As noted above, by transitioning from one chair conformer to another, all axial positions become equatorial and all equatorial positions become axial. Substituent groups in equatorial positions roughly follow along the equator of the cyclohexane ring and are perpendicular to the axis, while substituents in axial positions roughly follow the imaginary axis of the carbon ring and are perpendicular to the equator.
Diaxial interactions or axial-axial interactions is what the steric strain between an axial substituent and another axial group, typically a hydrogen, on the same side of a chair conformation ring. The interaction is labeled by the carbon number they come from. A 1,3-diaxial interaction happens between the atoms connected to the first and third carbons. The more interactions the more strain on the molecule and the conformations with the most strain are less likely to be seen. An example is cyclopropane which, because of its planar geometry, has six fully eclipsed carbon and axial hydrogen bonds making the strain 116 kJ/mol (27.7 kcal/mol). Strain can also be decreased when the carbon-carbon bond angles are close or at the preferred bond angle of 109.5°, meaning a ring having six tetrahedral carbons is typically lower than that of most rings.