Even if you live an active lifestyle outside of work, meeting your fitness goals and moving your body often, sitting for prolonged periods can have significant effects on your physical and mental well-being. Research shows that too much sitting can compromise your metabolic health and increase your risk of premature mortality1. And if you’re sitting in the wrong chair, it can lead to acute or chronic back pain. To better understand what to look for in a comfortable and supportive office chair, we spoke with physical therapists and evaluated a ton of options. Keep reading to learn more about how to find the right one for you and to see our pick for the best office chairs for back pain of 2022. “When you’re not sitting up straight, your muscles have to work harder to keep you in that position, which can lead to fatigue and pain,” McSorley says. “Sitting puts your spine in a C-shape, which is not ideal. Your head weighs as much as a bowling ball, and sitting with your neck at a 45-degree angle exerts around 55 pounds of force on shoulders and back muscles.” That’s why when patients come to McSorley complaining about lower-back pain, one of the first things she recommends is that they experiment with the settings on their office chair, to find a position that feels better. While she doesn’t consider ergonomic chairs to be a cure-all, McSorley says they can improve posture and alleviate back pain. “Office chairs designed with ergonomics in mind distribute pressure more evenly,” she explains. “And adjustable features such as height and lumbar support can help to create a more comfortable seating position.” As physical therapist Dave Candy puts it, “The more adjustments the chair has, the better.” That way, you can find the best angle for your body and make micro-adjustments as needed. “At minimum, their chair should have adjustable height, adjustable recline, and adjustable armrests,” Candy advises. “The amount of ’lumbar support’ needed varies among individuals, but in general, it should fill the gap behind the lower back without pushing the lower back into more of an arch than it would be naturally.” While the reviews are primarily positive (highlighting the adjustable features and durability), many people do suggest that the chair could be a bit softer, with some suggesting that you use a pillow for additional comfort. It has nearly 50,000 perfect five-star ratings, with thousands of reviews to boot. While flimsy packaging was an issue for other models we considered, reviewers say the chair arrives in pristine condition and is easy to set up within 20 to 30 minutes. Even people who spend 10+ hours sitting say they would “10/10 highly recommend” this chair. Just note, this chair is not designed for heavier people. It supports up to 250 pounds, but reviews suggest that it’s best for petite adults or children. There are 30,000 five-star ratings and a ton of positive reviews, with multiple people mentioning that their back felt great after long hours in this chair. While you can pay an additional $60 for assembly, reviewers say this chair is extremely easy to set up on your own. 20,000 five-star ratings and thousands of reviews speak to how well-loved the chair is by gamers and home-office workers alike. Customers love how easy it is to assemble and store, with plenty of rave reviews about comfort and durability. The chair has a 4.6 overall rating on the brand’s website, with over 3,000 reviews. One reviewer who says she and her husband fight over this chair writes, “We’ll definitely be purchasing another Branch chair soon so we no longer have to duke it out. We both have bad backs (my husband has had 3 lumbar surgeries and he’s barely 30 years old) and this chair relieves so much tension; my own posture is better and I love how customizable it can get.”
