Chair is the most important part of a computer user’s workstation. So as we have said again and again, don’t skimp on the chair and don’t expect “one-size-fits-all” approach to work for all users of an organization or an office.
Please note that petite is a term coined by the fashion industry for women in the height range 4’11” – 5’4”. For men the corresponding term is short size, slim or junior fit. It is also extremely important to understand that petite does not refer only to the person’s height – petite is about the overall proportions, leaner frame, shorter torso and shorter limbs. However irrespective of the terms used, the problems faced are common across the gender divide. In this article we will be using the term petite for women as well as men.
Petite people face obstacles in daily life on multiple levels – while buying clothes, furniture, kitchen equipment, household fixtures and even while using shared set-ups and collaborative multi-user systems. Most components of these set-ups are designed with average height users in mind or based some quaint post World-War ideas. Either way petite users often end up with kitchen shelves that are too tall for them or high desktops that require perched shoulders to type and invite wrist, shoulder pain.
Chair-related problems faced by petite users
- Chairs do not lower enough – As the below infographic indicates, for a 5’1” person, he/she needs to sit at a height of 16” from the floor (with a margin of error of an inch to account for torso and lower limb differences). At this height, the user should be able to sit with feet flat and secure on the floor, knees bent at a right angle, the upper legs parallel to the floor and the back supported by the backrest.
But most chairs, unless they are petite chairs, do not lower to 16” and it’s not uncommon for petite employees to get stuck with chairs meant for taller people. That’s when you see feet dangling or toes stretched to touch the floor. Because the feet do not receive the grounding of the floor support, the user feels the strain/pain in the back and tingling, numbing of feet. A footrest can take care of this problem, though in our opinion, a footrest is not a sustainable solution. Every time one needs to get up or stand, one has to alight from the footrest, take the support of the desktop with upper arms to get up. Over a prolonged period of time, this repetitive action can put pressure on the upper arms and lead to aches and pain.
2. Desktops are too high – Research shows that the standard desk height has remained in the 28” – 30” range for decades. Mind you, this desktop height is suitable only for people over 5’8” in height. Clearly ergonomics was not a concern when mass manufacturing started in the 19th and 20th century. What took precedence was the immense need for cost reduction via standardization and mass production. And the 28” – 30” desktop height with two filing cabinets was suitable for a 5’8” tall male, who was the primary office-goer. And that became the height of a standard desk which continues till today.
As you can see in the above infographic, the ideal typing height for 5’ person is 23”, a height at which that person types with relaxed shoulders, elbows bent at 90-95 degrees and close to the body and straight wrists.
So a 5’ person trying to work his/her 8-hour job at a 28” desk is going to result in perched shoulders, aching upper arms, dangling feet (from chair raised to reach the desktop), broken wrists and discomfort and eventually long-term pain.
3. Seat pans are too deep – As mentioned earlier, a petite person is not only a short person. Petiteness is about proportions, lean frame, short legs, short torso and short arms. The average chair seat pans of 16-17” are too deep for petite users which results in the users sitting close to the edge of the seat pan to reach the typing devices on the desktop, without the support of the backrest. This causes lower back pain and a slouching posture.
4. Arm rests are too wide – At 19-20”, the average seat is too wide for a petite person requiring him or her to stretch the elbows uncomfortably for armrest support. This causes upper limbs and shoulder discomfort.
Tips and Solutions for petite users
- First and foremost, do not buy a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter chair.
Most of these chairs are manufactured with stereotypical, often outdated perceptions of an average height user. So a petite person will almost always find the seat height of these chairs too high. These chairs are also not meant to cater to unique, specific body type and issues of the user. For example, if you are 5’6” tall and you buy a standard chair but your body type is such that your torso is lengthier than your legs. In this case you are not going to need the seat height of an average user, you will probably need the seat height of a petite person. The standard chairs do not account for such differences.
If you have lower back pain or need upper back thoracic support, none of these chairs will be equipped with those specialized features.
2. As far as possible sample the chairs
There is no substitute to trying the chairs in person, especially if you have a knowledgeable chair specialist who will examine your posture when you are seated, your working style and pattern and pair your unique needs with the features of a particular chair.
Set aside $500 for a customized ergonomic chair
Chair is the most important part of your workstation especially if your work is computer facing for 8 hours a day. A chair will guide your posture and help with aches and pains associated with typing or staring at a screen for prolonged hours.
Here are our typical chair recommendations for petite users –
1) Office Master DB53 Ergonomic Healthy Task Chair – What distinguishes the DB53 from other chairs is its unique pear-shaped back that permits a user’s shoulder blades to travel more fully rearward when leaning back and stretching. You can stretch your shoulders and arms every 30 minutes or so, which not only loosens my muscles but also reminds me to sit up straight and improve my posture. The DB53 has memory foam built into the backrest and a lumbar support feature. As a result, the lower back will protrude or retract to support and hit the right spot on your lower back. I would recommend adding memory foam in the seat to provide soft padding and also to prolong the life of the seat and help with wear and tear. The DB53’s seat has a depth of 17”-20”. The lumbar support feature of DB53 offers customizable support for the lower back. Base price (with adjustable arms): $557.70
2) Office Master PT62 Ergonomic Task Chair – PT62 is a task chair designed with petite users in mind and a variety of adjustments at an affordable price. The back height and seat depth can be adjusted, it has a rocking tilt with a tension knob that will let you increase or decrease the tension required to recline. The seat has an adjustable seat depth of 16” – 19.1”. Base price (with height adjustable arms): $520.65
3) Neutral Posture XSM High Performance Executive Chair – Perfectly proportioned for petite users, the XSM provides big ergonomics in a small chair. Apart from adjustments for back, seat height, depth, angle and tension, the XSM has an adjustable lumbar that will let you adjust the arch of the lower back per your comfort. The seat cushion of XSM has a petite seat and minimal contour as opposed to the medium seat shown in the image below. You can choose a mesh back or a cloth back for this chair. Base price (with adjustable arms): $994.20
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