:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/vwh-office-chairs-back-pain-test-branch-furniture-verve-maria-rowella-06-0176e6da52d042dfa14da77126e436e3.jpeg "The 8 Best Office Chairs for Back Pain of 2024")
If you have a desk job, we’re willing to bet you also have some back pain: sitting in a chair for eight or more hours per day isn’t what our bodies were made for, so it makes sense that being stationary affects our spinal health. The right office chair, however, can work with your body instead of against it, relieving existing back pain and preventing future pain.
An office chair designed to help with back pain should be adjustable, have the ability to recline, and feature a good amount of lumbar support. To find the best office chairs for back pain, we tested 14 popular chairs in the Verywell Health Lab for comfort, support, adjustability, durability, and overall value. We also asked experts to weigh in on what makes one office chair better than another when it comes to working with back pain. Here are the eight best office chairs for back pain.
What Healthcare Providers Want You to Know
- Adjustability: The likelihood of finding a chair that provides perfect support and alignment right off the shelf is unusual, says Dr. Radermacher, so you need one that can be adjusted to your body. In addition to being height-adjustable so your hips and knees can bend at a 90-degree angle, Dr. Wu says the seat should be able to push back against the backrest and comfortably support your pelvis and thighs.
- Lumbar Support: If you’re buying an office chair for back pain, lumbar support should be at the top of your list. Dr. Radermacher suggests looking for a chair with a backrest that makes full contact with the natural curve of your lower back and cradles your spine without exerting excessive pressure or feeling too shallow.
- Materials: Susan Eby, PT, MS, founder of Eby Physical Therapy, PLLC in New York City, says the ideal office chair material is breathable and firm enough to support your body but provides enough give or cushioning to be comfortable. A memory foam seat covered with durable outer material, like leather or blended fabrics, and a mesh backrest can provide comfort and breathability.
- Recline: This is a non-negotiable feature, says Dr. Radermacher, especially if you’re already predisposed to back pain from sitting. In general, tilting your upper body away from your legs while seated reduces the strain on your muscles and helps maintain your spine’s natural S-curve. Aim for an angle of around 110 degrees, he says.
- Quality and Durability: Your office chair should be sturdy and not prone to wobbling. You should also be able to make adjustments easily, ideally while seated in the chair, without worrying about stability.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
We suggest consulting a healthcare provider if your back pain persists while sitting in an ergonomic chair or if you require further, personalized guidance based on your bodily needs or health conditions.
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Tempur-Pedic
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Cushioned, contoured seat
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Adjustable lumbar support
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Multi-directional adjustments for armrests
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Heavy
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Difficult to assemble
Key Specs
Height: 40.5 to 44 in | Weight Capacity: 275 lbs | Headrest: No | Adjustable: Yes | Warranty: 10-year limited
Why We Recommend It
We felt supported by every part of the TEMPUR-Lumbar Support Office Chair, from the contoured seat to the mesh backrest to the adjustable armrests. We suspect some of that is due to the TEMPER memory foam used to cushion the seat, which Karena Wu, DPT, owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in New York City and India, says helps it mold to your body and offers pressure relief based on your individual shape.
That was certainly our experience in testing: the backrest supported the natural curve of our spine, while the firm yet comfortable seat aligned our posture so we sat up straighter. Adjusting this classic, modern chair was easy, and we appreciated that the lumbar support could also be customized to our liking, alleviating back pain exactly where we needed it. Meanwhile, the armrests are so adjustable we could put them in positions we didn’t even know we needed. It’s pretty hefty and a sturdy and stable chair. For the price, we think it’s the perfect blend of comfort, functionality and affordability.
Keep in Mind
It was tough to assemble: The pieces were heavy, the instructions were not very clear, and we needed a second person to assist us. If you need an easier-to-assemble option, we suggest the Steelcase Think Chair. It has an ergonomic design that matches the natural curve of the spine and an option to add extra support to the backrest. While we really enjoyed this chair during testing, it is pricier than other options.
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Branch Furniture
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Space-saving
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Easy to assemble
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Helps maintain posture
Key Specs
Height: 37 to 41 in | Weight Capacity: 275 lbs | Headrest: No | Adjustable: Yes | Warranty: 7 years
Why We Recommend It
You can adjust almost every moving part of the Branch Furniture Verve Chair. The seat height, lumbar support, armrests, and tilt feature can all be customized. You can even adjust both how much it tilts and how much tension the tilt gives you. The adjustability of the chair helped it fit our body well, providing relief where we needed it.
From an aesthetic point of view, we appreciated that the chair was sleek and narrow and didn’t take up much space or look like an eyesore in our workspace. It was easy to assemble, rolled across the floor smoothly, and stayed reliably comfortable all day. We felt it was fairly priced considering how flexible it was and how much it helped our posture and back pain.
Keep in Mind
We would have loved to see a headrest and padded armrests included as part of the design, and we don’t think people with larger bodies would find it as comfortable.
Verywell Health / Maria Rowella
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Arrives fully assembled
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Supportive
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Customizable
Key Specs
Height: 38 to 47 in | Weight Capacity: 325 lbs | Headrest: No | Adjustable: Yes | Warranty: 12 year
Why We Recommend It
We loved how comfortable and supportive The Soji Office Chair by Hayworth was during testing. The lumbar feature supported the natural curve of our spine, helping it stay aligned as we worked at our desks while keeping our backs pain-free. Compared to our old office chairs, we slouched less and didn’t feel the need to take as many stretch breaks. The height, armrests, tilt, and lumbar support are all easily adjustable. It made finding our optimal settings simple, which we appreciated. Its durability is also impressive—it still looks brand new after 100 hours of use.
Like other Hayworth chairs, it comes fully assembled, and you can customize it further on the website. It’s sustainably made and was gifted a well-deserved comfort award. You receive free shipping and a 30-day trial to make sure it fits all of your needs.
Keep in Mind
The leather on the armrests gets dirtied easily. It’s easy to clean, but we wish it was a bit more resistant to smudges.
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The Steelcase Karman chair feels incredibly comfortable and supportive, thanks to its flexible frame, cooling mesh, and adjustable firmness options.
Verywell Health / Donna Freydkin
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This stylish yet durable chair feels lightweight and comes already assembled, making it easy to use right away.
Verywell Health / Donna Freydkin
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Autonomous
Key Specs
Height: 46 to 50 in | Weight Capacity: 300 lbs | Headrest: Yes | Adjustable: Yes | Warranty: 2 years
Why We Recommend It
We love the combination of affordability and ergonomics that the Autonomous ErgoChair Pro, offers. Dr. Radermacher says this chair is a great value for people looking to avoid back pain without spending $1,000 or more on a designer chair.
Our biggest takeaway from testing this chair was that it’s made for support: the seat is deep, wide, and comfortably padded, everything from the armrests to the backrest tilt is adjustable, and the lumbar support can be tweaked for both depth and tilt. Notably, the headrest on this chair was worth the price alone; it’s a game changer, providing much-needed back support for the lumbar region all the way up to the neck and shoulders.
Keep in Mind
It takes a lot of trial and error to get the right adjustments with this chair. Make sure to check the user manual to customize it to your liking.
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Haworth
Key Specs
Height: 41.5 to 47 in | Weight Capacity: 325 lbs | Headrest: No | Adjustable: Yes | Warranty: 12 years
Why We Recommend It
If you’re looking for an extremely adjustable chair that isn’t quite as complex to work with as the Autonomous ErgoChair Pro, the Haworth Fern offers a wide range of backrest adjustability in a simpler package. In testing, we liked having the option to adjust how far the backrest reclines and how much resistance it gives us; in fact, even on the lowest setting, this chair provides a good amount of back support, so you won’t be allowed to slouch and slump while working.
On top of having multiple adjustability options, the Haworth Fern is easy to adjust: the levers are all fairly accessible and we were able to operate them while sitting in the seat. It’s rock solid, with a streamlined appearance that fades into the background rather than sticking out. We thought it could have been a bit more cushioned—especially for its cost—but the fact that we were able to get rid of our old lumbar pillow and experience back pain relief while using this chair made us think the Haworth Fern is worth it.
Keep in Mind
It’s designed more for support than comfort, so we would have liked just a bit more padding in the seat for maximum cushion.
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Steelcase
Key Specs
Height: 36.5 to 41.25 in | Weight Capacity: 400 lbs | Headrest: No | Adjustable: Yes | Warranty: Limited lifetime
Why We Recommend It
Thanks to the flexible back support featured with the Steelcase A1 Air chair, we were able to get rid of the lumbar pillow we used to keep strapped to our old office chair. Not only did we feel like the backrest fit perfectly into the curve of our spine, but we could tell this chair supported and maintained our posture, too. It effectively relieved some of our existing back and neck pain from sitting at a desk all day.
The high mobility of this chair was a huge advantage for us in testing: the backrest is flexible enough to allow for stretching and twisting in the chair, but not so flexible that it doesn’t force us to maintain proper spinal alignment. There was virtually no way for us to slouch in this chair, and we actually found ourselves looking forward to sitting down in it. On top of its back and neck support, this chair is sleek, slim, and beautiful; we got it in a periwinkle blue color that looks great in our home office. It’s durable, easy to adjust, and simple to assemble, making it worthy of its price tag.
Keep in Mind
We thought the armrests could be limiting for people with larger bodies since they don’t move forward or backward and the chair itself is a little narrow. (You can buy a version of this chair without armrests online, however).
Key Specs
Height: 42.5 to 45.3 in, 44.9 to 58.7 | Weight Capacity: 300 lbs | Headrest: Yes | Adjustable: Yes | Warranty: 12 year
Why We Recommend It
We love this office chair by Hinomi for prolonged sitting because it’s highly adjustable, supportive, and breathable. Sitting long hours can lead to discomfort and back pain, especially if you slouch. This ergonomic pick is designed to help you maintain proper posture to reduce discomfort. You can adjust the lumbar support by changing the height and forward support to fit your body better. The headrest, seat depth, height, and footrest can also be modified for ideal spinal alignment.
While there was a brief adjustment period, we found immense relief during and after use. We felt so comfortable using it that we’d lose track of time. Our editor with mild to severe lower back problems sat in it easily for over 12 hours (if not longer). The curved seat eliminated butt pain, and the mesh kept our thighs and backs feeling fresh and sweat-free on hotter days. It’s also heavier than we expected, but we’re okay with that, given the high durability and stability. We felt secure regardless of our position, and it never slipped or slid accidentally.
This pick is available in six colors and two different height ranges to accommodate shorter and taller individuals. It’s also small space friendly—it can fold to fit neatly underneath desks. A nice perk is that if you decide this chair isn’t for you, you can return it within 30 days. You also get a 12-year warranty and free shipping when you purchase it.
Keep in Mind
Make sure you purchase the right chair for your height, as we did see some instability when we used the wrong size. And while we do love adjustable features, the buttons weren’t very intuitive. We wish they were better labeled so we knew what knobs operated certain parts of the chair without re-looking at the directions. Lastly, this chair isn’t cushioned. It’s still very comfortable, but if you’re looking for a pillowy seat, there may be better options.
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Easy to adjust
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Arrives fully assembled
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Stylish
Key Specs
Height: 38 to 47 in | Weight Capacity: 325 lbs | Headrest: No | Adjustable: Yes | Warranty: 12 year
Why We Recommend It
If you’re shopping for an office chair that seamlessly blends form and function, the Zody Office Chair looks stylish and rolls out of its shipping box fully assembled. It has two functions to help maintain proper posture: adjustable tilt tension and a pelvic support feature that rotates the pelvis forward to align as you sit. You can also change the height and seat depth to customize your support and fit for optimal spinal support and alignment.
It was easy to use and very intuitive during testing. We easily adjusted the tilt, seat depth, and armrest height and were able to find our perfect settings in just five minutes. The seat struck the ideal balance between plush and firm, and we could change the tension support to make it firmer as needed without sacrificing comfort. We appreciate that the curved back stopped us from slouching and that it was durable and sturdy. It never wobbled or shook when we shifted positions. We also loved that it was more stylish than we’re used to. It didn’t look like the average utilitarian chair and it added a nice pop of color to our office space.
Keep in Mind
We wish the chair had additional neck support and padded armrests. The armrests moved forward and back, which we like, but they would have been all the more comfortable if they had a bit of cushion.
How We Tested the Office Chairs for Back Pain
Our editors received 14 office chairs at home and used them at least twice per week for a full, eight-hour workday. Testers were encouraged to take a movement break every 30 to 60 minutes when sitting in the chair for work. This helped us evaluate the comfort and support of each chair within the recommended parameters. According to our testing expert, Kelsey Rosen, DPT, physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, you shouldn’t be overly comfortable in your office chair: you should be reminded to get up and take frequent breaks.
By the end of the testing period, we had identified eight office chairs to be included in our top picks. We chose these chairs based on our evaluation of the following attributes:
- Setup: We assessed how easy it was to receive and assemble the chair. If white glove delivery was performed, we noted that, along with how clear the instructions were and if we needed a second person to help us put it together.
- Comfort: We considered the width and depth of the seat and whether the cushioning was sufficient to allow for longer periods of sitting.
- Lumbar support: Paying specific attention to how well the backrest fit along the natural curve of our spine, we evaluated how much support there was in the lower back region and if the lumbar area offered any adjustable support for people of different sizes.
- Adjustability: We checked for adjustability in seat height, forward/backward tilt, and armrests. We also noted how easy it was to make these adjustments.
- Durability: An office chair should be stable and built to last, so we tested it to see if it was wobbly or flimsy and also looked for any manufacturer’s height and weight limit requirements.
- Design: Whether a classic or modern chair isn’t typically a dealbreaker for an otherwise perfect chair. However, we know many people consider aesthetics when shopping, so we noted any major design features, styles, or flaws.
- Value: At the end of the testing period, our editors checked the current list price of their office chair and determined if it was appropriately priced based on the performance they observed during the testing.
How to Treat Back Pain When Sitting in an Office Chair
According to Dr. Wu, using lumbar support can improve lower back pain because it will remind you to sit up with good posture and maintain the natural arch of your spine. On top of purchasing a quality office chair with back support, she suggests some basic physical therapy exercises, like pelvic tilts.
Our Experts
- Blessen Abraham, DC, of Brunswick Health & Physical Therapy Center in New Jersey
- Susan Eby, PT, MS, founder of Eby Physical Therapy, PLLC in New York City
- Karena Wu, DPT, owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in New York City and India
- Grant Radermacher, DC, chiropractor at Ascent Chiropractic in Wisconsin
- Kelsey Rosen, DPT, physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is an expensive office chair worth it?If you spend eight to 10 hours a day at your desk, Dr. Radermacher says investing in a good office chair is basically investing in a long-term commitment to your spinal health. His advice? Don’t cut corners, but you don’t have to break the bank, either: with a little research, you can find an affordable office chair that provides just as much value as the more expensive brands.
Why Trust Verywell Health
Sarah Bradley has been a freelance writer since 2017, tackling health commerce articles, product reviews, and shopping guides on everything from dry skin moisturizers and wart removers to menstrual cups and toothbrushes for braces. She has written about back pain products many times, including back massagers and lumbar support pillows, so she knows what types of products are made to offer maximum relief.
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