5 Signs You Might Need Chair Armrest Pads

There has been quite a bit of discussion in the office community about whether or not armrests are a good idea to use should actually be used when using a computer or typing. When it is all said and done, it is about personal preference and individual comfort levels.

Armrests make it easier to keep the elbows in alignment with the wrists and provide great support. But on the other side of the argument, some say they are not spaced properly for proper elbow resting. 

If you do feel like you need to lighten up the vibe in your office and get some comfort from armrest pads, pick ones that are constructed from high-density memory foam and gel inserts to keep your elbows free from pain. 

Without armrest pads, your elbows may suffer because they often dig into armrests when seeking a comfortable position. 

Now you can delve into the five signs that you might need chair armrest pads and understand how they can be beneficial.  

Hips and Knees

Your hips and knees have to be in the same position to prevent pressure from trampling all over your tailbone, hips, knees, or ankles. If you have to, use a footrest to raise up your knees or a seat cushion to raise up your hips. 

Help with Body Pain

How important is it to avoid pain in your arms and hands? Just think about the fact that they make up 12% of your total body’s mass. 

Properly configured armrests can lessen the load on your spine by about 10% of your body weight. And appropriate forearm support can help decrease pain in the neck and shoulders by relaxing the upper trapezius and deltoid muscles. 

When standing up on your feet, using the armrests on your chair as leverage reduces the force in the hips by 50%. This makes armrests and armrest pads must-have items for older people or those with hip problems. 

Improved Comfort

Armrest pads help facilitate ample airflow so that you don’t have to worry about your forearms getting stuck to your office chair arms because they don’t trap in your body heat.

Comfort is also improved with armrest pads that are ergonomically designed and use premium memory foam with a cooling gel insert top layer that is a comfortable base for your arms to rest easily.

Holds Strong, Won’t Shift: Our armrest cover has double-sided fasteners. These durable self-engaging straps provide a strong, reliable hold that won’t need readjusting.

Forearm and Elbow Fatigue

Most chair arms lack proper cushioning. Adding our office chair armrest cover provides the padding necessary to eliminate elbow and forearm discomfort.

The beauty of armrests is that they significantly delay fatigue. Without this level of support, arms that are stretched by 8 inches forward would become tired in under ten minutes.

As far as the top half of your body, it is vital to have your keyboard at the right distance and your arms parallel to the floor for proper ergonomic posture to prevent strain on your wrists, shoulders, and elbows. 

However, if your chair can’t account for this, there are a few ways to compensate. You can add a keyboard pad to make sure your wrists don’t droop, and you can add armrest pads if your armrests don’t come up high enough to keep your arms in the right position.

Office Chair Armrests Need Improvement

Desk chairs with limited adjustment capabilities lead to stress in your upper body; use armrest pads as a riser to improve sitting posture. 

Most armrests that you come across are at the very least height adjustable. This comes in handy because one of the complaints about armrests is that they can get in the way of the user who may need to get closer to their desk, pushing them to put stress on their back and neck to reach what they need in their workspace.

The ideal height range of armrests needs to be high enough to be level with your desk and low enough to go under the desk. Measure out the amount of clearance space you have under your desk. 

Along with height, width adjustability is an extremely important feature to look for in armrests.

When seated, elbows should be directly under the shoulders. Every person’s shoulder width differs; therefore, having armrests that can be moved closer or farther away from your torso is crucial to supporting them. 

Look for armrests whose width can be adjusted up to four inches, which, based on studies, accommodate 90% of the population.

Pivoting armrests that pivot inwards with a minimum of 15 degrees inwards are more helpful than those that pivot outwards. 

Armrests with length adjustment can slide forward and backward to maximize coverage of your forearms in various postures. 

Finally, flip-up armrests can be a good choice if you often perform tasks where armrests get in the way or if you live in tight quarters or have a desk with low clearance space underneath.