Working from your home office or commuting to your work office may have you begin to feel the strain of sitting for long hours through the day. Said strain should have led you by now to start thinking of how to invest in the best office chair for lower back pain. According to orthopaedic surgeons and experts, a more ergonomic office chair can help make you comfortable and lessen shoulder, wrist, and back pain.
Sitting in that same position for a long time is not natural, and a bad position from a postural point will break down your spine over time. However, finding the right ergonomic office chair can be a little tricky since there's no perfect model that's universally correct. Everyone has a different body and posture.
That said, there are different types of ergonomic chairs and ergonomic chair accessories that help you maintain a healthy posture as you work for different body types and personal preferences. After all, choosing the right office chair will not only give you lumbar support but will also improve your health, comfort, and overall productivity. Consider getting a quality ergonomic office chair that features lumbar support with some cushion or contour, good back support, cushioned or mesh back, and, where applicable, a headrest that offers support for proper posture to alleviate the pressure off your lower back.
The Best Office Chairs for Lower Back Pain
A good ergonomic office chair should help you maintain a natural upright position. This typically means sitting with feet placed flat on the floor, knees slightly higher than the hips with the shoulders, hips, and ears all lined up with each other to create a 90° angle at both the waist and knees. Sitting upright in this position may be slightly different for everyone, which is why it's best to find a neutral posture using an adjustable lumbar support chair, especially one that’s as intuitive as possible.
1. Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Off Chair
- Your purchase includes One Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Chair...
- Chair dimensions: 41" H x 27" W x 16.75" D. Seat heights:...
- Tilt Limiter lets you set the recline range at one of three...
- Try the Adjustable PostureFit Sacral/Lumbar support. Two...
- Fully Adjustable Arms adjust from a height of 6.8” above the...
Over the years, Herman Miller Aeron ergonomic office chair has become a status stamp among the corporate elite. It’s also a popular choice among Silicon Valley programmers.
But apart from it being an executive chair, one would wonder if it's really worth the extra cost. And more importantly, if it's ergonomically superior and one of the best office chair for lower back pain. So, let's get into it.
It has a re-designed PostureFit SL mechanism that follows the natural S shape of the back while you sit that was added back in 2000. This helps alleviate the pain that's caused by prolonged sitting. The built-in lumbar support is at the lower back of the chair.
It's an adjustable chair with an adjustable lumbar support, adjustable armrests and seat cushion made of high-density memory foam to support your back. It comes with a pellicle membrane to help cool you off in places you might feel a bit warmer, but unfortunately, that doesn't apply to the back area.
The Aeron excels most in posture-correcting as an ergonomic chair because it was designed to follow your natural posture using the PostureFit SL technology, which helps give your spine a comfortable upright position without adding unnecessary pressure to your back.
It also helps increase circulation using the pellicle membrane that is woven with 8 specific tension points. This system supports the back in certain areas and relaxes it in others which doesn't allow pressure and heat to build up, especially since most office chairs have a design that cuts blood circulation.
The Aeron is a comfortable chair that comes with a tilt mechanism that comes with a leaf spring to follow the body's natural curve and adjusts as you move. The leaf spring system is recommendable stronger and more stable. The breathable mesh material helps provide full-body support that adjusts to temperature changes to keep you cool.
The Herman Miller Aeron ergonomic office chair is a good office chair reliably comes top as one of the best chairs due to its quality and durable design that comes with a whopping 12-year warranty. Unlike many ergonomic office chairs, it comes in 3 sizes (S, M and L) that accommodates the different body types.
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2. BestOffice Ergonomic Desk Chair
- BUILT FOR COMFORT - Our mesh office/computer chair is built for...
- ERGONOMIC DESIGN - Designed with human-oriented ergonomic...
- BIFIMA QUALITY-CERTIFIED - Our chairs pass all components of the...
- EASY ASSEMBLY – Our chair comes ready to assemble, with all the...
- CUSTOMER GUARANTEE – We want all of our customers to feel ready...
Generally, the BestOffice ergonomic office chair is a simple, functional chair design with ample padding everywhere, including the armrests, tilt tension control, PU leather upholstery, and that comes in 3 colour options at such an affordable price.
Now let's dive into the details. First off, the chair offers a high seat height that is considerably higher (20 inches wide by 28 inches high) compared to most office chairs in the market, which makes it ideal for taller people who actually need the extra seat height.
Like most office chairs worth this level of upholstery, the BestOffice ergonomic office chair has a hydraulic mechanism under the chair for adjustable height to offer flexible height options between 19 and 23 inches. It comes with a 360-degree swivel to allow you to freely move in any direction without having to leave your chair.
It has a high weight capacity and can take a maximum of 250 pounds which is sufficient enough for most users. The PU leather used upholstery is both water and oil-resistant.
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3. NOUHAUS Ergo3D Ergonomic Office Chair
- CONFORMS TO YOUR LIFE: With it’s 4D Adjustable Armrest and...
- EASE INTO WORK, OR PLAY: Mesh Headrest adjusts up and down while...
- SOFT HD OFFICE CHAIR: Our breathable ElastoMesh provides optimal...
- HEAVY DUTY: Our 5-Point Base with dual castors gives greater...
- SUPER-LOUNGE RECLINE: Settle back, because you have up to 135°...
The Nouhaus Ergo3D ergonomic office chair combines a high degree of recline, robust neck support, self-adjustable backrest tension, and a highly contoured waterfall seat to take the lead as the best and most affordable chair for back pain. It shares many of the same ergonomic traits as many of its luxury brand counterparts but at just less than half the price.
Literally, every part of the Nouhaus Ergo3D chair is fully customisable and adjustable. It has a long-curved backrest that cradles your entire spine, all the way from your neck to your hips, regardless of whether you're leaning forward or backwards. It comes with an adjustable tilt that lets you tailor your chair to your exact needs.
You can adjust it from an upright 90 degrees sitting position to what experts recommend at 135 degrees to put the least pressure on your spine. If you suffer from lower back pain or sciatica, the chair supports an intelligent backrest that will automatically adjust its tension based on the amount of pressure applied.
Since back and neck pain goes hand in hand most of the time, the Ergo3D chair for back pain has you covered on both. The large headrest tilts to maximise the chair's ability to support the neck at any seat angle you lean back at.
Combined with its versatile 3D armrests that move in all four directions, it gives you full-body support that keeps you comfortable and protects your back while you focus on your work.
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4. Oak Hollow Furniture Aloria Series Executive Ergonomic Office Chair
- BUILT FOR COMFORT - Our mesh office/computer chair is built for...
- ERGONOMIC DESIGN - Designed with human-oriented ergonomic...
- BIFIMA QUALITY-CERTIFIED - Our chairs pass all components of the...
- EASY ASSEMBLY – Our chair comes ready to assemble, with all the...
- CUSTOMER GUARANTEE – We want all of our customers to feel ready...
The Oak Hollow Aloria also makes it to the list of the best office chair for lower back pain. The Oak Hollow ALoria is ergonomically built to give executive office chairs that are not just built in quality for comfort but also have adjustability that benefits most people with poor posture and back pain, especially sciatica.
The Aloria seat is light years ahead, advanced than most chairs, thanks to its supple cowhide leather upholstery. Real leather is both more durable and breathable than PU leather, giving you the best of both worlds.
It has a waterfall seat edge and seat height adjustment setting that makes this seat suitable for people with lumbar spine pain. These two features help promote good blood circulation under the thighs, which is really important, especially if you suffer from sciatica.
People with lower back pain need an adjustable lumbar spinal support, and a rocking backrest and the Aloria chair comes with both. Its tilt mechanism allows its backrest to tilt into four angles to a maximum degree of 135 degrees.
The Oak Hollow Aloria also comes with 4D armrests that pivot inwards for a comfortable 'V' shape and a sturdy headrest that moves both vertically and at different angles to accommodate the contour of your cervical spine. Not only is it the best ergonomic office chair, but it is truly an adjustable ergonomic chair whose main caveat is its high price tag.
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5. Secretlab Titan 2020 Softweave Fabric Gaming Chair
- Secretlab Softweave Fabric - Enjoy dream-like comfort with...
- Maxed-out Ergonomics - The upgraded OMEGA contains an even...
- Full-length Backrest Recline - Ergonomic support is not the only...
- Aluminium Base - Constructed to be perfectly balanced, our...
- Class 4 Hydraulics - The length of our Class 4 hydraulic...
Gaming chairs are definitely worth looking into even if you’re not a gamer, especially for back pain sufferers. They have distinct features that many of them possess, and the Secretlab Titan gaming chair ranks high as the best office chair for lower back pain.
A gaming chair will simply trounce a regular chair by how far back the entire backrest can recline. For instance, the Secretlab Titan can go all the way back to 165 degrees near-horizontal. A heavily reclined backrest is an ergonomic position that not only helps relieve spinal pressure for longer but also helps relax your entire body for back pain relief.
Furthermore, the Titan uniquely supports advanced tilting called multi-tilt, which further helps relax your back by using an angle of the seat where it points upwards and has a locking mechanism. This heavily reclined position puts your entire body in an upwards comfortable position just like a zero gravity chair.
The Titan is a good chair geared towards people who want to maintain good posture and are between 5’8” to 6’7” in height; however, if you’re below or above that height, you can take a look at the other Secretlab chair variants instead.
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Factors to Consider for Best Office Chair for Lower Back Pain
A. Consider the lumbar support that has ergonomic benefits and that promotes a good posture
B. Go for one that has a range of adjustments such as adjustable arms, adjustable seat, adjustable seat depth etc.
C. The quality of materials and construction/ fabric -Higher-priced chairs for back pain are more sturdy, stable, are cushioned and provide good lumbar support
D. Check for one that swivels freely and can protect you from arm fatigue that results from extending while reaching various items
E. Choose the right seat size for you that is about an inch wider than your hips and is positioned just behind your knees
Frequently Asked Questions for Best Office Chair for Lower Back Pain
1. Is a kneeling chair great for lower back pain?
A kneeling chair is designed to make your lower back arch by shifting the positioning of the pelvis, which decreases pressure on your facet joints (joints in the spine that make the back flexible). The best kneeling chair helps lessen the risk of lower back pain.
2. Leather vs mesh chair?
Leather office chairs for back pain are durable, stylish and easy to clean. On the other hand, mesh office chairs are compact, more breathable, and less expensive. It's all a matter of your personal and professional needs, whether you'll go for a mesh office chair or a leather affordable office chair.
