According to statistics, the average height for men is 5’8” and 5’3” for women. Any person under that stature is considered short.
The review below discloses the best office chair for a short person in the market today.
It also highlights critical factors that short people should consider when buying office chairs.
If you have a short stature, there is no more worry for an office chair. You can choose any of these five depending on your budget and working space.
Comparison Chart
| Image | Brand | Name | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top | AmazonBasics | AmazonBasics Low-Back Chair | PrimeEligible | Check Price |
| Herman Miller | Herman Miller Aeron Chair Size A | PrimeEligible | Check Price | |
| Modway | Modway Thrive Drafting Chair | PrimeEligible | Check Price | |
| Steelcase | Steelcase Amia Chair | Prime | Check Price | |
| NBF Signature Series | NBF Faux Leather Petite Chair | Prime | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Detailed reviews of the five best office chairs for short person:
1. AmazonBasics Low-Back Chair
Best Value for Your Money
- Elegant but straightforward task chair with fully-adjustable features.
This chair is an amazon brand purposely designed for petite users. Its height adjustment can go as low as 16”. Therefore, the user’s feet will gently touch the floor with no strain.
It has a depth of 17.5 inches, a width of 18 inches, and a height of up to 21 inches. The chair has five smooth-rolling casters. They make it possible for the user to move from one work station to another.
It has a breathable mesh fabric which enhances more user comfort. As such, you cannot feel moist or sweaty on your back after long sits. The chair design enables users to sit upright. Doing so positions the spine correctly, thus, improving your posture.
Mostly, the AmazonBasics is suitable for people who use computers for long hours. You can slide it to your desk as much as you want. Using such a chair will keep you focused on your tasks.
Since it has a 360-degree swivel, the user can handle several tasks simultaneously. The maximum weight capacity for this chair is 250lbs. It is also available in a variety of colors to suit your sense of style.
Pros
Cons
2. Herman Miller Aeron Chair Size A
Best for Lumbar Support
- It offers perfect lumbar support due to adjustable backrests and tilt ability.
The Aeron office chair is available in three different sizes, and A is the smallest. Its height ranges from 15 to 19 inches. As such, it perfectly suits anyone with a height of between 4 feet 10 inches and 5 feet 9 inches.
It can accommodate an individual with a weight of up to 150lbs. Aeron is made of high-quality recycled material. Its back has eight distinct zones that have varying tension. As such, it supports your body in entirety.
The PostureFit SL backrests are responsible for supporting the spine. They do so by keeping the pelvis in constant tilting. It has adjustable pads that stabilize the spine base to enhance your sitting comfort.
This Aeron office chair can support diverse sitting postures and motions. At the same time, it maintains your stability and balance. It is suitable for people who engage in cross-performances as they sit. It exclusively accommodates the broadest range of working postures.
Pros
Cons
3. Modway Thrive Drafting Chair
Best for Standing Desks & Studio Spaces
- Works well with standing desks, drafting tables and studio spaces.
Short people should use the Modway drafting chair for standing desks. As such, it will give them proper lumbar support and ergonomic safety.
The drafting chair has a hydraulic lift, which adjusts its height from 20 to 28 inches. That height seems unreasonable for short persons.
However, it has an adjustable foot ring, thus making it fit for short people. The ring keeps one stable and helps maintain proper posture.
This chair has a dense pad that provides for proper circulation of blood in the thighs.
Modway chair offers excellent lumbar support for your back. Its backrest is made of breathable mesh, which gives you a cooling effect as you sit.
Short people mostly use a drafting chair while working on a standing desk or a drafting table. It is also used in studio spaces, for instance, when practising a musical instrument.
It is also a perfect office décor and is available in different colors.
Pros
Cons
4. Steelcase Amia Chair
Best for Continuous Lower Back Support
- Has fully adjustable features and offers incredible support to your lower back.
This office chair has an adjustable seat depth of between 15.5 to 18.5 inches. As a result, it takes the form of your body frame with ease.
Whenever you lean forward while sitting, some pressure forms at the back of your legs. Steelcase Amia significantly relieves the stress due to its flexible seat edge.
The seat height can go down up to 16 inches. As such, it is incredibly favorable for people with short frames. The backrest design allows for flexibility and adjustability. As a result, it gives your lower back continuous support all day.
Another feature that makes this chair more attractive is its adjustable armrests. These armrests can move in four dimensions, thus, supporting you in any posture you take. It also gives short people total control over their arm support’s height and width.
This Amia chair can hold a maximum weight of 300lbs and still function as usual. It comes in 21 different colors.
Pros
Cons
5. NBF Faux Leather Petite Chair
Best in Durability
- Made of 100% PVC-free upholstery material which gives it exceptional durability.
The black upholstery material used to make this office chair is 100% PVC-free. As such, it makes the chair highly durable and easy to clean.
Unlike most office chairs, this NBF Faux has a variety of adjustable features. They are; lumbar support, arm height, seat height, arm width, synchro tilt, and seat tension. These flexible features aim at enhancing user comfort.
The height of this petite chair can go down up to 18 inches. It also has a seat depth of 17 inches. The combination of these two features makes it perfect for short individuals.
The materials used in the chair design have approval and certification from Greenguard. As such, they are safe for your health since they meet acceptable pollutant standards.
It has also been approved by the American Chiropractic Association and rated by BIFMA.
Pros
Cons
Buyer's Guide
If you sit behind a desk all day long, a chair that correctly supports your back, arms, and thighs should be paramount. Unfortunately, many offices and workstations have no small desk chair for a short person.
Also, very few manufacturers in the market specialize in small desk chairs. As such, short people encounter tons of challenges when buying office chairs.
Statistics show that chairs play a significant role in employees’ daily productivity. A comfortable office chair allows one to concentrate on the work they have to do. On the contrary, employees tend to focus on an uncomfortable chair rather than work.
Apart from comfort, a chair has a remarkable impact on the lumbar, muscles, and joints of the user. If it does not fit your frame, it can cause serious health implications over time.
Therefore, you need to find an office chair that perfectly matches your body frame.
Below are vital factors short people should consider before buying an office chair:
F.A.Q.
Can I use an office chair with a headrest if I’m short?
As a short person, you should be careful when buying an office chair with a headrest. A comfortable headrest should ideally fit into the curve of your back neck.
However, for a short person, the headrest comes at the back of your head, thus pushing it forward. Therefore, if you must use a headrest, you must be sure that the chair perfectly fits your height.
Nonetheless, most office chairs for short people don't have a headrest option.
Is lumbar support necessary since I’m short?
Yes, lumbar support is vital to everybody despite your height. It protects your lower spine and back from strains, which can lead to terrible aches.
If you intend to use the chair for long hours, then lumbar support should be paramount.
What should I look for when buying an office chair for a short person?
The key factors to consider are seat height, depth, and arm width. Go for a chair that provides for the adjustability of these features, among others. As such, you can personalize each of them to suit your preference.
As a short person, does the weight of a seat matter?
Yes, you should put into consideration the weight of an office chair before purchase. A light-weight chair is most recommendable since you can easily change its location. There are many fancy chairs with excellent features, yet they are not bulky.
Conclusion
People of an average frame can use almost all office chairs in the market today. Nonetheless, wrong chair-selection is likely to cause discomfort and body ache over time.
As a short person, you need a chair that gives you ample comfort for daily productivity. Don’t settle for an average office chair. There are plenty of office chairs that are specially designed for short people.
AmazonBasics Low-Back Task chair suits all short users. Apart from its affordability, it sorts all your comfort problems. It has an adjustable height to keep you comfortable for long-hour sitting.
Also, it offers incredible lower back support.