Correct sitting posture: the HSE set-up, what the evidence says, and how often to move

Is there one correct sitting posture?

Not in the way most posture advice suggests. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) describes a standard set-up for working at a screen, and the set-up below is worth following. But two pieces of research we read put the idea of a single “correct” way to sit in context.

A 2019 viewpoint in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, by Slater and colleagues, says there is an absence of strong evidence that spinal pain is caused by sitting “incorrectly”, despite a common belief that it is.¹⁰ A 2007 systematic review of 25 studies of sitting occupations, by Lis and colleagues, found that sitting alone was not associated with the risk of low back pain. The risk rose with whole-body vibration and with awkward postures.¹¹

The NHS and Arthritis UK are more practical. Arthritis UK says staying in awkward positions, or in the same position, may increase your pain or the time it takes to recover.⁹ The NHS says many adults spend more than 7 hours a day sitting down, at work, travelling or in their leisure time, and advises breaking up long periods of not moving with some activity.¹²¹³

So the useful reading is this. A set-up that suits your body is good, and moving often is better. No single position is right for hours. If you came to this page for a position to hold, the answer is that the set-up is a starting point and the habit that matters most is changing position.

One piece of NHS neck advice says to sit upright, roll your shoulders back gently and bring your neck back.¹⁵ That page was last reviewed on 27 April 2023, with a review date of 27 April 2026 that has passed, and it sits alongside the weak evidence above. Treat it as advice, not as proof.

The HSE set-up point by point

The HSE publishes a standard picture of good posture with display screen equipment (DSE), which covers PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones.¹⁵ It is written for people who work at a screen, and many of the points apply on a sofa or kitchen table as well. The table keeps the HSE’s values exactly as given. The last column is Chutex’s own suggestion for a quick check. It is not HSE wording.

Notice what the HSE does not give: a table linking your height to a chair or keyboard height. Everything is measured against your own body, which is why the fit changes from person to person.

Your chair: seat height, depth and back support

The HSE says the back of the seat should provide good lower back support, with a cushion for extra support if needed. The seat height should support the front and back of the thighs equally, and a cushion can be used to raise the seated position when the height is not right.¹ The HSE workstation checklist puts the same idea as a question: is the small of the back supported by the back of the chair? Its notes talk of a straight back, supported by the chair, with relaxed shoulders.³

Seat depth matters too. Leave a gap of 2 to 3 cm between the front of the seat and the back of your knee.¹ The HSE guide to DSE says to avoid pressure from the edge of the seat on the backs of the legs and knees, and that a footrest may help, particularly for smaller users.² The checklist asks whether your feet are flat on the floor, and says a footrest may be needed if not.³

Chair arms can get in the way. The HSE checklist notes that the arms of chairs can stop you getting close enough to the desk.³ Arthritis UK, writing about neck pain, adds that your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees slightly lower than your hips, with a footrest if needed.⁸ It also says upright, hard-backed chairs are better for your posture than low, soft or upholstered chairs and sofas.⁸

Screen, keyboard and mouse

Put the screen and keyboard in front of you. The HSE says to keep both central so you do not twist your back, and to put the mouse in line with your elbow.¹ The top of the screen should be level with your eyes, about an arm’s length away.¹ Arthritis UK, again on neck pain, says to check that your desk and screen are not too low, and that your head is not bent forward for long periods, because that can stretch your neck.⁸

On a laptop, the screen and keyboard cannot be in the right place at once. The HSE advice is to use a separate keyboard and mouse so the screen can be raised on a stand.¹ Arthritis UK adds that you should avoid stretching to reach the mouse, keyboard or phone.⁹

A worked example: from height to a recording sheet

Take someone who is 5 ft 7 in tall. That is 5 x 12 + 7 = 67 inches, and 67 x 2.54 = 170.2 cm. The HSE does not turn that figure into a keyboard height, because its rule is relative: the keyboard is just below elbow height.¹ So the number that helps is not your height but your own elbow height when you are sitting properly.

A sheet to fill in once and keep: your elbow height above the floor while seated, the keyboard height you have now, and whether the top of your screen is above, level with or below your eyes. Add a date, and measure again when you change chair or desk. Any numbers on that sheet are yours, not HSE values.

Sitting at home: sofa, laptop and kitchen table

The HSE says the DSE rules apply to home workers as well, and an employer’s assessment can usually be done as a self-assessment after suitable training, without a home visit.⁶ The HSE also says people may not need office furniture or equipment at home to achieve a comfortable and sustainable set-up.⁶

The rules are aimed at people who use a screen every day for an hour or more at a time.⁵ The law defines a DSE “user” as an employee who habitually uses display screen equipment as a significant part of their normal work.⁷ If that is not you, the HSE set-up is still a sensible guide, but the legal duties on an employer do not apply in the same way.

For a sofa, the starting point is Arthritis UK’s remark that upright chairs are better for posture than low, soft chairs and sofas.⁸ For a laptop, split the screen from the keyboard as the HSE describes.¹ No British source we read gives a figure for how often to get up from a sofa, so this page does not give one.

For the full story on a desk at work, including your employer’s duties, see ergonomic desk set-up.

How often to move: breaks the HSE suggests

The HSE says there is no legal guidance on how long or how often breaks should be. Its example is that 5 to 10 minutes every hour is better than 20 minutes every 2 hours.⁴ Breaks or changes of activity should let people get up and move around, or at least stretch and change posture.⁴

Arthritis UK suggests a timer on your phone or computer to remind you to stand up, and says regularly getting up to stretch and walk around helps relieve tension.⁸⁹ Our page on back pain from sitting has more on breaks and the NHS list of warning signs. For gentle movements to do on a break, see how to fix posture.

When sitting pain needs a GP

The HSE says poor DSE set-ups can cause pain in the neck, shoulders, back, arms, wrists and hands.⁵ If pain starts or gets worse at your workstation, Arthritis UK suggests asking for a workstation assessment and telling the assessor about your back pain.⁹

The NHS says to see a GP if back pain does not improve after a few weeks of treating it at home, or if it is stopping you doing your day-to-day activities.¹⁴ A chair adjustment is not a substitute for that. The NHS also lists symptoms that need a 999 call or urgent advice, set out on our back pain from sitting page.

Frequently asked questions