Desk Too High for Typing? Fix It With Chair Adjustment + a Footrest (Using Real Measurements)
If your desk is too high, raising your chair can help—but only if you add a correctly sized footrest. This guide shows how to measure your own keyboard height, elbow height, and leg length to set an ergonomic chair + footrest setup.
- The Core Idea (Why Chair + Footrest Works)
- What You’ll Need (2 Minutes)
- Step 2: Measure B (Keyboard Height From the Floor)
- Step 3: Set your height of your chair with just a single calculation
- Step 4: Measure C (Your Popliteal Height) and Set Footrest Height
- Worked Example (So You Can Copy the Style)
- Fine-Tuning: Make It Comfortable for Hours (Not Just 30 Seconds)
- Choosing a Footrest (What Matters Most)
- Common Mistakes (That Keep the Desk Feeling Too High)
- When Chair + Footrest Isn’t Enough (Better Fixes)
- Quick verification checklist (should do this after any change)
- FAQ
This results in “typing tall.” Your computer “could” be too high. No, I don’t mean your computer science course. I mean your actual computer keyboard is too high for your elbows. Solutions are somewhere along the axes of: 1. Desk/Keyboard height, 2. Footrest/Chair height.
A “too-height” desk is generally a keyboard-height problem—in other words, a keyboard-height problem, NOT a desktop-height problem. If the virtual keys sit higher than the elbow of natural height, then the body compensates by shrugging the shoulders and/or lifting the wrist and/or leaning forward to reach the keys.
- Shoulders feel tense or visibly shrugged while typing
- Elbows flare out or drift far in front of your torso
- Wrists bend up/sideways to reach the keys (instead of staying straight)
- Forearms angle up toward the desk (instead of being roughly parallel)
- You feel pressure on the undersides of your wrists/forearms from the desk edge
A solid target posture is: shoulders relaxed, elbows close to your body and bent about 90–120 degrees, forearms roughly parallel to the floor, and feet fully supported (floor or footrest). Those checkpoints are consistent with OSHA workstation guidance. (osha.gov)
The Core Idea (Why Chair + Footrest Works)
If you can’t lower the desk/keyboard, you bring your body up to the keyboard by raising the chair. But when you raise the chair, your feet may dangle. That’s when a footrest becomes essential—your feet should be fully supported by the floor or a stable footrest. (osha.gov)
What You’ll Need (2 Minutes)
- A tape measure (or a ruler + book + a way to mark heights)
- Your chair (height adjustable is ideal)
- A footrest (or a temporary substitute like a sturdy box + non-slip mat)
- Optional: a small cushion or folded towel for lumbar support while you test positions
- Sit in your chair with your upraised feet resting on the floor, back supported by a backrest, arms hanging naturally at your sides. Your arms will be a bit slack, the elbow angle close to 90° but not more than 120°. Two people can have different seated elbow heights at the same height (the seat is at the same height, but one person is shorter and thus less high in the seat).
- Have someone measure the distance from the surface of your seat or chair to your bony elbow structure (first upstairs, above any cushion or other substance).
- Measure vertically to see how high up from the surface of your seat is your elbow crease; or, if there is.
Put that elbow height down on a sheet of scrap paper to run under your typewriter roller. We will then have the next measurement, all we need for the keyboard model, to begin with. Let your upper arms hang naturally near your torso; bend elbows so your forearms are roughly level (targeting the “neutral” concept: elbows close to the body and bent about 90–120°). (osha.gov) - Measure straight up from this seat surface (where your sit bones load the cushion) to the level of your elbow (or elbow crease). Record this as A.
Step 2 Measure B (Keyboard Height From the Floor)
- Place the keyboard where you actually type (not pushed far back).
- Measure from the floor to the top surface of the keys, where your fingers rest most of the time. Record this as B.
- If you type on a laptop, measure to the keyboard area (not the screen).
Step 3 Set your height of your chair with just a single calculation
Goal: when you sit in your chair, your elbow height should match the keyboard height of your desk or other lead surface, so your forearms can be approximately parallel and your wrists can stay straight. This document describes this general neutral alignment (straight wrists/forearms; elbows close; forearms approximately parallel). (osha.gov)
- Calculate your seat height target: SeatHeightTarget = B − A.
- Adjust your chair, so the surface of your seat is close to SeatHeightTarget.
- Do a reality check: sit, and place your hands on your keyboard. Your shoulders should feel relaxed, your elbows should be near your body, and your wrists should feel straight—and not cocked upward.
Step 4: Measure C (Your Popliteal Height) and Set Footrest Height
Since we’re making sure that chair is right for typing height-wise, we still need to make sure the feet are supported. A footrest is recommended for people whose feet don’t comfortably touch the floor when the desk/work surface can’t be adjusted. (osha.gov)
- Measure C: sit back so your lower leg is vertical, and note floor to back of knee-crease height.
- Compute FootrestHeightTarget = SeatHeightTarget − C.
- Adjust footrest so your feet are fully supported and thighs feel about level (not forced upwards).
Worked Example (So You Can Copy the Style)
Again to check consistency, here are the numbers from last time and example numbers (yours will be different):
- A = 10 in (seat to elbow)
- B = 30 in (floor to key surface)
- C = 17 in (floor to knee crease)
- SeatHeightTarget = B − A = 30 − 10 = 20 in
- FootrestHeightTarget = SeatHeightTarget − C = 20 − 17 = 3 in
- Result: Raise chair up high enough so the seat height is about 20 inches, then use a ~3 inch footrest to support feet while the elbows can stay at keyboard height.
Fine-Tuning: Make It Comfortable for Hours (Not Just 30 Seconds)
- Keep wrists straight—don’t “reach up” to the keys
After setting your chair height, lightly rest your fingers on the home row. If your wrists bend downward, the keyboard is really too high (or too far away).- Pull the keyboard toward you so you’re still close to the front edge of the desk (elbows stay close to your torso). If the sharp edge of the desk presses into your forearms, you may want to add a soft edge protector or move away from the edge so you’re not pressing into it.
- Don’t let the chair-height fix ruin your leg position
If the chair is too high, raising the chair can reduce clearance under the desk. OSHA notes “Sufficient clearance for thighs when sitting.” (osha.gov) “Work surface should keep forearms in a level position so that hands may be effectively used in a neutral posture; feet should be supported by the floor or footrest.” (osha.gov)- If your thighs are hitting under the desk, adding a footrest may not be enough. If your knees (forcibly) spread wide apart or you can’t get near the keyboard, the whole setup “forces” you into reaching (which strains shoulders and neck).
- Re-check your shoulder and elbow angles
Do your shoulders feel “lifted”? They should feel “down.” Elbows should stay close to the body and bent roughly 90–120 degrees, with forearms approximately level. (osha.gov)- Type for 2 minutes. Pause and drop your hands to your lap. If your shoulders immediately feel relief, you were probably elevating them when typing.
- Change something a little (chair height down ½in / 1cm, or bring keyboard closer) and repeat.
Choosing a Footrest (What Matters Most)
The best footrest is the one that hits your measured height range, and stays where you want it. Your target is a height, (SeatHeightTarget − C), and aesthetics take a back seat. You want:
- Height adjustability (so you can match your target, and fine-tune)
- Non-slip surface and stable base (no sliding when you reposition)
- Broad enough for both feet comfortably
- Optional rocking/tilt feature if you like a little movement—without pushing your ankles into extreme angles
Common Mistakes (That Keep the Desk Feeling Too High)
- Raising the chair, but omitting the footrest (unsupported feet lead to cumulation of pressure behind the thighs, restless posture). (osha.gov)
- Using the armrests to “hold yourself up” while typing (can elevate shoulders if armrests are too high).
- Placing keyboard too far back, forcing a reach, and pulling the elbows away from the body (often feels like the desk is higher than it is).
- Trying to fix a height problem with a thick wrist rest (wrist rests are for pausing, and not for pushing wrists into a constant extension while typing).
- Not checking under-desk clearance—if you can’t get close underneath, something will yield, and you’ll compensate with your shoulders, with your neck. (osha.gov)
When Chair + Footrest Isn’t Enough (Better Fixes)
The chair + footrest method is a good workaround, but has its limits. If your desk is extremely high, it may be that you will completely run out of comfortable chair height, or that your thighs will hit the underside of the desk. OSHA talks about sufficient clearance under the work surface. (osha.gov)
| Option | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard tray (lower than desktop) | Reaching proper elbow level at keyboard without making your chair much too tall | Must have space under desk; some effort to install; tray size and other separate knobs to put them in good spots |
| Adjustable-height desk (i.e. sit/stand) | Many users; many postures in short term; big height mismatch between users | More expensive; monitor may need adjusting too |
| Raise the monitor (separate stand) | When you do raise your chair, and the monitor is too low | Only improves screen height, not keyboard height |
| Different chair with more height range | Current one won’t go high enough to reach keyboard height | Is still likely to need a footrest once chair is higher |
Quick verification checklist (should do this after any change)
- Shoulders should be relaxed, not elevated. (osha.gov)
- Elbows close to body, bent 90–120°. (osha.gov)
- Forearms approximately parallel to floor. (osha.gov)
- Wrists/hands in straight line with forearms (no bent-up typing). (osha.gov)
- Feet fully supported (i.e. floor or stable footrest).
- Leg clearance: sit close to the keyboard without thighs being trapped. (osha.gov)
- Leg clearance: sit close to the keyboard without thighs being trapped. (osha.gov)
FAQ
Should I raise my chair high enough so my elbows are level with the desk or the level of the keyboard I’m typing on?
Use the height of the keyboard as the basis—specifically the area where you put your hands to type. Desks tend to be deeper (thicker) than the surface where the keys are—think of the height in reference to the keystroke area where your hands contact the keys.
By matching the level of your elbows with the keystroke area rather than the desktop, you’ll end up with a straighter set of wrists and relaxed shoulders and arms. (osha.gov)
How can I tell if a footrest is too low or high?
Your feet should feel like they can comfortably come to rest on the top of it completely for support. You should also be able to maintain your typing stance—with your shoulders relaxed but arms in close to you so your elbows can be about 75 degrees in from your sides. If it starts to feel like the knees are too forcefully up above the feet, etc., decide if the footrest is just too high. If you are not entirely sure, lower the footrest and then recheck the height of your desk/chair setup. (osha.gov)
My chair is now high enough but the monitor seems low in comparison. What is the best way for me to correct this?
Raise the monitor rack or arm to whatever height you need for the screen surface to meet your eyes. If required, a stable riser can help. Your head should settle into it naturally now, and your neck should be kept level rather than flexed down unduly toward it. Do not make the mistake of getting your keyboard solution right and then lowering the chair again, but getting the monitor right before considering getting generally lower with the keyboard again. (osha.gov).
If all I do is put a thicker wrist rest on my keyboard tray, will that bring my chair high enough?
A thick wrist support generally will not fix a too-high a keyboard. In fact, it might even compound problems since now you might be inclined to work with a bent wrist more anyway. Pull your chair higher and see if you have “foot room” with them on the floor and try matching the elbow height first and then using a footrest. (osha.gov)
What if I cannot get enough of a “clearance” under the desk after my chair/lift apparatus is elevated?
That will tell you that you may need a new “tool.” Either a keyboard tray or an adjustable desk would seem more in line. OSHA says it is a serious consideration of ergonomics and user comfort. (iso.org).