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Orthopedic

The 5 Best Office Chairs for Back Pain [2020 Reviews]

Our Editors independently research, test, and rate what we feel are the best products. We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases.


In this day and age, the vast majority of us have a job that requires us to sit at a desk. Whether that be at an office or at home, remaining sedentary can cause back pain if you have the wrong office chair.

Over time, this can lead to even worse pain or injury if left unattended for long enough.he best office chairs for back pain available on the market today.

Best Office Chairs for Back Pain

Clatina Office ChairFurmax Ergonomic Gaming and Office ChairSleekform Kneeling Chair
CLATINA-ErgonomicFurmax-High-Back-ErgonomicSleekform-Adjustable
Height AdjustableYesYes No
Materials Steel, PUSteel, PU LeatherWood, Memory Foam
HeadrestYesYesNo
Customer Ratings4.4 / 5.0 Stars4.5 / 5.0 Stars3.9 / 5.0 Stars
Best Office ChairsBest Office ChairsBest Office Chairs

Also see: Office Chairs for Back Pain Comparison Table


Quick Answer: The 5 Best Office Chairs for Back Pain

  1. Clatina Office Chair
  2. Furmax Ergonomic Gaming and Office Chair
  3. Sleekform Kneeling Chair
  4. Gaiam Classic Balance Ball Chair
  5. AmazonBasics Ergonomic High-Back Office Chair

Also see: Ergonomic Office Chairs – Buying Guide


Office Chairs for Back Pain Reviews

#1- Clatina Office Chair

CLATINA-Ergonomic

Best Office Chairs

Clatina Office Chair At A Glance:

  • Height Adjustable: Yes
  • Materials: Steel, PU
  • Headrest: Yes
  • Lumbar Support: Yes
Clatina is a European Brand dedicated to delivering quality, safety, and comfort. Their designs are usually very minimal in style but heavy in functionality and you can count on them lasting for years to come thanks to their inclusion of only high-quality materials.

Easily ranked as the best ergonomic office chair, the Clatina Office Chair may look simple, but offers real benefits.

Coming with an array of different certifications for safety and health, the German-made chair was clearly made with details in mind. If you’re serious about correcting your posture, then don’t go anywhere.

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Made of reinforced steel, the base is incredibly tough, stable, and mobile. So much so, that it’s capable of supporting up to 275 pounds.

The rest of the chair features a premium quality mesh which is soft and very breathable so you’re always feeling fresh and ready to work.

The curved back helps to relieve stress placed on the back and providing proper lumbar support while improving posture.

You don’t have to worry about the back being too low for you, as the adjustable headrest is there to provide extra head and neck support.

To ensure you have the right positioning, you can adjust your seat height depending entirely on your individual height and desk height.

The back can also be reclined if you’d like to rest for a moment. Curved armrests are also made of the PU, designed to provide support while reducing pressure points.


#2- Furmax Ergonomic Gaming and Office Chair

Furmax-High-Back-Ergonomic

Best Office Chairs

Furmax Ergonomic Gaming and Office Chair At A Glance:

  • Height Adjustable: Yes
  • Materials: Steel, PU Leather
  • Headrest: Yes
  • Lumbar Support: Yes
Furmax is a brand that is beloved by gamers, music producers, and office workers, alike. Their models are eye-catching yet deliver just as much in appearance as they do comfort.

If you’re looking for precision adjustments and luxury, then this is the brand for you.

Coming in 5 different colorways, you get your choice of all-black, black/red, red/white, and more. However, it’s not only the shades that are captivating.

The smooth lines, streamlined frame, and the cradled back are just begging for you to sit in it for hours on end!

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The best computer chair for long hours comes with a nylon racing style base to keep your chair stable and you comfortable.

Covered in soft PU leather, upholstery feels soft and high-quality against the skin, complete with extra padding underneath to avoid any hot spots – even after extended sessions.

The frame is just as durable, made of steel tube framing and can hold up to 300 pounds, which is significantly more than most competitors.

Class-3 explosion-proof gas springs are certified to be safe by various international standards and offer easy and quick adjustments. You can recline the seat back to your liking and adjust the height to match you and your desk perfectly.

Rock it back and forth, spin it in a complete 360-degree swivel for easier and quicker operation at the desk, or take advantage of the 90 to 180-degree backwards movement.

The smooth-rolling casters make movement a breeze, and never scratch the floors. This best office chair is now the best everything chair!


#3- Sleekform Kneeling Chair

Sleekform-Adjustable

Best Office Chairs

Sleekform Kneeling Chair At A Glance:

  • Height Adjustable: No
  • Materials: Wood, Memory Foam
  • Headrest: No
  • Lumbar Support: No
If you’re in the market for something innovative and functional, then you’re going to want something from Sleekform.

They focus on ergonomic furniture that “rethinks the way you sit” to help improve your posture and productivity – translating into your life outside of the office! Not only that but they just plain look cool.

With all that being said, the Sleekform Kneeling Chair is quite an amazing chair all-around. The best chair for back pain will help provide you with the relief you deserve, allowing you to focus all of your energy on the task at hand.

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Working to position you with an open hip angle which places you with an upright posture, your back, shoulders and neck will all be aligned while taking pressure off of the hips and knees.

Is it any wonder why it’s also deemed the best ergonomic chair out there today? This posture is perfect for writing at the desk, computer work, gaming, music production, meditation, crafts, and so much more.

Instead of using the traditional stationary legs that most of the best office chairs do, this one has rockers to help increase blood flow, boost energy, and maintain a solid level of focus and relaxation.

Comprised of solid wood, it looks and feels beautiful, but will also hold up for long periods of time. It looks small in comparison to so many others out there, but it’s actually able to support up to 265 pounds!

To help keep you comfortable, there is thick memory foam placed on the seat and knee rest cushions. Due to this design, it works well for everyone who stands anywhere from 5’2” to 6’6” which is quite the variety.


#4- Gaiam Classic Balance Ball Chair

gaiam-officechair

Best Office Chairs

Gaiam Classic Balance Ball Chair At A Glance:

  • Height Adjustable: No
  • Materials: Plastic, Metal
  • Headrest: Yes
  • Lumbar Support: No
Gaiam is one of the most world-famous, reputable yoga brands out there today – if not the most. They’re known for being an innovator of top-notch yoga mats, clothing, and basically everything else “yoga”.

However, the US company are now purveyors of one of the best office chairs for lower back pain as well, putting a more-than-welcome twist on things.

As the name would suggest, the Gaiam Classic Balance Ball Chair does actually come with a yoga ball inside of it.

This is designed to throw you ever-so-slightly off balance so you require micro-movements to engage your body and mind. This will train them both to operate at higher levels which will increase productivity, energy, and focus.

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The only real downside here that we’ve seen is that it doesn’t accommodate as vast of an array of users as the others on our guide do.

For example, the recommended user height for this model is anywhere from 5 feet to 5 feet 11 inches tall and suits most standard height desks.

However, to adjust the height, you’d only be able to add 2 inches by purchasing the Gaiam Leg Extenders, which are sold separately.

However, the weight capacity of this best chair for posture was more than sufficient, at 300 pounds.

Finally, you get quite the color selection, with 9 stunning shades to choose from, including: Wasabi, Ocean, Green, Forest, Fuschia, and more.


#5- AmazonBasics Ergonomic High-Back Office Chair

AmazonCommercial-Ergonomic

Best Office Chairs

AmazonBasics Ergonomic High-Back Office Chair At A Glance:

  • Height Adjustable: No
  • Materials: Wood, Memory Foam
  • Headrest: No
  • Lumbar Support: No
Lastly, we have the AmazonBasics Ergonomic High-Back Office Chair. AmazonBasics is obviously a huge brand and make just about anything for the home that you can imagine.

However, they don’t compromise on quality despite this. They offer some economically friendly selections that will still generally perform just as well as competitor products listed for hundreds of dollars more.

Coming in either gray or black, this best office chair for lower back pain is streamlined and straightforward. The high-back mesh design has exploded in popularity in recent years, and for good reason.

It offers a kind of natural and flexible feeling, instead of forcing your back into uncomfortable positions and allows for excellent air flow to keep you cool and dry all day or night long.

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The seat height, tilt, and depth are adjustable, as well as the height of the flip-up arm rests. Combine that with the multi-tilt locks they come with, and you’ll always be in an ergonomic position.

A stable, 5-point base is made so you can move around with confidence. The smooth caster wheels ensure this without ever scratching the floor and you can swivel a full 360 degrees with ease.

If that weren’t enough, the best home office chair even comes with an adjustable lumbar support pad and a head rest so you’re never straining your neck.

Overall, it’s perfect for daily use in just about any kind of environment.


Office Chairs for Back Pain Comparison Table

Height AdjustableMaterialsHeadrestCustomer Ratings
Clatina Office ChairCLATINA-ErgonomicYes Steel, PUYes4.4 / 5.0 Stars
Furmax Ergonomic Gaming and Office ChairFurmax-High-Back-ErgonomicYesSteel, PU LeatherYes4.5 / 5.0 Stars
Sleekform Kneeling ChairSleekform-AdjustableNoWood, Memory FoamNo3.9 / 5.0 Stars
Gaiam Classic Balance Ball Chairgaiam-officechairNo Plastic, MetalYes4.1 / 5.0 Stars
AmazonBasics Ergonomic High-Back Office ChairAmazonCommercial-ErgonomicNoWood, Memory FoamNo4.2 / 5.0 Stars

Ergonomic Office Chairs – Buying Guide

Now that you’ve had the opportunity to read all about the best office chairs, have you decided which is the best one for you and your needs? If not, then there’s no need to worry.

best office chairs for back pain reviews

They’re a huge part of most of our lives, as we spend so much time at the desk so we need to place quite a bit of importance on the one we select.

To ensure you’re successful, we’ve decided to come up with a handy buying guide to help you out.

This guide will take you through each step of the process so that by the time you’re finished reading, there will be no doubt which is the best desk chair for you.

Lumbar Support

Any good chair will have support for the lower back, and some of the best will even allow you to adjust it to your liking.

As our lumbar spine is particularly vulnerable to strains and aches, this is essential for sitting for long periods of time.

This kind of support may come in various forms, but the most common will be a little pillow with straps so you can change the position to suit you best.

Adjustability

This is crucial when you’re looking for any type of chair that you’re going to be using for extended periods of time. Ergonomics are huge as if your seat is not adjusted according to your individual body, desk, and monitor.

Your chair should have a height and arm adjustment at the very minimum. This is so your neck and back aren’t strained, and that your arms aren’t sitting neither too high nor too low.

Sometimes they even let you adjust the arm width, the seat back width, seat depth, and back angle. Tension control is a bit less common but will also help in terms of comfort.

The type of control you have will also depend on the manufacturer and model. Some come with the more traditional hand-held bulb pumps, while others come with dial controls which allow for more precision.

Base

Here, we’ll look at both the wheel base and the swivel base. Most office chairs have a wheel base, though if your environment is carpeted or has a rug then you may need a model with wheels made just for that.

Rolling plays a big role here, as you’ll be able to prevent straining from trying to reach across the desk.

The swivel base should also allow you to freely move around on an axis. If it doesn’t swivel 360 degrees, then arm fatigue could be your result from constantly moving around to grab items or to see something more clearly.

Head Rest

There are some people who realistically will never need nor want an extra head rest, as they’re either not tall enough to reach it or they just don’t like the feeling of having something behind their head.

However, for most people this is a huge bonus. Head rests are typically adjustable and can provide a nice amount of support so you’re not straining your neck.

Materials

The materials used are directly going to affect your user experience, including the lifespan of the chair. The most common materials used in the base are going to be steel and plastic. Let’s take a look at each.

Steel

Steel is known for being relatively heavy, though extremely heavy duty. A base made with steel will typically last for years on end, though exactly how long will also depend on the manufacturer and the way they made it.

Plastic

Plastic isn’t usually used as a base, but rather for the accessories and to cover the steel. Plastic isn’t very durable, and many people just prefer to see the steel anyway, where years ago this wasn’t the case.

Also think about the materials used in the actual seat as you’ll be making direct contact with it.

Mesh

Mesh is wonderful as it’s very flexible and breathable, ensuring you’re always cool and dry and not distracted by being muggy.

Mesh backs are becoming more and more popular because they don’t force your back into any particular position, offering the perfect balance of support and suspension.

Foam

Some of the bulkier chairs will come padded with a kind of memory foam which offer a more traditionally “luxurious” feel, though they’re not for everyone.

Memory foam is often found in gaming chairs, though this can translate well to office chairs too – especially if you find yourself sitting in them for extended periods of time.

PU Leather

PU leather is also commonly found on the gaming-style chairs. They’re more eco-friendly than real leather, less expensive, and don’t stick to your skin quite as easily.

However, some do carry a kind of chemical scent for the initial few weeks after delivery.

Price

Before anything else, it’s a smart idea to figure out exactly how much you feel comfortable with spending on one of the best office chairs for back pain.

Once you have this number, make sure you don’t go over it. It can be easy to do once you’re shopping around and see so many cool chairs, but spending more than you wanted can also result in buyer’s remorse.

We want you to be 100% satisfied with the model you choose, so let’s try and avoid that from happening.

When you go up in price, you typically start getting the extras. These extras could be an adjustment wheel instead of a lever which allows for more precision.

Perhaps you have a nicer material which covers the chair, or more unique color schemes. However, even if you’re on a budget, we can ensure that there’s at least 1 model on our guide that will help with back pain and efficiency.

Warranty

Going hand-in-hand with the last point, is the warranty. Warranties are also very important and directly relate to pricing.

For example, if you have a chair that’s $100 but only has a 2-year warranty, and a chair that’s $300 with a 10-year warranty, which one will save you money?

At first glance it may seem like the former is the more economical option, but what happens after those 2 years are up and it breaks?

You’ll have to buy another one which may also cost $100. If you do that every 2 years for 10 years you’re going to end up spending much more than the $300 that the other chair originally cost.

That’s why it’s also important to take a look at how long your chair is covered for.

How to Try a Chair Out for Proper Sizing

Now you may be wondering exactly how you know if a chair is sized and adjusted properly for you. Let’s take a look:

  • The backrest should be adjustable and go with the shape of your spine naturally. It should also support the lumbar spine, which we talked about earlier.
  • Feet should sit flat on the floor comfortably. If they’re too high or feel like you’re too low, simply adjust the chair height or add a footrest. We recommend trying out the former before getting a footrest, though.
  • Arm rests should keep your elbows close the body and allow your shoulders and trapezius muscles to relax.
  • Arm height should be adjustable and match the height of the desk so your forearms are parallel to the floor. This will prevent strain to the shoulders and can help avoid tweaking the elbows.
  • Sitting down and looking straight forward, the middle of the computer monitor is what you should naturally be looking at.
  • The back of the chair should come to the middle of the shoulder blades in order to provide sufficient support, though it’s preferable if it comes over the shoulders.
  • The seat of the chair should be long enough to put two or three finger lengths between it and the knee.
  • If possible, the cushion should be memory foam. Other cushions wear out quickly and make the chair uncomfortable. The exception here is if it’s not a heavily padded design like the mesh selections we’ve covered in our guide.

Why is Having a Good Office Chair So Important?

First off, it’s been proven time and time again that having an office chair that works with and supports your spin will prevent more fatigue and discomfort that can undoubtedly arise from sitting in the same place for hours upon hours.

In fact, studies have also shown that those workers who are comfortable are generally much more productive and create a more positive work environment than those who are not.

On top of that, it can help greatly with your physical health. If your chair isn’t ergonomically designed, then you can suffer from discomfort, feeling tired, having headaches, and eventually this can result in serious injury or health issues if not addressed.

Summary

Now that you’ve had the chance to read all about the best office chairs, which one have you decided on? No matter which one you choose, you can rest assured that you’ll be receiving one of the top performers available today.

However, what’s most important is that you choose one that suits your body, your lifestyle, and your office. Each of us have different needs though we’re confident there is at least 1 on here to make you happy.

We hope that this guide has helped you to do exactly that. Thanks for tuning in with us and we’ll see you again soon.

Notice:

HealthWellness365 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. HealthWellness365 earns fees from products sold through qualifying purchases by linking to Amazon.com. Amazon offers a commission on products sold through their affiliate links.

In March 2019 Amazon announced that Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts (HSA/FSA) would be accepted as new forms of payment for eligible product purchases. Using HSA/FSA funds to purchase on Amazon can be a great way to reduce taxes and reduce overall healthcare costs for items not covered under medical insurance. Users of such medical savings plans are issued a debit card by their provider, which can be added to their payment methods in their Amazon account.

Whether items sold on Amazon are deemed as eligible for HSA/FSA plans remains the responsibility of the buyer and their particular health plan provider. It’s ultimately up to the IRS and participating health plan providers to deem which medical and health products are considered eligible for the payment plans.

But the eligibility is quite broad and inclusive of thousands of products that are sold on Amazon and considered Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts plan-eligible. See this IRS document for more information about Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p969.pdf

Shayanne Weeks

Shayanne is a yoga instructor, freelance writer and personal trainer based primarily in LA, California. Describing herself as a traveler, she has lived in Seattle Washington, Guadalajara Mexico as well as Boise Idaho. As an extremely active person, she loves personal training, yoga instruction, and works part time as an in home health aide. She enjoys sharing her love for teaching others through her “how to” fitness guides, home health equipment and workout equipment reviews. In her free time Shayanne loves to surf, snowboard and practice yoga depending on where she is living.

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