Waking up one late morning, I can still remember the pain in my neck after an almost all-nighter gaming session. I'd gotten into multiple rounds of Apex and just couldn't stop. You know the old gamers chant - Just one more game! What I didn't count on was the killer headache and neck pain it caused after hours and hours of looking down at my dual-monitors from my elevated game-throne (aka. my trusty DX Racer gaming chair). You see, what I very quickly realised from that episode, besides that I needed to improve my aim on FPS shooters, is that the angle of your head to your monitor is pretty darn important at preventing muscle strain in your neck and shoulders.
The height of a gaming desk is a critical aspect when you are looking forward to enjoying a comfortable and ergonomic sitting posture. Usually, gamers continuously sit and play their favorite games for hours. Therefore, if they don’t take into account the proper height and ergonomics of the gaming desk, it would cause some health issues like back, shoulder, or joint pain.
So let's dive in at what you need to consider when choosing the height of a gaming table.
The Correct Height of a Gaming Desk
Although there are numerous online desk height calculators, adjusting the height of your desk manually is always recommended. However, you can utilize the result of the calculator to start with, and then fine-tune the height depending on the actual settings.
The height of a gaming desk should not exceed the limit of feeling uncomfortable when using your PC. The height of your desk should be at such a level that your underarms and elbows lie straight on the surface of the desk.
The upper arms should be loosely hanging, and there should be no stress whatsoever. Meaning thereby, you must be sitting in a relaxed and comfortable way without putting any extra pressure on your backbone.
Average Desk Height
If you are a hardcore gamer, you need to be concerned about the height of your desk. Usually, the desks come in the same size or height. The most commonly seen height of a desk is 73.5 cm or 29 inches.
To some extent, this has become a standard. It would serve as an ideal height for people who are six feet tall. However, if you are shorter or taller than 6 feet, a desk with 29 inches of height won’t serve as an appropriate option.
In order to deal with this issue, you need to consider your exact height when purchasing a gaming table. It will help you to achieve a sitting posture that is comfortable and safe for your spine, neck, and shoulders.
Viewing Angle
The desk height also affects your viewing angle. For example, the monitor should be placed at just a height that your eyes have perfect contact with the display. There shouldn’t be any kind of strain or stress on your eyes.
This type of adjustment allows the viewer to keep the neck in a relaxed position. You can easily view the different contents of the monitor without moving your neck up or down.
This is essential, as our eyes control the neck moment, and we are not even aware that our neck moves slightly when playing a game. Therefore, don’t adjust the height of your table in a way that the monitor is lower than the horizontal eye level.
According to a variety of studies, the optimal viewing angles are somewhat between 20-50 degrees. If the table is too high, your neck will stay tilted upwards, which might result in neck strain or other similar issues.
Armrests Position
The shoulder must be relaxed when sitting in front of a desk. This is possible only when your desk is at a suitable height. The elbows should be comfortably placed on the table. To achieve this kind of ideal posture, you need to keep the table height close to the armrests.
In this way, your arms and elbows would get the required support. Besides, keeping your table at the perfect height would also keep your shoulders relaxed. Another important aspect that goes with armrest position and shoulder relaxation, is the position of your keyboard and mouse when gaming.
Why You Should Be Concerned About the Desk Height
To start with, it is essential to know the importance of sitting posture and ergonomics. In simple words, ergonomics is a way to create optimal sitting postures. This suggests posture and ergonomics are closely related to each other.
Our bodies can’t take even the slightest stress. For instance, while sitting, we must maintain a healthy sitting posture. In this way, we can enhance the overall efficiency of our muscles and joints.
When it comes to hardcore gaming, the value of sitting posture is also enhanced. The proper posture would serve as a guarantee to minimize the chances of any injury, stiffness, or pain.
When looking to set the height of your gaming desk, you should keep in mind the basic principles of ergonomics and sitting posture. By understanding the basics of proper posture, you can easily adjust the height of your desk.
What Happens When Desk Height is too High
If the desk is set too high, you need to push your shoulder girdle to reach the table height. During this position, your spine will be stretched a bit. Sitting in this posture for hours can cause serious backbone issues.
Apart from this, your arms are pushed upwards, lowering the blood supply to your arms. Moreover, if you are using a desk with a higher than standard height, the neck and muscles surrounding the neck area also become tense.
What Happens When Desk Height is too Low
On the contrary, if the desk height is too low, it would force you to shape your backbone in an unnatural curvature. In most cases, your upper body will be inclined towards the table, which is a bad sitting posture.
When you are leaning over the table, your shoulders can stress out after sitting in this posture for some time. This is because the elbows and forearms don’t rest entirely on the desktop. As a result, you will start to experience issues like back, neck, or shoulder pain.
Final Thoughts
Besides some other essential factors, you also need to consider the height when buying a desk for your gaming room. This is necessary, as just like the ergonomics of the chair, your desk can also affect the health of your spine, neck, and shoulders.
When deciding about the height of the desk, you need to consider your height and overall design of the table. By simply taking into account these critical aspects, you can buy a gaming desk with a perfect height that suits your needs.
