Have a More Comfortable Work Day with the Best Office Chairs for Back Pain

As Americans, we spend an alarming amount of hours a day in a seated position. According to a recent study published in JAMA, which analyzed health information from nearly 6,000 individuals, about 25% reported that they are seated for more than eight hours in a single day. For the nearly 65 million Americans suffering from chronic back pain, prolonged sitting can have major consequences, as it places unnecessary strain on the back as well as the arms and legs, according to studies from UCLA Health. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you’re choosing a chair that supports this area of your body—and know how to choose the right office chair.

Our picks for best office chairs for back pain

What to consider when choosing the best office chair for back pain

As you set out to shop for the best office chair to alleviate your back pain, be sure to consider these important factors.

Your dimensions

It’s not only the chair's dimensions that matter, but yours, too. (This is especially important if you’re buying chairs from online furniture stores, where you can’t see them in person.) As you probably know, if you’re a tall or short individual, height matters when it comes to your chair. “It is nice when you can adjust the chair to fit your specific body dimensions and have a low back support with a back that allows you to recline if desired,” says Jen Fraboni, P.T., D.P.T., creator of @jen.health and podcast co-host of @theoptimalbody.

Adjustability is also important since it is important to be able to place your feet flat on the ground, with the hips and knees bent to 90 degrees. “If the seat is too low, the knees will be higher than the hips, which can alter the position of the pelvis and cause low back pain because the lower back will be flexed or slouched,” says Dr. Karena Wu, a physical therapist and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in New York City. “If the seat is too high, the knees will be lower than the hips, which can then cause too much of an arch in the lower back leading to increased low back compression.” The best ergonomic office chairs offer adjustability to customize the chair to support the ideal position for your body.

Support

When talking about the kind of support you want to look for in an office chair to help with back pain, lumbar support sits at the top. Lumbar support provides cushioning for the low back and helps remind you to maintain the normal low-back arch which, according to Wu, can help reduce overall back pain.

Padding varies significantly when it comes to the best office chairs, with some offering extra padding built into the low back of the chair and others with adjustable settings you can turn to increase the pressure supporting your back. Having the right support from your office chair also helps ensure you maintain proper posture, which can then help reduce pressure on your spine and low back, notes Wu.

Seat size

Not only will a greater seat width provide more comfort, but it will also allow for proper spinal alignment. If the seat of the chair is too narrow, you might end up with some hip pain caused by the compression of your legs.

The seat size (depth and width) of the chair is another important feature. According to Wu, the seat should be able to support your pelvis and thighs to create a good stable base. “You should be able to sit back fully in the seat so that your back will contact the chair back, with any lumbar support,” she adds.

How we selected the best office chairs for back pain

We reached out to qualified and vetted physical therapists and even a sports scientist to get an understanding of what to look for in an office chair for individuals who suffer from back pain. We also combed through customer reviews and spoke first-hand to customers to get an idea of what they liked most from their office chairs and what specific features they sought out when shopping for one.

The best way to sit in office chair for back pain

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how you should sit in an office chair. Ultimately, this will look slightly different for everyone. However, Fraboni likes to recommend to her clients dealing with low back pain to experiment with their chair to find whatever position gives their body the greatest amount of ease while they work.

“Ensuring that we are sitting on our ‘sit bones’ (the knobby bones known as the ischial tuberosities) can help take pressure off our back by naturally stacking the spine,” she says. “Some people might find it more comfortable to put a pillow behind their back or under their bottom to relieve certain pressures in their body.”

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What type of office chair is best for sitting all day?

The best office chair for extended sitting is one that offers variability in seating positions. This means having adjustable features for lumbar support, seat height, and seat back tilt, allowing users to change their posture easily throughout the day.

Should my lower back touch the chair?

Yes, it is good to have a chair that gives a little pressure and feedback into the low back and sacral area. However, Fraboni points out that this should not be due to rounding or slouching so that your low back is then resting into the chair. “We want to find those sit bones, make sure we are sitting forward onto them, and then see if the chair presses into the low back or can be adjusted in a way that it does,” she says.

Are there specific chair brands or models recommended for back pain relief?

Certain office chairs have features that lend themselves to be especially beneficial for individuals suffering from chronic back pain. Many of these offer seat height adjustments, lumbar support, backrest angles, and more.

While the right office chair with a proper ergonomic setup can certainly help alleviate some of the symptoms of back pain, it will not fix an underlying back condition. One overlooked issue is the risk of neck and upper back pain, according to author and sports scientist Elesa Zehndorfer, Ph.D., which can even lead to spondylosis (a loss of cartilage lining in the vertebrae) over time. “A great ergonomically-designed chair not only mitigates this risk and also helps to support generally good posture which, long term, will lower non-specific back pain caused by poor posture,” she adds.

Can using an exercise ball as an office chair help with back pain?

Using an exercise ball as an office chair can sometimes help with back pain, but it can depend on the individual, notes Fraboni. “Some people might find that sitting on an exercise ball helps them stay dynamic and supported through the core and their back, but others may not have quite the core endurance or awareness to be able to sit on an exercise ball for an extended period of time,” she says. “This might result in them assuming a rounded, unsupported position after a short amount of time.”