in order to do so. You might be unaware or ignorant until now of the delicacies and harms that a wrong gaming chair setup can potentially cause. That is especially if you are a gamer and spend extended periods of time seated for gaming sessions.
The multiple factors that contribute to the right setup of a gaming chair are all covered here in this article. You must be knowing by now that it is not at all difficult, although still being ignorant and careless about that can put you and your body in difficulties, major ones. So make sure you follow these instructions and guidance completely and make the right and best use of your gaming chair.
