Non-adjustable standing desk. Seating options for a short, fat person?

April 27, 2018 4:53 PM

The office's new counter-style shared 3-foot desktop isn't adjustable. I'm short and fat, so sitting on the tall, barstool-style chairs is an unsustainable discomfort. So is sitting in a "normal" desk chair and typing all day at a desktop that's at shoulder level. Has anyone dealt with this and found a workaround?

Due to an office mini-makeover I had no control over, I now sit at a bar-style shared desktop that's high enough for some to use as a standing desk.

Which I welcome! But there's **no healthy sitting option** for a short, fat, aging person with arthritis.

To sit in a standing-desk-style deskchair I have to sit on the edge of the seat and use a footrest (a short, fit deskmate uses a box--it's sad), slumping, with no back support. When I sit in a regular (shorter) desk chair, the desktop is at shoulder height; also miserable and not sustainable.

Neither presents a sustainable, healthy option for back support for a big person. I'm stumped.

I don't like drama, and like a lot of big people, despise drawing attention to myself for things involving my size. I'd really like a workable simple option I can present to make the new arrangement work.

Balance ball seems out, as the issue is working at a desktop that's 3 feet off the ground (I think the usual U.S. desk height is about 30".)

Has anyone dealt with this and found a workaround?

posted by Jennifer S. to Grab Bag (11 answers total)

I haven't dealt with this, and I can imagine many reasons my suggestion wouldn't work, but in case it's helpful at all or in case it inspires you:

Have you considered putting a 6" platform _under_ the desk so you could put a regular chair on it? The platform would probably be just as expensive as another desk, and would trip people and/or not allow you to move the chair freely.... but it's an approach, I guess.
posted by amtho at 5:02 PM on April 27, 2018

Can you raise your regular desk chair to an appropriate height and use a larger footrest so that you can comfortably sit like you're in a normal chair (not on the edge of your seat)?

For what it's worth, your company is required to provide you with a safe, ergonomic work environment under OSHA (if you're in the US), and this sounds like a bad one for anyone who isn't in a very narrow range of heights -- irrespective of body shape, age, or comorbidities. It's very normal to have a breaking in period after a remodel when things need to be changed in order to make an environment functional for all. It sounds like you have at least one coworker who is merely grinning and bearing it (resting their feet on a box all day?), so perhaps you'd feel more comfortable raising the issue by banding together to show it's not just you making a fuss.
posted by telegraph at 5:11 PM on April 27, 2018 [21 favorites]

Does your work have an HR department? If so, get in touch with them pronto to get them to get an ergonomics person in to make a solution. I mean, do they realize this is a recipe for work-related injuries (e.g. repetitive stress injuries) and ongoing workman’s comp claims?
posted by rtha at 5:15 PM on April 27, 2018 [4 favorites]

Has anyone dealt with this and found a workaround?

Depending on how clued your workplace is, "Hi, can I please get an ergonomic consult? The desk height causes me discomfort while working," would at many places get things moving, because a clued company knows the next step is "I have a workplace injury from using this desk."
posted by zippy at 5:33 PM on April 27, 2018 [9 favorites]

At my workplace, people are often working at countertop height, and they're using this chair. It's a desk chair that has a rail to rest your feet on. They're hellaciously expensive, but you might be able to find a cheaper option, or maybe your work would spring for it, I dunno.
posted by foxfirefey at 5:38 PM on April 27, 2018

I agree with the ergonomic consult. But may I just say, this has absolutely zero to do with your weight. This is a dumb decision by a company trying to save money rather than getting proper standing desks, and failing to provide an environment conducive to a healthy work. It makes me a little bit angry on your behalf that you should have to feel that your size has anything to do with this, other than needing basic proper seating and workspace.
posted by warriorqueen at 6:44 PM on April 27, 2018 [19 favorites]

If I were your supervisor, I would never assume that physical discomfort caused by your desk would be related to your weight. I would also want to know about the discomfort ASAP so I could help you find a solution.
posted by samthemander at 7:07 PM on April 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

Agreeing with everyone saying it's not about your weight, it's about your height, and as a fellow short person, I am absolutely outraged on your behalf.

Also, this would be a great question for Ask A Manager -- and there's a weekend open thread going on right now. The folks over there are very, very well versed on handling this sort of office issue, and I bet you'd get a lot of helpful comments.

Temporary suggestion: yes, sitting on the stool, sitting forward so your feet are on the (improvised, box) footrest, and multiple pillows behind your back to provide support.
posted by BlahLaLa at 7:33 PM on April 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

Nthing the ergonomic consult. You have legal rights that benefit you - use them.
posted by bendy at 9:11 PM on April 27, 2018 [3 favorites]

I'm average height but have short legs and worked in an office with this kind of setup for several years. An ergonomic consult got me the kind of chair you linked to instead of the armless stools everyone else was using, but I still had to take what felt like a flying leap to get into my chair and my legs dangled because the rail at the bottom was useless.

My solution was to use a small step stool kind of like this one instead of a regular footrest. It still wasn't ideal, but it helped a lot.

And agreed that this has nothing to do with your weight.
posted by camyram at 12:50 AM on April 28, 2018

Yes, *please* speak up and get an ergonomic consult. It will be cheaper for your employer than the injuries their arrangement is going to cause. This set up sounds terrible from multiple perspectives and I would not be surprised if seeing you get the equipment necessary to deal with it doesn’t inspire some of your coworkers to speak up.
posted by LadyInWaiting at 4:34 AM on April 28, 2018