Neutral Posture XSM Series Petite Ergonomic Chair

I'm 5'2" and bought this hoping to finally upgrade to the perfect petite chair! While this has a lot of adjustments I sadly found that even the smallest settings were just not quite enough to get my prefect ergonomic fit. My previous office chairs have generally been so oversized that I wasn't sure my exact needs for size adjustment - hoping my descriptions might help other short/small people.

Biggest issues for me are with the chair height, arm height, and arm width. For the chair height I got the 3" cylinder and while my feet touch the ground they are not at the proper 90 degree angle so I will still need to use a footrest (need 14" min height). Arm height is about 1" too high for me to rest my arms naturally (need 6" min height). Arm width needs to be adjusted in by an additional 2 inches to sit properly under my my forearm (need 11 inch min width).

The best elements so far are comfort, seat size, and back size. I got the memory foam in the back and seat, and it's really comfortable. I was hoping that the lumbar support would be a little more firm - it's quite soft and too subtle for my liking.

Overall this is a high quality chair, but at $1000+ if you are short and petite I'd recommend looking for something else.

If you are petite don't look anywhere else for a comfortable office chair. It will make a difference. I was fortunate enough that my company paid for it but if they didn't I might have.

Today, Feb 18, 2016, I began using this chair. I'm only 4'10" and have some shoulder and back problems. When I came across this chair when web searching for how I could make my work area more comfortable, I was so excited. The very first time I sat in it a bit earlier, I sighed in relief at finally having a chair that is comfortable, in which I can maintain good back posture, whose seat doesn't cut into the back of my knees, and I can finally put my feet comfortably on the lower "shelf" of the computer desk I "inherited" from previous owners of our home. I'm in a relaxed and comfortable position. I also like how adjustible the 360 degree arm rests are. Yes, the chair costs quite a lot compared to average office chairs, but for those of us who are petite it's a God-send.

I had been using my daughter's chair that came with a child's desk when she was about nine years old, in 1991. It was literally falling apart, but I preferred it to the very nice desk chair my husband bought for us adults a couple of years ago. The "adult chair" was so uncomfortable for me. I'm a little over 5 feet in height, but my legs are really long in proportion to my torso.

I was a little bit nervous about making such an expensive purchase online, but I was becoming desperate for something I could sit in other than the deteriorating child's chair. I'm so glad I took the chance! This chair is so comfortable! I love it!

Customer service has been superior. I communicated several times with Claire, who was extremely helpful. She did everything she could to make sure I chose the options that would best fit my situation. It was a real pleasure working with her.

This has been a very satisfying experience in every way!

For context, I am just under 5'2", 115 lbs and, proportionally, very short legged. I work in software: often for over 60 hours a week. I have chronic back and neck pain from sitting cross-legged because my feet don't touch the ground properly and without using the armrests because they are uncomfortably far from the seat. It's enough of a problem that I am in physical therapy because of it (folks, this is what happens when you ignore an uncomfortable chair for too long!).

Between chairs I have bought, and those my employer has, I have tried five other high-end, supposedly petite-person-friendly chairs and none of them fit. This one does! This is what the rest of the world experiences when they sit in an office chair. It's very comfortable. Who knew?

Specifics:

1. Shallow seat depth. This is critical. You can always use a footrest to compensate for a high seat height, but that does you no good if the seat hits you below your knees so they don't bend properly-and trying to pile up pillows behind you so that your legs reach the end of the seat defeats the purpose of any ergonomic back the chair came equipped with.

2. Low seat height. Adjustable down to 15" (14.5" would be nice but oh well)

3. Arms can be brought closer to the chair (the width can be narrowed) so that you can use the arm rests properly. If needed you could bring them in so close that it would be hard for me to get into the seat.

4. Attached footrest. It's at the perfect height but not so comfortable if you don't wear shoes while working.

5. Backrest encourages good posture. Every chair claims this. This is the first one that's succeeded with me. It has a comfortable vertical bulge in the middle of the backrest (I have the high one). I was dubious when I looked at it but I've discovered that it encourages me to roll my shoulders back rather than to slump with them forward.

Long story short: If you are a petite woman who spends a lot of time at a desk, you need this chair! It is worth the investment. And it's cheaper than physical therapy ;)

I bought this chair as a gift for my mom. She sits a lot at work and chairs never fit her right. She needed a very comfortable chair for a petite woman. This chair fits her so well it is as if it was custom made. Her back stopped hurting.