How to Sit in a Gaming Chair the Right Way

If you are a hardcore gamer and spend hours a day in your gaming chair, you may notice some tension in your muscles or pain in your back and neck. But you bought the most high-end ergonomic chair on the market — how could this be? In order to maximize the benefits of your chair, you need to know how to sit in a gaming chair properly.

The reason is you are probably sitting incorrectly. This piece will walk you through how to achieve the ideal ergonomic sitting position in a gaming chair so you can relieve pain and discomfort no matter how long you want to game.

What is the Neutral Spine Position?

Neutral spine position is imperative to your spinal health and overall comfort. The neutral spine position is when you sit or stand that places the least amount of pressure and tension on your vertebrae.

It essentially means good posture concerning your spine and your neck. The steps below for properly sitting in a gaming chair should help you arrive at a neutral spine position while you game, so you don’t strain any muscles.

Best Way to Sit in a Gaming Chair

Follow these step-by-step instructions for how to properly sit in a gaming chair so you can be as comfortable as possible and treat your body well:

1. Tuck in your hips and sit in the chair so that your spine rolls against the lumbar support. Your back should lean against the backrest.
2. Align your elbows with your desktop to reduce strains on your wrists, arms, and shoulders. Your armrests should be adjusted so you can rest your elbows on them in this position without strain.
3. Make sure you firmly plant your feet on the floor, and your knees are pining forward. Do not allow your knees to fold in or swing out because this will strain your glutes.
4. Follow these steps every single time you sit down. The key here is to form this sitting position as a habit, so you automatically default to it without thinking.

How to Adjust Your Chair

Chair Height

The most important part of adjusting your seat’s height is ensuring both of your feet can sit flat on the floor. Your knees should be lower than your hips. When you sit with your feet flat on the floor, your knees should form an angle greater than 90 degrees.

If you set your chair too low or high, it causes unnecessary muscle tension, back strain, and instability.

Seat Depth and Tilt

Your chair should have a mechanism that allows you to tile the seat forward. This will bring your pelvis forward and foster a healthy sitting posture. Do not tilt the seat back as this will apply pressure to your spine and pelvis, making you uncomfortable.

Back Tilt

The backrest on the chair should be perfectly straight so that when you sit fully in the chair, the backrest touches your back, and your head is directly above your pelvis.

Some chairs have a reclining feature which is not recommended but can be used in certain situations. It is not a good idea to have your chair set to recline at all times, especially when using a monitor.

Lumbar Support

The lumbar feature will push part of the backrest into the curve of your spine, so it isn’t curved the wrong way. It may feel strange at first, but lumbar support keeps your spine in its optimal position and relieves unnecessary tension on your vertebrae.

Seat Depth

The depth of the seat should be adjusted so that the back of your calves does not touch the edge of the seat when your back is against the backrest. If you can’t adjust the chair for this, your chair may be too large for you.

The seat’s depth should be slightly smaller than the length of your thighs so your back can touch the backrest without your calf circulation being disrupted by the seat’s edge.

Armrest Positioning

Your armrests should line up evenly with your desktop. The angle between the upper and lower arm should be 90 degrees, and your forearms should be relaxed when they lay on the armrests. Your shoulders shouldn’t need to push down to reach the armrests.

Your arms should rest in a natural position and be supported by the armrests. You should not feel that you are pushing down on them or straining to reach them whether you have to reach down, out, or in.

5 Best Ergonomic Gaming Chairs

These are the top 5 ergonomic gaming chairs of 2021. If this article has made you realize your chair isn’t up to snuff, check out these gaming chairs so you can upgrade your setup and improve your bodily health.

1. GTRacing GT890M Gaming Chair

The chair includes Bluetooth-connected speakers for immersive audio, adjustable lumbar support and neck pillow, and a unique rocking function to help you relax.

2. DXRacer Formula Series DF101 Gaming Chair

With a class 4 gas lift for safe and easy height adjustment, adjustable lumbar support and headrest, and 360-degree swivel casters for effortless movement, this is one of the top gaming chairs available.

3. Secretlab OMEGA

The OMEGA chair is finished in a PRIME™ 2.0 PU Leather and memory foam pillows for maximum durability and comfort. The chair also comes with a 5-year warranty, so there is little risk in giving this chair a spin.

4. AutoFull Pink Gaming Chair

This chair features an explosion-proof gas lift for enhanced safety plus a heavy-duty metal base for stability and durability. It also comes with a customization kit, so you can add cute accessories to the chair to make it your own.

5. AutoFull E-Sports Gaming Chair

The E-Sports Chair allows for the backrest to recline between 90 and 150 degrees with a 25-degree rock. The chair is a large piece of furniture but is fairly easy to assemble, so don’t be intimidated.

Bottom Line

If you’ve been experiencing pain while gaming for hours, you may be to blame and not your chair. An ergonomically designed chair is the only part of sitting correctly while you game.

Keep this advice in mind next time you go to sit in your gaming chair. Follow the steps to achieve a neutral spine position so your bones can be healthy and you can be comfortable.

FAQs

What’s the difference between office chairs and gaming chairs?

Gaming chairs and office chairs utilize the same basic ergonomic designs, however, gaming chairs are built for longer sessions than office chairs. They usually feature more cushioning and added supports to relieve strain on your body.

If you need a chair for a professional setting, office chairs are a better choice. But for total comfort and bodily health, gaming chairs are more ergonomic and offer more customizable or adjustable features so you can tailor the chair for your needs.

Where should my monitor be?

Your monitor should be straight up and down with no tilt. A tilt can strain your eyes. To improve neck comfort and reduce tension, set up your monitor so the top third of the screen is at eye level. Most people spend the majority of their screen time focused on the top third of the computer.

Should I get a footrest?

A footrest isn’t necessary for your gaming setup but can add another level of comfort and relaxation while you shoot down zombies. Ergonomically speaking, footrests can take tension and strain off your feet and legs while improving circulation.

A footrest combined with a proper gaming chair will also relieve pressure from your lower back which takes the brunt of sitting.