You’ve just sat down in your gaming chair, perfectly adjusted to your ideal gaming height. But as you lean forward to make your first move, you feel it: that slow, steady descent as your chair sinks lower and lower.

Before you know it, you’ll be staring at your desk, struggling to reach your keyboard and mouse. This sinking problem isn’t unique to gaming chairs; it’s a common issue that affects many office chairs as well. It usually starts to appear as your chair ages, often after a few years of regular use. Additionally, these problems can also arise if you’re rough with your chair. Throwing yourself at it while sitting or making some extreme movements while walking around can damage the joints and other mechanisms of the chair. While your first instinct may be to toss the old chair and splash out on a new one, don’t reach for your wallet just yet. With a few simple repairs, you can breathe new life into your trusty gaming chair and save yourself the expense of a replacement.

Gaming chairs can sag over time due to several factors, including:

While some of these issues can be fixed manually with simple tools and techniques, others may require replacement parts or professional intervention. In some cases, particularly with extensive damage or very low-quality chairs, the cost of repairs can approach or exceed the price of a new chair, making replacement a more economical option. However, for many sagging chair issues, DIY repairs can effectively extend the life of your gaming chair without breaking the bank.