If your job involves desk work for several hours a day, you may develop aches and pains without even realizing the reason why. To eliminate the aches and pains after a long day at the office, you need to be sure the office furniture you use is ergonomically designed. Before you make an appointment with a chiropractor, consider these reasons why your office furniture may be to blame and how you may correct the problem:

1. Your Office Chair is Not a Good Fit for You

This can be an issue if you share your work space (and chair) with other employees. If the chair is not the proper height, you could be placing strain on your back, neck or shoulders. When an office chair is not proportional to the user's body, the spine could be thrown out of alignment as well.

For instance, if you use an office chair that is too low for your body, your thighs will not be parallel to the ground. This may cause leg strain. A chair that is too short for you may contribute to back pain as well. Conversely, if the chair is too high, leaving your feet off the ground, you may experience possible swelling of the feet.

If your chair is too high, try using a footstool. This may help eliminate the strain placed on your legs and prevent swelling of the feet and ankles at the end of the day. If the office chair seat is too low, adjust it to a height more suitable.

Does your office chair have back support? A backless chair may be okay if you are using it for short sessions. If you suffer from back issues or you sit for several hours at a time, consider using a different chair. To avoid back pain, be sure your office chair has a high back. Also, choose an office chair with lumbar support.

Do your forearms ache at the end of the day? Odd as it may seem, your chair could be to blame. To avoid forearm strain and fatigue, your chair should have padded armrests. This will prevent you from extending your arms while resting them on your desk or from holding them down at your side.

2. Your Office Desk is is Not the Appropriate Height or Design

If your desk is too high or too low, you may be placing strain on various parts of your body, including the neck, shoulders and back. You might want to consider using a height-adjustable office desk. A height-adjustable desk will also offer ample leg room. This will help you avoid stiffness and cramps in your legs.

When you do a lot of typing, proper desk height is especially important. When the desk height is not optimal for you, you may be forced to bend your wrists, causing tension and pain. To avoid strain, the height of the desk should allow your wrists to be in a neutral position as you write or type.

Have you been experiencing headaches and eyestrain after work? If so, check your desk's monitor placement. Your computer screen should be no closer than 20 inches from your face and at a maximum distance of about 40 inches away. If the monitor is out of that range, you may experience eyestrain or headaches. In addition, the desk should allow monitor placement that is at eye level.

Are you using a standing desk or performance table at work? If it is not ergonomically designed, you could be placing strain on your joints and muscles. For ease and comfort, a good choice would be a motorized standing table or desk.

In such a model, the legs will be motorized and fully adjustable. While you may not be able to request this type of desk at the company office, you might purchase one for personal use in your home office, if you do a lot of work at home. You may find a motorized desk alleviates joint pain and reduces fatigue.

When you choose the best design and make the proper adjustments for your office furniture, you may find your aches and pains have diminished.