Solutions for Short People with a Tall Standing Desk

If you are petite, you may have faced problems finding the right clothes or office furniture that’s ideal for your height. Most petite office workers don’t have a properly sized computer desk. One would think because half of the world’s population is short, office furniture manufacturers would modify their products to accommodate people of all heights. Unfortunately, petite people have to be vigilant when shopping for office furniture, including office chairs and desks.

Does A Standing Desk Work for Everyone?

A standing desk height ranges from 27 inches to 30 inches from the ground, which is too high for petite users. That’s a bit too high for users of average height, too.

It’s crucial to use a desk that is the right size for your body. Because spending extended periods in an uncomfortable desk, that’s not the proper size can be detrimental for your health. It can cause many problems, such as shoulder pain, back pain, and even neck pain.

Are you suffering from back and neck pain from working at a desk that’s too tall for you? Here are some solutions to consider. These options work for every budget and lifestyle.

Solutions for Short People with A Tall Desk

It’s imperative to take care of your body, don’t use a desk that doesn’t fit your body frame. Here are some solutions that can help a short person use a standard or tall desk comfortably.

1.   Buy a Medium Height Office Chair with a 5” Cylinder and Footrest

This will raise your seat height, allowing you to type comfortably, and with a footrest, your feet won’t dangle any more.

However, a footrest is not a stable platform. Because your feet are not planted on the floor, you don’t have command over your chair and you may end up using your arms and shoulders to move closer or away from your keyboard.

This solution is ideal if you primarily sit throughout your workday. But it’s crucial to note that sitting all day can cause serious health problems. Although this solution is inexpensive, it’s the least desirable option.

2.   Buy a Low Height Office Chair with a 4” Cylinder and an Under Desk Keyboard Tray

Compared to the first solution, a keyboard tray allows you to move your keyboard closer to your laps, easing arm and shoulder pain. Also, an office chair with a 4” cylinder is the most ideal for a petite person because it allows them to sit comfortably with their feet grounded on the floor.

However, this is also a sitting dominated solution and as you already know, sitting all day is unhealthy.

3.   Get a Low Height Office Chair with a 4” Cylinder and a Desk Converter

Getting a desk converter is a brilliant and affordable solution. The desk converter brings your keyboard below the desktop, allowing you to sit or stand while you work.

However, finding the right working position may be difficult, especially if you don’t adjust the monitor to your eye level.

4.   Buy a Low Height Office Chair with a 4” Cylinder together with a Standing Desk Converter and a Monitor Arm

It’s imperative to alternate between sitting and standing while working. Having a standing desk is an excellent solution for this reason. A standing desk, also called a sit-stand desk, allows you to stand while working. Modern versions are height-adjustable, allowing you to change the height of your desk and switch between sitting and standing.

Although working out is the most effective way to burn calories quickly, standing instead of sitting is also valuable. In comparison to an afternoon of sitting at your desk, spending an equal amount of time standing burns over 170 more calories.

A study published by the CDC shows that using a sit-stand desk can reduce upper back and neck pain by 54% after just 4 weeks.

Having a monitor arm also allows you to make minor adjustments to align your monitor with your eye level and adjust the keyboard height to the proper typing height.

The Best Desk Converter for Short People

Ergotron WorkFit-S

This standing desk converter checks all the boxes for petite people. Its keyboard tray has a range that allows you to move your keyboard 4” below your existing desk. The low minimum keyboard tray height makes it easier to work in an ergonomic position while seated.

The Work-Fit S standing desk converter also features dual ergonomics with a separate, adjustable monitor mount. The ability to adjust your monitor height while sitting or standing is very useful. Having an individually adjustable monitor mount allows you to lower your monitor and reduce the gap between your keyboard and monitor. The adjustable monitor mount lets you choose between a range of distances from the keyboard to the monitor.

This standing desk converter also provides a good amount of work surface within your natural reach zone when working with the auxiliary platform. All items, such as your monitor, will be within arm’s reach for most people.

The Best Sit-Stand Desk for Petite People

If you are below 6’, you need a standing that lowers below 25”. Most standing desks out there only descend to 28”. People with an average of 5’4” can even comfortably use a standing desk that descends to 24”.  However, only the best standing desks for petite people can offer such a low-level desk surface adjustability. As a petite person, you need a desk that has a low minimum height.

SmartDesk 2 Premium

This standing desk from Autonomous offers an ideal height range, and it’s perfect for both home and office use. This smart standing desk features a motorized foundation that lifts your work surface quietly in 20 seconds.

The minimum height on the SmartDesk 2 Premium is 26 inches. This is better than the average minimum height, which ranges between 28 and 30”. The low minimum height allows petite people to work standing as well. This smart standing desk also keeps your elbows at 90-100 degrees, allowing you to work in an ergonomic position. The Autonomous SmartDesk 2 Premium expands to 52”, making it one of the few standing desks that offer a wide range of height adjustability, so it’s perfect for offices with multiple users.

This smart standing desk can lift 300 lbs effortlessly to its maximum height in just 20 seconds.

Final Thoughts

Considering how many hours you spend at your desk; you need a desk that fits you perfectly. Adopt one of the four solutions above to make sure you are sitting in the proper position that’s healthy for your body. A desk converter or a standing desk that allows you to alternate between sitting and standing is the best solution for petite desk users.