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You've just set up your home office and you were quick to realize you needed a good ergonomic office chair. You weren't cheap, you purchased a good one with all the adjustments, with lumbar support, they told you it was the best on the market. And it probably is, but if you don't use it correctly you might just as well be sitting on a kitchen chair. Follow these tips to sitting correctly on an office chair to keep you comfortable and healthy

1. Align YourselfIf you are doing computer work make sure you have aligned your chair to the center point of your monitor and keyboard, and that you have pulled the chair close enough so that you do not have to stretch or strain to type or see the monitor.

2. Correctly adjustIf your new chair came with a manual then read it and understand what each lever does. Take some time to correctly adjust the height of your chair, the angle of the seat, the degree of back support. Remember your feet should be flat on the ground with the cushion area supporting your upper leg but not rubbing on the back of your knees.

3. Sit straightOkay you don't have to sit like a soldier on marching orders, but you do need to pay attention to your posture. The best chair in the world isn't going to help if you are bent over your keyboard. The lumbar support in your chair is meant to support your back, in order for it to do this your back must be firmly placed against the back of the chair.

4. Position your headGet yourself aligned correctly and make sure to position your head so that you do not have to tilt towards the monitor. The weight of your head is equal to a 10 pound bowling bowl so you can imagine the strain this places on your neck and upper back. The result is tensed and sore neck, shoulder, and upper back muscles.

5. Adjust the arm supportsIf you adjust the arm supports to their correct position it is much easier for you to keep your forearms and wrists in the correct position while typing. Your elbows should be at a 90 degree angle leaving your wrists straight to type. Arm supports are also good for relieving arm stress, especially if you type all day.

6. Fine tune lumbar supportFine tune the tension of the lumber support to what feels right for your back. You can make it firmer or weaker by turning the knob.

7. Take a breakRemember the old saying �all work no play makes Johnny a dull boy.� This is more applicable today than ever before as we spend hour upon hour parked in front of our computers. Not only does it make Johnny a dull boy it creates stiff legs, sore muscles, back ache, and even muscle injuries such as tendonitis. Even with an ergonomically correct office chair you simply cannot sit in one position all day without feeling the wrath of a very upset body. So get up, go for a walk, stretch, run, work those kinks out.

8. Do not over tax small muscle groupsWe often get so busy concentrating on our large muscle groups that we forget about the smaller muscle groups in our hands and forearms. Make sure that you are typing with your wrists and hands in the correct position lined up correctly with your chair. No matter how good a chair you have or how perfectly ergonomic your work environment is, these small muscle groups get tired much quicker and will need to rest, so take regular breaks. If you overtax them too many times you will suffer for the rest of your life with chronic tendonitis, carpal tunnel, or other repetitive strain injuries.

Building an ergonomic work environment complete with a good ergonomic chair is the first step to staying healthy and pain free. But don't forget there are other things you need to consider such as resting, exercising, and sitting correctly on your office chair. Be good to your body, it's the only one you have.