Best Chair for Your Back and Neck – The best office chair for back and neck pain is a very worthwhile investment. Whether it’s at home or at the office, we spend so much of our day sitting down at a desk that it makes sense to think about what we’re sitting on and what it’s doing to our back.
The best ergonomic office chairs can help with back pain, or can help prevent you from developing back pain to start with by improving how you sit.
Bad posture can cause serious and unnecessary health issues in the long term. The best ergonomic office chairs help counteract that by providing lower back support that allows your lumbar spine to remain in a neutral position. By supporting its natural curve, they can alleviate stress on the spine. They’re also highly adjustable, ensuring that you can put the chair at the right height for you so that your feet are on the ground and your knees are not strained.
Below, we round up our pick of the best office chairs for back pain and highlight the models we believe are the best choices for long sessions at the desk. We’ve considered ergonomics, build quality and style, but we’ve also been sure to include options at different price points because the best office chairs for back pain do tend to be expensive. If you need some pointers on what you should be looking for, scroll down to the questions section at the bottom of our guide. And if you want to help your poor back even more, see our guide to the best standing desks, which can also be good for your posture. We also have a guide to the best office chairs (not specifically for helping posture).
ROUND UP
1.Hегman Millег Mirra 2
If you work long hours at a desk every day, it’s worth investing in an ergonomic chair for back pain that will support your body properly. And our top recommendation is the Herman Miller Mirra 2.
Yes, it’s expensive. But as you’d expect from a Herman Miller chair, it’s fantastically comfortable. And it provides the best back support for office chair users we know of. The butterfly-shaped backrest responds effortlessly to your movements, making your spine feel cradled and supported, and preventing you from slumping or slouching.
The mesh is lovely and breathable, so you can stay cool on warm days. The chair offers excellent lumbar support, which can be adjusted for height, and the arms are fully adjustable too. The seat cushion distributes your weight beautifully, and it takes the largest maximum load (159kg / 350kg) of all the chairs on this list.
In short, this is the best ergonomic office chair that money can buy, bar none. For more Herman Miller options, see our dedicated guide to the best Herman Miller chairs and our Herman Miller Mirra 2 vs Aeron showdown.
Features
- Features: tilt limiter with seat angle adjustment, adjustable FlexFront seat, adjustable arms, AirWeave 2 woven suspension seat, and carpet casters. Seat Depth- 16.25-18 Inches
- Lightweight design, offering a combination of simplicity, flexibility, and personalized ergonomics
- The Butterfly back combines the comfort of upholstery with the strength of polymer to provide back support; Fixed Seat Depth
- Recommended for people who need to quickly flex between individual activities and group work
- Shipped Partially assembled
- Renewed and Refurbished by OfficeLogix
2.Gabrylly Ergonomic Mesh
This Gabrylly office chair has made it on a few of our lists for different types of office chairs, and there are many reasons why it made it to this one too.
This super adjustable office chair will provide you with adequate lumbar support, and most importantly, superior support for your neck.
There are three ways you can adjust the headrest: vertical adjustment, bracket adjustment, and tilt adjustment. Plus, the flip-up armrests can help you easily store the chair under the desk and create more space if needed. So whether you plan to use this chair at your home office or conference room, you can always be sure your spine and neck are in high-quality, ergonomic hands.
While this office chair offers excellent usability features and an affordable price tag, you might notice that you can lock it into position but only on certain parts of tilt, which might be a bit inconvenient if you use the tilt function often.
Features
- 【ERGONOMIC OFFICE CHAIR】- The ergonomic chair provides 4 supporting points(head/ back/ hips/ hands) and a proper lumbar support. It's easy to adjust seat height, headrest, backrest and flip-up arms to meet different needs, good for sitting long hours. Suitable for people of about 5'5" to 6'2".
- 【LARGE MESH SEAT】- The office chair is larger than other chairs, and it could accommodate different body build. The whole Chair Dimensions(including the arms): 25.6"W x 22"D x 45.3"-54.9"H, the Seat Dimensions: 20"W x 19.3"D x 18.5"-22.05"H. Loading Capacity: 280 lbs. The recline function makes you tilt the backrest back (90~120°) or sit straight freely.
- 【ADJUSTABLE FLIP-UP ARMREST】- Folding the armrests up, you can push the executive office chair directly under the desk to use more area. It's easy to raise or lower the folding armrest by pressing the black buttons on the armrest.
- 【BREATHABLE MESH CHAIR】- The mesh back and mesh seat keep air circulation for extra comfy. High quality mesh resists abrasion and transformation, it makes the high back computer desk chair good for sitting for 4 ~ 8 hours, perfect for a long day sitting.
- 【EASY INSTALLATION & WARRANTY】- All ergonomic office chairs come with 2 years warranty, so please email us directly, we will offer you effective solutions ASAP. With clear instruction and tools, the office computer chair is easy to assemble (about 15~20 minutes). PU mute wheels roll smoothly, no harm on wooden floor; the sturdy five-pointed base and chair frame add durability and stylish appearances.
3.SIHOO Ergonomic Office Chair\
Concerned about your back but don’t have enough funds for the first two chairs on our list? Here’s the best office chair for back pain at a budget price.
This stylish chair has loads of aesthetic appeal. And it compares favourably with many pricier models in terms of functionality as well as looks. The highlights here are the mesh back, which is very breathable, and the good level of lumbar support.
It’s also very adjustable: you can tweak the back support, headrest, armrests, height and tilt of the chair until you get your posture just right. It all adds up to excellent lower back support for office chair users.
On close examination, the level of finish is not up to the standard of more expensive designer chairs, which is to be expected. But in general, it looks the part, and provides an excellent level of comfort and protection given the reasonable price.
Features
- ★【Multiple Adjustments】5 ergonomic adjustabilities of this computer chair help you to find the most comfortable seating position for a long term sitting. Adjustable back support, headrest adjustment, stepless seat height, and tilt adjustment plus height adjustable armrests. This executive swivel chair provide you a customized seating experience.
- ★【Breathable Mesh Back】The premium backrest features flexible mesh fabric without pattern, which gives you a cool feeling and comfortable sitting experience, promotes good air flow, eliminates sweating and moisture, to keep you focus and relax at the same time.
- ★【Well Padded Seat】W-shaped design for the seat ensures you sit centrally .The front edge of the seat has a waterfall front, which ensures minimum pressure on your legs during prolonged seating periods. High-density sponge-filled cushion is soft and not easily deformed.
- ★【High Quality & Easy Assembly】The surface of the arms is made of PU, a flexible plastic. This home office chair has passed the BIFMA test and the static pressure test of 1136 kg. Our ergonomic office chair can support a weight of up to 150 kg. Simple instructions enable anyone to put chair together in eight simple steps.
- ★【Three Years Warranty】If there are any quality problems, Sihoo Office Chair promises to provide you with zero-profit product accessories within three years warranty period.
4.NOUHAUS Ergo3D
If you care not only about your neck but also style and design, the NOUHAUS Ergo3D modern office chair will beat your expectations.
Considering its moderate price tag, this ergonomic office chair offers many features and usabilities. For example, 4D adjustable armrests, exceptional lumbar support system, 135-degree back tilt, smooth HydraLift, adjustable headrest, and gentle dual castors.
On top of that, the Ergo3D model is upholstered in breathable ElastoMesh, preventing you from sweating and feeling uncomfortable. So whether you’re pulling an all-nighter or beating the last level of your favorite video game, this office chair will conform to both your body without jeopardizing your neck and back.
The only thing you might find a bit annoying is that there’s no padding between the edges of the frame and the mesh.
Features
- Conforms to your Life: With it’s 4D Adjustable Armrest and Lumbar System, ElastoMesh, 135 Degree Back Tilt, Smooth HydraLift, Dual Castors (and a set of hardwood floor Blade Castors) – it’s easy to think the Ergo3D is from the future, but instead it’s evolved Ergo Seating at its finest and it’s here now.
- Soft HD Office Chair: Our breathable ElastoMesh provides optimal airflow to avoid sweating and sticking. But it’s also smooth, and nothing like sitting on wire like many of the chairs you’ll see today. And while it’s good to take regular breaks, the Ergo3D is so comfy you’ll forget you’re even working.
- Heavy Duty: Our 5-Point Base with dual castors gives greater stability and strength over common 4-Point, single castor chairs. And our strong iron base makes this heavy-duty office chair ideal for adults up to 275 lb. We also give a set of blade wheels – smooth as silk on hardwood.
- Super-Lounge Recline: Settle back, because you have up to 135° of tilt to keep you in the perfect position for your next task, or to simply lounge back and admire how smart you are for finding such a remarkable ergonomic chair. Try the Ergo3D and feel the difference it makes to your life.
5.HAG Capisco
You may have noticed that the HÅG Capisco looks a little different from the other chairs on this list. That’s because it’s a saddle chair, which allows you to sit as if you are saddling a horse. This is widely believed to be the best kind of chair for countering and preventing back pain, based on reports like this Cardiff University study.
Saddle chairs are most popular amongst medical professionals, but their use has recently spread to other types of workplace. They’re especially good for use with standing desks. The HÅG Capisco has a wider saddle. The HÅGCapisco Puls has a firmer, narrower saddle that allows you to sit with your legs closer together. Popular podcaster Joe Rogan is among the advocates of the HÅG Capisco Puls 8010, and we can understand why.
Providing good lumbar and lower back support, it’s very comfortable in use and it’s very adjustable too. The seat tilts, with a tilt lock, and you can tweak its height and depth too, from a low sitting position to a sit-stand position. Plus, from an aesthetic point of view, this radical and minimalist Scandinavian design will certainly put your home office setup on the cutting edge of cool.
Features
- PERFECT FOR: Shifting between sitting and standing at an adjustable or standing height desk – seat height 22.5" – 33" with 18.5" backrest
- ALL DAY COMFORT: Award winning design, Capisco's soft and wide saddle seat promotes healthy blood flow and encourages movement to sit forwards, backwards or sideways
- FULLY ADJUSTABLE: Seat height, seat depth, back height and back tilt allows for maximum healthy sitting positioning with a maximum weight of 250 pounds
- COMES WITH: 10.4" lift height and 5 star base with breaking casters suitable for both hardwood and low-pile carpet; Add On a Capisco Footring to rest your feet - see below or search Amazon for "Capisco Footring"
- ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY: Made from 50% recycled material and is 90% recyclable
6.KERDOM Chair
If you prefer office chairs with segmented backrests for better neck and back protection, the KERDOM ergonomic office chair could be a perfect match for you.
This breathable computer desk chair provides four support points, including head, back, buttocks, hands, and proper lumbar support to ensure you can adjust your chair to your specific requirements. And while a height and rotate adjustable headrest will be protecting your neck, an abrasion-resistant seat cushion will be providing you with a comfortable experience.
As a result, this office chair is perfect for long-term office use and helps prevent fatigue. Plus, fully adjustable armrests will let you roll the chair close to the desk and create more space in your home office.
Just keep in mind that this chair isn’t a heavy-duty model, so if you’re looking for a big and tall office chair, you might want to consider other options.
Features
- 【Ergonomic Office Chair】 The office chairs are designed with human-oriented ergonomic construction, provides comfortable support to help you keep a relaxed posture in a long time working. Easier to disperse pressure and relieve muscle fatigue.
- 【Comfortable and Safety】 The computer desk chair is made of the high-density and breathable mesh back with lumbar support and thick cushion to provide you the most comfortable posture. The thickened explosion-proof seat plate give you more comfort and double coverage. Max capacity: 250 lbs.
- 【Convenient Storage】 The mesh office chair comes with adjustable padded armrests which can be flipped up or down. It saves your space and can be easily stored. Suitable for office, living room, study room, meeting room, etc.
- 【Multi Function】 Pneumatic seat height adjustment; Tilt lock function(angle adjustable); 360 degree swivel; Solid rolling silencer casters for smooth movement.
- 【Easy to Assemble】 We offer installation instruction and video to help you. It usually takes about 10-20 minutes to assemble. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Things to Consider When Buying an Office Chair for Neck and back Pain
When it’s time to choose which office chair for neck pain you’re going to order, there are a few things you need to compare and evaluate first.
Does it have adequate lumbar support?
As we’ve already mentioned, if your back is hunched, tilted to the side, or simply super uncomfortable for eight hours per day, your neck can’t be feeling any better. That’s why it’s crucial to choose an ergonomic office chair that has high-quality lumbar support. And if you want to have the ability to customize your chair even more, go for one that features adjustable lumbar support.
What type of headrest does it have?
While we noted that headrest isn’t a deal-breaker, it’s still good to have an option to use it and give your neck even more support. Some office chairs come with either adjustable/removable or built-in headrests. Which one you should choose depends on your preferences and height. We recommend opting for an adjustable headrest to ensure it’s not too low for your neck if you’re on the taller side. In addition, some chairs offer headrests that you can move up and down, back and forward, and change the tilt angle.
Is the seat cushion comfortable?
Yes, the comfort of your neck depends on your body’s overall experience when sitting. An ergonomically designed seat cushion that encourages you to sit straight and takes away pressure from your legs will definitely contribute to you feeling less tired at the end of your workday. Thick-padded waterfall or W-shaped seat cushions are some of the best options on the market.
Is the seat depth adjustable?
Suppose you really want to ensure the most comfortable seating position. In that case, a seat depth can give these extra adjustability options to ensure the lumbar support is actually “hugging” your spine in the right way. This feature is especially useful if you’re shorter.
Does it have adjustable armrests?
You might not think that armrests are an important feature of an office chair for neck pain. However, keeping arms in a proper position can help maintain good posture, prevent shoulder pain, and contribute to better rest in between work sprints. So even if you don’t use armrests often, it’s still a good thing to have them in case you ever change your mind and decide to test them out and see how it improves your experience.
Benefits of an Office Chair for Neck Pain
If you’re still doubting whether it’s worth investing in an office chair for neck pain, here are a few more benefits that might convince you:
- It can help you create a more ergonomic office setup
- It can lower pressure on your back and legs
- It can improve your sitting experience
- It can relieve neck pain
- It can promote good posture
- You can use it for both working and playing video games
- You can choose from a variety of models and upholstery types
- You can fully adjust it according to your body type and specific requirements
Should I Buy an Office Chair for Neck Pain?
If you’re a remote worker or spend five days per week sitting in an office chair, sooner or later, you’ll start experiencing pain in your back or neck. And if you already notice that you’re feeling fatigued after a day at work, it’s worth buying a high-quality chair to help you prevent these unpleasant scenarios.
And while you might be buying an office chair for neck pain, it will still be protecting your whole body, including your spine, legs, and shoulders. We know that a high-quality ergonomic chair for neck pain isn’t super cheap, but if you use it almost every single day, it’s absolutely worth it.
We hope you managed to find what you were looking for. And if you have any questions or have an idea of what we should review next, please let us know.
Our Office Chair Ratings Methodology
At Overheard on Conference Calls, we take pride in how we review office chairs. Our team of office chair experts spend hours researching and reviewing dozens of products before they even start writing their review or article. Our goal is to bring you honest and unbiased information to help you make an informed choice that will be the best for you. Our recommendations are not for sale and they are not influenced by any of the manufacturers we review.
When reviewing an office chair, there are numerous factors we analyze to determine our recommendations. Here are our four most important:
- Comfort: Comfort is key to a good office chair. It’s likely you’ll be sitting in it for hours so you’ll want something that won’t cause you aches and pains after hours of use. We gauge comfort by testing for 4+ hours as well as looking at the thickness of the seat cushion and its material.
- Durability: Not all office chairs are built the same. Our durability factor looks at the quality of the materials and how sturdy the chair is after assembly. Because we have a limited tested period, we also conduct customer research of longtime users.
- Lumbar Support: While this is an ergonomic feature, we made this its own separate rating factor because of how important it is to your overall posture, health, and comfort. We analyze each chair for its lumbar support or lack thereof.
- Ergonomic Features: In addition to lumbar support, we also look at other ergonomic features such as the armrests, height adjustment, reclining, seat ergonomics, and more. The better it is for your ergonomics and the more features/adjustability, the better.
Why isn’t price included on that list? Fair question! We do consider price in the order of our recommendations but because everyone has their own budget in mind, we won’t rule a chair in or out just because it has premium or budget price.
Our team has researched and reviewed hundreds of chairs and we’re confident in our recommendations. We strive to only recommend the best products and we periodically refresh our reviews and rankings.
Can office chairs help back pain?
“A chair that allows your lower back to maintain a good neutral position, supporting the natural curve in the lower back, can alleviate stress on the spine and improve the alignment of your spine all the way up to your head.”
Lyndsay Hirst, a physiotherapist specialising in back pain and a specialist in Pilates, agrees. “The right chair set up is essential, not only to support the natural curves of the spine but also the shoulders,” she notes. “Arm rests are really useful for someone who suffers neck and mid spine pain. Lumbar support is also very useful. An adjustable seat plate, back rest and arms will allow the user to adapt the chair to their specific posture.”
It’s especially important to replace an ageing chair, says James Crow, owner of Posture Stars, a website promoting good posture. “If your chair has been around for more than a decade it’s probably time to upgrade,” he explains. “The materials wear down over time, with seat padding especially taking a beating.
“The best office chair for back pain is one that’s highly adjustable, so you can get the back to support you in a meaningful way. Invest wisely: we wouldn’t buy the cheapest mattress or car, but many of us are spending eight to 10 hours a day perched on a ‘value’ chair.”
Note that the chairs above give you a great chance of avoiding back problems in the future. If you’re experiencing pain already, make sure you visit your doctor or chiropractor, as there may be underlying issues besides your chair.
What’s the best office chair for back pain?
Need a more affordable option? We’ve taken that into account and included some more economical chairs for back pain in our guide too. We’d also suggest reading below for a few pointers on what features to look for when you’re searching for the best office chair for back pain.
What chair features are good for back pain?
- Lumbar support (see below)
- Adjustable armrests
- Seat-depth adjustability
- Recline and tilt
What is lumbar support?
Why does this matter? Well, when sitting, your lumbar becomes sandwiched between the torso, above, and buttocks, below. When you sit, lumbar stress is one-and-a-half times higher than when you stand, and double compared to when you walk.
“Left unsupported over time, the strain causes stiffness, making the lower back prone to injuries like slipped discs,” Chongsu says. “Just like support beams in a building, lumbar support absorbs that strain and props your lumbar up, protecting it against stress and injury.”
How do you sit properly in a chair?
The best office chairs for back pain are ergonomic chairs with built-in lumbar support. The lumbar region, also known as your lower back, needs support between the chair and the natural inward curve of your spine. Having this support helps you maintain a good and healthy posture. Without lumbar support, the natural tendency is to either slouch or lean forward, and the muscles in your back have to work even harder to support your spine’s correct alignment, which tires them out.
When you’re shopping for the best office chairs to help relieve back pain, lumbar support is important because it takes this responsibility and pressure off of your lower back muscles.
There are many reasons why you experience neck pain at work, one of them being your office chair. A chair without a headrest or one that is poorly positioned can add tremendous stress to the cervical spine, leading to neck pain over time.
Some desk chairs for back pain also have ergonomic support built-in for your head, neck and arms. These chairs are taller and have full back support. Depending on the size and nature of your office, such chairs can be the perfect fit. However, if you are tight on space or prefer a sleeker aesthetic, there are also mid-back height office chairs for back pain that offer top-quality support in a more compact design.
The ability to recline is also a useful feature on some desk chairs for back pain. Reclining at a slight angle can sometimes be more comfortable and make the chair feel more natural to sit in. Still, you want the reclining chair to support the natural curve of your back — not leave you hunched over or in a sleeping position.
We’ve rounded up four of the best office chairs for back pain that are sure to meet the individual needs of your back — and your office.
WRAP UP
Best Chair for Your Back and Neck – Neck and back pain can be caused by many things, and sitting in an office chair all day long is one of them. If you experience fatigue and pain, it’s likely that your current office chair doesn’t provide you with proper back and neck support. And since you’re reading this right now, you probably already figured it out.
However, just a headrest isn’t enough to ensure your shoulders and neck are fully protected. If your chair doesn’t help you maintain correct posture throughout the workday, it means your spine is in the wrong position, and, as a result, your neck as well.
So how do you find exactly what you need?
Of course, the first thing you do is google. But the number of chair models online can be very overwhelming. And what seems like a few-minute task can easily turn into a day’s long browsing quest…if not longer. So to save you time and prevent frustration, we’ve reviewed dozens of chairs and selected the nine best office chairs for neck pain.
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