How to adjust an ergonomic office chair step by step

An ergonomic chair may feature height adjustment, lumbar support, adjustable arms, tension control, tilt, and seat depth.

But there is a small detail.

You have to adjust it.

A chair with ten adjustments that is poorly configured can be less comfortable than a simple chair that is well-fitted. Ergonomics is not in the number of levers. It is in ensuring the chair adapts to your body, your desk, and your way of working.

In this guide, we will see how to adjust an ergonomic office chair step by step, the order in which you should do it, and what mistakes are best to avoid.

Before you start: adjust the chair first and the desk later

This order is important:

1. Adjust the chair to your body.
2. Support your feet correctly.
3. Regulate the seat, the backrest, and the arms.
4. Adapt the height of the desk.
5. Position the keyboard, mouse, and monitor.

Do not start by changing your posture to reach a desk that is too high or too low.

First, find a comfortable position in the chair. Then, adapt the rest of the workspace to that position.

An office chair should allow you to adopt a comfortable posture, offer sufficient support to the spine—especially the lumbar area—and facilitate changes in posture. And its mechanisms should be easily operable from a seated position.

1. Sit all the way back

Before touching any lever, sit correctly.

Move your pelvis close to the backrest until your lower back can rest against the chair. Do not stay sitting only on the front part of the seat.

Sitting too far forward usually causes two problems:

• You lose lumbar support.
• You end up slouching forward to get closer to the desk.

Your back does not have to remain rigid or completely vertical. It should feel supported, stable, and free to change position slightly.

An ergonomic chair is not designed to keep you pinned in place.

It is designed to support you.

2. Adjust the seat height

Height is the first mechanical adjustment you must perform.

Raise or lower the chair until:

• Your feet are completely supported on the floor.
• Your knees form an angle close to 90 degrees.
• Your thighs rest on the seat without excessive pressure.
• The back of your knees is not being pressed.
• Your pelvis is approximately at the same height as your knees or slightly higher.

You don't need to measure the angle precisely.

The practical reference is simpler: your feet must be stable, and your legs should not be dangling or overly flexed.

What happens if you can't reach the floor properly?

Do not automatically lower the chair if it makes your arms too low relative to the desk.

When the desk is fixed and too high, sometimes it is necessary to raise the chair to work with relaxed shoulders. In that case, using a footrest may be necessary.

It is recommended to raise the chair until you can place your elbows correctly on the surface and use a stable footrest when, after that adjustment, your feet no longer reach the floor well.

With an adjustable desk, the process is simpler: you keep the chair correctly adjusted and lower the desk to the appropriate height.

3. Check seat depth

Depth is the distance between the backrest and the front edge of the seat.

When you sit all the way back:

• The seat should support a sufficient portion of your thighs.
• The front edge should not press against the back of your knees.
• You should be able to use the backrest without having to slide forward.
• A seat that is too deep may force you to choose between supporting your back or avoiding pressure behind your knees.

One that is too short offers less support surface for your legs.

It is considered especially relevant that the depth allows you to use the backrest without the seat edge pressing on your legs.

4. Position the lumbar support correctly

The lumbar support should follow the natural curve of your lower back.

It should not be:

• Too low, resting only on the pelvis.
• Too high, pressing the middle area of the back.
• So far forward that it forces you to arch.
• So far back that it barely touches you.
• The proper sensation is one of support that is present, but not aggressive.

If the lumbar support is height-adjustable

Move it until it aligns with the natural curve of your lumbar area.

Do this while seated and check the position by leaning fully against the backrest.

If it is depth-adjustable

Start with moderate pressure.

Move it closer bit by bit until you notice it supports the back without pushing your body forward. The maximum setting does not have to be the best.

More pressure does not mean more ergonomics, it means more pressure.

In the Tablakala range, the Trinity and Focus chairs incorporate 2D padded lumbar support, adjustable in height and depth. The Pro offers lumbar support integrated through the curvature of the backrest, while the Neo does not have an independent lumbar piece.

5. Adjust the backrest tilt

The backrest does not necessarily have to remain locked in a vertical position throughout the day.

A slight tilt can help you offload some weight onto the backrest and vary your posture.

You can use two configurations:

Unlocked backrest

Allows the chair to follow your movement when you lean forward or backward.

It is a good option for working more dynamically and avoiding staying motionless in a fixed position.

Locked backrest

Maintains the tilt in a specific position.

It can be useful for specific tasks where you prefer more stable support, but it is not necessary to keep it permanently locked.

The Trinity, Pro, and Focus chairs incorporate a synchro mechanism: seat and backrest move in a coordinated way. The Neo uses permanent contact, through which the backrest follows the movement without the coordinated seat displacement characteristic of the synchro mechanism.

6. Adjust the tension control

Tension control determines how much force you must exert to lean backward.

The adjustment should adapt to your weight and how you sit.

If the backrest offers too much resistance

Reduce the tension.

You shouldn't have to push hard to get the chair to recline.

If the backrest falls backward too easily

Increase the tension.

The chair should accompany you in a controlled manner, not let you drop.

Test the adjustment several times:

1. Sit all the way back.
2. Unlock the tilt.
3. Recline slowly.
4. Adjust the tension.
5. Repeat until you find a natural resistance.

You don't need to get it perfect on the first try. In fact, it is normal to slightly modify the tension during the first few days of use.

7. Adjust the armrests

Armrests should allow your shoulders to remain relaxed.

Place them so that:

• Your elbows are close to your body.
• Your forearms can rest without raising your shoulders.
• You don't have to tilt your torso to one side.
• The arms do not make it difficult to get close to the desk.
• Your wrists can be kept in a natural position when using the keyboard and mouse.
• Armrests should not hinder work posture or prevent the chair from sliding under the table.

1D arms

Adjustable in height.

Raise or lower them until your forearms are supported and your shoulders are relaxed.

Incorporated in the Neo and Trinity chairs.

3D arms

Allow adjustment of:

• Height.
• Depth.
• Angle or rotation.

Start with the height. Then adjust the depth to bring the support closer to your elbows and, finally, modify the angle to follow the position of your forearms.

Incorporated in the Pro and Focus chairs.

If the arms bump into the table, don't force yourself to work far from the desk. Lowering them is usually better than sitting too far away and stretching your arms continuously.

8. Adjust the headrest

Not all ergonomic chairs need a headrest.

During an active task, such as typing or using the mouse, it is normal for your head not to remain supported constantly.

The headrest becomes more important when:

• You recline.
• You read documentation.
• You participate in a meeting.
• You make a call.
• You rest between tasks.

To adjust it:

1. Adjust its height so that it follows the back of your head.
2. Modify the tilt until you find natural support.
3. Check that it does not push your head forward.
4. Recline and check the position again.

A poorly adjusted headrest can be more annoying than not having one. OSHA recommends that, when present, it should be adjustable and not displace the head forward relative to a neutral position.

The Tablakala chairs with height- and tilt-adjustable headrests are Trinity and Focus.

Neo and Pro do not incorporate a headrest.

9. Adjust the desk height

Once the chair is configured, it is time to adapt the desk.

Approach the desk and place your hands on the keyboard.

The height should allow you to:

• Keep your shoulders relaxed.
• Keep your elbows close to your body.
• Support your forearms naturally.
• Avoid bending your wrists excessively.
• Work without leaning your torso forward.

If you have to raise your shoulders to reach the desk, it is too high.

If you have to slouch or lower your arms too much, it is probably too low.

A fixed desk often forces you to find a compromise. An adjustable desk allows you to adjust the work surface once the chair is already correctly configured.

In our guide on correct desk height, we explain how to find a suitable position for both sitting and standing work.

10. Position the keyboard, mouse, and monitor correctly

The chair does not work in isolation.

You must also review the rest of the station.

Keyboard

Place it close enough so you don't have to extend your arms. Your wrists should remain in a natural position, without bending upward.

Mouse

It must be at the same height as and close to the keyboard. It would make no sense to perfectly regulate your right arm and then spend eight hours stretching it to reach the mouse.

Monitor

Place it in front of you. The screen should not force you to turn your neck continuously or lean your head forward. As a reference, the top of the screen should be approximately at eye level, although the specific position will depend on the size of the monitor, the distance, and the individual characteristics of each person.

To review the complete station, see our guide on correct posture at the computer.

How to adjust each Tablakala ergonomic chair

Each model offers a different level of adjustment.

How to adjust the Tablakala Neo

The Neo incorporates:

• Seat height.
• 1D arms adjustable in height.
• Permanent contact mechanism.
• Manual tension control.

Recommended order:

1. Adjust the height.
2. Sit all the way back against the backrest.
3. Adjust the armrests.
4. Release the permanent contact.
5. Modify the tension until the backrest supports your weight smoothly.

It is a simple chair to configure and designed for daily work.

How to adjust the Tablakala Trinity

The Trinity adds:

• 2D lumbar support.
• Adjustable headrest.
• Synchro mechanism.
• Four-position tilt lock.
• 1D armrests.

Recommended order:

1. Adjust the seat height.
2. Set the height of the lumbar support.
3. Adjust its depth.
4. Adjust the armrests.
5. Configure the mechanism tension.
6. Choose between free movement or one of the locking positions.
7. Finally, position the headrest.

How to adjust the Tablakala Pro

The Pro incorporates:

• 3D armrests.
• Seat slide system.
• Synchro mechanism.
• Three-position lock.
• Integrated lumbar support.

Recommended order:

1. Adjust the height.
2. Adjust the seat depth.
3. Check that the backrest correctly supports the lumbar area.
4. Adjust the height, depth, and angle of the armrests.
5. Adjust the tension.
6. Choose the tilt position.

The adjustable depth is one of its main differentiators.

How to adjust the Tablakala Focus

The Focus is the chair with the most adjustments in the range:

• 2D lumbar support.
• Adjustable headrest.
• 3D armrests.
• Synchro mechanism.
• Four-position lock.
• Tension control.

Recommended order:

1. Adjust the height.
2. Position the lumbar support.
3. Adjust the armrests in their three directions.
4. Configure the mechanism tension.
5. Test the tilt positions.
6. Adjust the headrest once the rest of the chair is configured.

You can check out the four models in our collection of ergonomic office chairs. Their mechanisms and levels of adjustment are currently described in the collection and on each product page.

Common mistakes when adjusting an office chair

Setting the armrests too high

This causes the shoulders to remain elevated.

Lower them until you achieve a relaxed support.

Setting lumbar support to the maximum

More support is not always better.

It should follow the back, not push it.

Locking the backrest all day long

You can lock it when it is comfortable, but it is advisable to allow for changes in position and movement during the day.

Adjusting the desk first

This forces your body and the chair to adapt to a surface that may not be at the correct height.

Chair first. Desk second.

Sitting on the front of the seat

This makes you lose lumbar support and ends up making you lean forward.

Working with feet unsupported

If your feet are far from the floor after adjusting the chair to the desk, use a footrest or adjust the desk height.

Configuring the chair once and never touching it again

Your posture changes depending on the task.

You don't work exactly the same way when typing, reading, on a video call, or reclining for a few minutes.

The adjustments are there to be used.

Final checklist

Your chair should be set up so that:

• Your feet are supported.
• Your knees remain in a comfortable position.
• Your back uses the backrest.
• The lumbar support accompanies your lower back.
• The edge of the seat does not press against your legs.
• Your shoulders are relaxed.
• The armrests do not hit the desk.
• Your elbows are close to your body.
• The tilt follows your movement.
• The headrest does not push your head forward.
• The keyboard and mouse are close by.
• The screen is in front of you.

Do not look for a perfect posture to maintain for eight hours.

Look for a comfortable configuration that allows you to move.

An ergonomic chair does not replace movement

A well-adjusted chair can help you work more comfortably.

But remaining seated in exactly the same position throughout the workday is not the goal.

It is important to take breaks, alternate postures, and periodically relax your muscles and eyes.

Change the tilt slightly.

Stand up.

Walk for a few minutes.

Work standing up for a while.

Sit back down.

Ergonomics is not about finding a posture and freezing in it.

It is about preparing the space so that you can work and move naturally.

In summary

To correctly adjust an ergonomic office chair:

1. Sit all the way back.
2. Adjust the height.
3. Check the seat depth.
4. Position the lumbar support.
5. Adjust the tilt.
6. Configure the tension.
7. Adjust the armrests.
8. Position the headrest.
9. Adapt the desk height.
10. Check keyboard, mouse, and monitor.

Spend ten minutes doing it right.

Because buying a good chair and not adjusting it is like buying a good pair of shoes and wearing them two sizes too big.

The chair must adapt to you.

Not you to the chair.

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