Just as with those individuals who are taller or heavier than the average body, petite people have a difficult time finding a chair that fits properly. Most chairs, even when adjustable, are designed to fit the 5th - 95th percentile. A 5’2" female is technically right at the 5th percentile, but will still find that most chairs are really not scaled properly. An improperly sized chair can present genuine health risks. A seat that is too deep can create circulatory problems for the lower legs. A properly fitting seat has two to four fingers' width of space between the front of the seat edge and the back of the knee. Too high a seat can also cut off circulation to the lower extremities; however if seat height is the only fit problem, a foot rest is a quick and inexpensive fix. Many chairs have a seated height that starts anywhere from 16" to 19" or more. Given that the correct seated height for a 5’ tall person is 14" and only 15.5" at 5’4", too high a seat is a common problem.

Arms that are too far apart limit support for the shoulders and arms. Proper support of the arms is part of the solution to prevent hand, arm, thoracic, and neck problems, so improperly placed chairs arms can rule out an otherwise great chair. In addition to these fit issues, the lumbar may hit in the wrong place and the headrest miss the head if the chair back cannot be adjusted to fit the smaller person. Note to heavier people: a heavier, short person might not need as shallow or narrow a seat as their hips will require a larger space to fit comfortably and may be perfectly suited for a standard sized chair, provided it is equipped with a shorter cylinder to offer a lower seated height range. Great chair options for petite ladies Three chairs we’ve found that fit an amazing range of bodies are the Steelcase Amia chair, Steelcase Leap chair, and the Steelcase Think chair. In addition to having a generous seat depth range, these seats are narrower than many, and the standard arms can be slid inward, close to the body.

These chairs are especially well suited for corporate environments where one chair may have to fit many users over its lifetime. Neutral Posture, Bodybilt, Ergocentric and Via all offer chairs with the option of a small or even extra small seat. Seating Inc. has several models that offer a petite version that is scaled to fit a smaller body. Thus it is possible to offer an entire office a uniform appearance while fitting different body sizes. All of these companies offer arm options as well, that at a minimum are width adjustable. Some models have arms that will pivot inward or offer a double pivot, allowing the user to bring them closer to the body. Some of our favorites In addition to the Steelcase chairs named above, The Ergocentric GeoCentric chair is comfortable, well built and an excellent value. The Neutral Posture XSM Petite chair is designed for the ultra-petite, under 5’ tall person and can work well even for an extremely petite person - as short as three feet tall.

I’m 5’1" and bought a Neutral Posture NPS8500 chair for my personal use (without the headrest) and absolutely love it. where to buy starbucks leather chairsA great home office chair at a budget price is the ErgoCentric Saffron Apt chair, which starts just above the $200 mark. patio chair cushions in canadaThe Bodybilt J2406 chair or Bodybilt J3406 chair are the ultimate in comfort and are highly customizable, making them the best choice for those with serious pain issues. rocking chair plans downloadAll of these can be customized into a drafting stool with height adjustable foot rings for leg support to accommodate a taller desk or a sit to stand workstation.patio chair cushions on amazon

In summary, just as with any other body size, getting a chair that fits the body correctly is the key factor to all day comfort and injury prevention. white folding chairs hireWhile it is more challenging for the petite person to find a good chair, there are excellent options out there.we buy your pushchairAt least once a week I receive an email from a reader asking for advice about IT band pain. patio chair cushions with pocketThe iliotibial (IT) band is a group of muscle fibers that runs along the outside of the thigh, from the hip to the knee. lounge chair and ottoman priceThe IT band functions as a stabilizer during running and is one of the most common overuse injuries. cheap velvet armchairs

The pain generally presents itself on the outside of the knee, but hip pain can be a symptom as well. If you’re currently experiencing pain –  I know how frustrating it is! My injury started off in my hamstring and then migrated to my IT band and knees. I truly believe that muscles and ligaments all work together and if one gets out of whack, everything can start to hurt! Luckily, after almost a year of trying nearly everything in the book , I can honestly say that the pain in my right hamstring and IT band is GONE. I’m having a little left side back/butt pain at the moment, but that’s a whole other story… I guess running isn’t running without the occasional ache and pain! I’m not a doctor or a phsyical therapist, but I do have some tips on re-habbing your IT band. 1) Reduce your mileage and/or take time off from running. Eventhough I only ran once a week throughout the summer, things still weren’t getting much better. Finally, in August I got an ear infection (blessing in disguise?) and had to take nearly 2 weeks off of running/exercise.

I think the absolute rest really helped! And it’s worth noting – if your shoes have more than 400 miles on them, get some new ones! Worn out running shoes definitely aren’t going to make things better. 2) If the pain is mild and you still want to run – avoid hills, apply ice (10-15 minutes at a time), and take ibuprofen afterward.Taking anti-inflammatories before exercise can mask pain and cause you to push yourself past safe limits. Plus it can cause stomach upset! If you’re going to ice in the dead of winter – I advise pairing that cold pack with a cup of tea and a cozy bed 🙂 3) Stretch, strengthen, stretch! Runner’s World has some great articles on IT band syndrome – check them out here and here . And now for my own stretching/strengthening demonstrations! The foam roller: Place the outside of your affected leg face-down on the foam roller and use your body weight to roll back and forth over the tight muscle fiber. Roll back and forth for about 20-30 seconds at a time, rest, and repeat. I

f you’re new to foam rolling – this will probably hurt a bit! The foam acts as a mini massage, loosening up the muscle and un-kinking the knots. Make sure you are pressing hard enough – you want to get deep into the muscle tissue. Basic IT band stretch: Stand up straight and cross your “good leg” (i.e. the side that isn’t bothering you) over the other leg. Using the wall for support, jut out the hip on your “bad” leg until you feel a stretch running from your hip to your knee. You can remain standing up right or lean over. It takes a little trial and error before you hit that stretching sweet spot. The hip flexor/butt stretch: Eventhough I feel this stretch mostly in my hips, I think it still loosens up the IT band a bit. Bend your knees slightly, pick up your bum leg and place the heel of that leg on the knee of the other leg. Continue to squat down until you feel a stretch through the butt, hip, and knee. You can also do a variation of this while sitting at your desk chair!

strong IT band strap strong KT Tape to stabilize the IT band and limit friction between the muscles and bones. You can purchase these from most running shops. 4) Even when I wasn’t running, I would often have pain and stiffness. Sitting at my desk all day really aggravated my IT band/hamstring/knee. Now I sit on a tennis ball or baseball and massage out the muscles – it seems to help! If you’re on the go a lot (travelling, etc) – check out the stick . It’s great for giving yourself a mini massage when you don’t have access to a foam roller. Finally, I know that cross-training doesn’t quite compare to running, but high intensity cycling or elliptical workouts can help you stay in good cardiovascular shape while avoiding the pounding that occurs on the roads. And don’t forget about yoga! Stretching and strengthening the whole body can do a lot for muscle imbalances. Been there, done that and still having IT band issues? Find out more about alternative sports medicine treatment .