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If You Experience Lower Back Pain, These Supportive Office Chairs Will Change Your Whole Work Day
When shopping for a new office chair to help with lower back pain, it's tempting to focus on the aesthetics or price of a product. However, materials (and even price) won't dictate whether a chair will give you the support you need. To avoid inflaming your lower back, it's important to instead hone in on the details of a chair's construction and structural lumbar support. The best office chairs for lower back pain all share the following traits.
- A curved design. Since your spine is curved, the back of an ergonomic office chair will mimic this instead of forcing your spine to adjust to the chair.
- Support in the lower lumbar area. This includes additional paneling to prevent your lower back from sinking into the chair as well as the ability to adjust the chair's tension to your liking.
- Adjustable seat heights. You want a customizable seat height to ensure you get lumbar support in the correct area for your body.
As far as materials go, the best office chairs run the gambit. You'll find some with breezy mesh backs that'll keep you cool, while others feature soft memory foam and luxe leather. Choosing the right material for you will largely come down to your personal preferences — and whether or not you're prone to overheating.
Now that you know what to look for, keep scrolling for the best office chairs for lower back pain.
1The Overall Best, All Things Considered
Modway's high back office chair features a curved design and additional support in the lumbar area that makes it ideal for anyone dealing with lower back pain. It's built with a handy button that quickly adjusts the seat height as well as an easy-to-turn knob so you can set the perfect amount of tension for your body. Plus, it has a nicely padded seat, a headrest, armrests that flip up 90 degrees, and a 360-degree swivel design that lets you turn your chair any direction.
Finally, for those who don't enjoy the feeling of plastic or leather, you'll be happy to know that the sturdy nylon construction contains breathable mesh fabric and an attractive, contemporary design.
2The Most Affordable
This mesh office chair is a great option for less than $100 and offers many of the same design features as more expensive choices. It includes built-in lumbar support panels, an adjustable seat height, and a turn-knob that lets you control the amount of tension in the chair. What's more, its padded waterfall seat makes sitting for long hours more manageable — and with the option to swivel, tilt back, and push up the padded arm rests.
Keep in mind that the chair features a mid-back design, so it won't provide any support for your head or neck. Its curve is also less pronounced than the other options on this list. Still, for the affordable price point, it's a solid option that'll likely provide more lower back relief than other comparably priced chairs.
3The Best Splurge
Made of thick, high-density memory foam and covered in sleek black leather, this office chair has everything you'd need to minimize lower back pain including a curved design with adjustable lumbar tension control. It also features a customizable height, a tilting mechanism, a padded headrest and seat cover, and 360-degree swivel capabilities.
Something to note: The chair is larger than some of the other chairs on this list, so keep that in mind if your office is on the smaller side. However, the sturdy, ergonomic design and durable materials justify the extra cost.
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