The Best Office Chair For Your Back
The best office chair for your back
The best office chair for back pain is one of those topics that comes as a result of readers informing me as to what they are specifically concerned about—-what is happening in their world.
To illustrate, recently I received a comment from one of my readers that has inspired me to write this post on the best office chair for back pain. She said, “wish you would promote some good office chairs too. We work on the computer all day. Having a good chair is good care for our back too.”
If you are reading this post, perhaps you too are suffering from back pain due to sitting on some uncomfortable chair at work. Sitting – especially slouching – puts continuous pressure on lower-back muscles and disks, and looking up and down from computers can strain the upper back.
So, without further introduction, let’s jump in with a discussion of why picking the right office chair for your back is crucial to your overall health, and how you should make the choice that is best for you. Here are tips that will make your office chair cause the least amount of stress to your spine.
The Importance of Picking The Best Office Chair For Your Back
A I said in an earlier post , “You probably spend mоrе than a third оf your еxiѕtеnсе аt a dеѕk chair, ѕо dо what you саn to mаkе sure you’re seating in a chair that iѕ not destroying your ѕрinе!” Let’s be more specific. Sitting in an office chair or in general, “is a static posture that increases stress in the back, neck, shoulders, arms and legs, and in particular, can add large amounts of pressure to the back muscles. Over time, incorrect sitting posture can damage spinal structures and contribute to or worsen back and neck pain.” [1]
So, having the right office chair will enable you to work for long hours—although you should take short breaks and stretch—without suffering back pain.
Let’s talk about general objectives before getting to specifics. Whatever chair you get you should be able to get up after many hours of sitting with no back( or another pain, including neck pain). You also want to make sure that it’s the chair doing the twisting not you. This means that it should have a range of features(tilt, height, seat depth etc.) that you can fine tune to suit you.
In short, the ideal chair supports the length and width of your back, and has a flexible backrest, adjustable armrests, and a seat height you can adjust to let your feet rest on the floor. The seat pad should be firm and leave space behind the knees. A five-pronged base with casters that turn easily is best to allow you freedom of movement without the danger of twisting your back.
What Makes The Ideal Office Chair For Your Back
In an earlier post I discussed how most people are under the false impression that a firm/hard mattress offers support for your back. In reality it’s the foam and latex mattress that offers better support by cushioning the pressure points of the back. Well, it’s the same idea when it comes to your chair’s ability to offer back support—only this time we are talking about a mesh back chair.
What Makes Mesh Backs Good Office Chairs
They are able to to flex better than a traditional cushioned back. In addition, a lot of mesh chairs offer lumbar systems that are height adjustable. Just as it’s important to being able to control the pressure points of your back with a combination of foam and latex mattress, being able to position the lumbar support is critical in getting rid of lower back pain that is specific to your body.
The Topsky Mesh Computer Office Chair
With this in mind let’s look at the Topsky Mesh Chair as an illustration of the type of office chair that is good for your back.
Here are the qualities it has, as discussed above, that would make it effective for supporting your back:
- Adjustable lumber support to find the setting that works for you
- Headrest is adjustable 3 ways: forward to back, up and down, and you can angle it for the most comfort. This should go a long way in preventing neck pain.
- High density mesh allows for circulation to keep you cooler. This is a nice added bonus. Who wants to sit in his or her own sweat?
- Adjustable and soft armrests
- 360% degree swivel. As I said before, you want the chair to twist and not you. The full circle swivel will ensure you can move as you want without straining your spine.
Features: Skeletal back frame which provides comfortable, movable support, with mesh back, adjustable lumbar cushion, head rest, and arm rests.
What users say: “If you have back pain and you’re on a budget, this is the chair for you. I suffer from inoperable, severe back pain, but I have a work-from-home desk job. I must be able to sit for long stretches of time. My previous chairs caused me a lot of pain, but this one is perfect and passes my two evaluations: the all-day pain test and the customer service test.”
You might like to read the following posts on this website:
How Bloggers Can Stay Healthy Despite Sitting For Hours
Back Pain And Air Travel–How to Prepare
The Best Mattress For Back Pain
Conclusion
The Topsky Mesh Office chair is a really good option if you have lower back pain, and you don’t want to break the bank. It’s very affordable and yet users say it does an effective job in preventing back pain from long hours of sitting. All areas of the chair are easily adjusted to meet your needs. It can accommodate a maximum weight of 330 pounds. That said, this post was meant to inform you on how to pick the best office chair for your back. I would suggest you pay attention to the following features:
- Adjustable Seat height and arm rests: You should be able to sit with your feet flat on the floor, thighs horizontal, and arms even with the height of your desk
- Adjustable lumber support. This is a big deal. It has to adjust to your body. The last thing you want is a lumber support that will cause you more pain.
- Mesh back chairs: They are better able to flex and form around your back. Good news for your back pressure points.
- Correct seat Depth: You want a seat that will fully support you.
- Movement: Try to get a chair with at least five legs. This will ensure that your chair can swivel to accommodate reaching different areas of the desk without straining.
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References
1
“Best chair for back pain”. Chennai Online, 1 July 2013
You wrote this article like you was reading my mind and my body, I notice my lower back has been giving me more pain especially when I am on my computer for long periods.
I am going to check out your recommendations to replace my old computer chair, I thank you for this article it is so useful for me to narrow down which chair I should purchase.
Jeff
Hello Jeff,
choosing the best office chair for your back can be confusing when there are so many choices available. The problem is that every individual is so different that what’s good for one person may not be for another. However, there are some qualities that an office chair must have to be effective. This is why I concentrated more on the type of chair rather than a specific chair, though I did use a specific chair as an illustration. I’m glad the you found the information useful. Thanks for checking in.
Thabo
Thanks so much for this review.
This is actually what I need for my sewing room. When I spend hours at it, this could really help.
I find that in my office chair, I’m always sitting on the edge, leaning forward to type, lol. Any ideas what I can use there so I don’t slouch? lol
Cheers,
Suzanne
Hello Suzanne,
You can try a lumber support cushion. One that seems to work well is the Extreme Comfort memory Foam Back Support Cushion. You are welcome to check it at https://amzn.to/2xVAx1L Thanks for checking in.
Best,
Thabo
How timely a read for me! I’ve been researching office chairs these past few days, while trying to ignore my aching back! I also need an extra light one and was looking at the mesh fabric chairs. This review is very helpful and will help me make a wise decision.
Hello Dianne,
I am so glad you found this review helpful and that it will make it easier for you to make a wise decision on the best office chair for your back. Thanks for checking in.
Thabo
Thabo,
Having the best office hair when you are sitting for long periods of time will increase your productivity over time. Having back pain will work into your mind when trying to work. You have given great choices for getting the most out of your time sitting.
Thanks for the information
John
Hello John,
You have said it very well. Indeed, having back pain will work into your mind when trying to work. I’m glad you found the information on the best office chair for your back useful. Thanks for checking in.
Thabo
Hello Thabo,
This is such a helpful article. I work a lot in front of the computer and I do have some lower back pain since I work more and longer days sitting down. I read another great post here on your website about the importance of sitting on the right height when looking at the computer screen and typing on the keyboard. That already helped me a great deal. Now I really think I have to look for a better chair. When choosing the new one I will think of your tips. I’m going to print it out to be sure to not forget anything.
Pernilla
Hello Pernilla,
It’s so nice to hear from you. Yes, there are two elements to avoiding back and possible neck pain when sitting for long hours looking at a computer screen. Apart from getting a supportive chair one has to sit on the right hight so that one’s head is level with the screen and prevents twisting the neck up at an unhealthy position. Thanks for checking in.
Thabo
This is a great article just the other day I was thinking that the brand new chair that my business issued me was not right as I was feeling that twinge in my lower back. I will definitely look into a different chair after reading this article. Who would think a brand new chair would hurt your back.
Hello Dena,
A lot of people don’t realize that there is no chair that’s perfect for everyone in the office, but there are chairs that are best suited to particular individuals because they can be adjusted to meet their needs and also support their backs even after hours of sitting. In general, if one chooses a chair that can adjust to height, weight, and spinal alignment, that should be okay. Most times this means a chair with a mesh back because they are affective at supporting the back while also lessening the chance of heat build up so you are not seating in sweat. That said, you should settle for a chair that suits you. This means a chair that you can sit in for 8+ hours, taking breaks of course, without experiencing back pain or any other pain. Thanks for checking in.
Thabo