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We all want to find the right office chair. No one person sits in the same way; we all try to position ourselves for perfect ergonomics, but it’s not always possible. This, in turn, can lead to upper back, shoulder blade, and even thoracic back pain.
That’s why a good office chair should be able to support you in a number of different positions—all the while maintaining the natural curvature of your back for healthy work. An ergonomic office chair can do the job in many cases; it’ll be able to prop you up into an appropriate position throughout the day by using the many adjustable features they usually come with.
While there are many ergonomic office chairs on the market, we tried to pick out the most appropriate ones to combat upper back pain. The price range can vary quite a lot, so I took the effort to try and match everyone’s budget and selected five of the best office chairs for upper back pain.
Best Office Chairs for Upper Back Pain in 2022
- SAMOFU Ergonomic Office Chair – Top Pick
- Ticova High Back Ergonomic Office Chair – Best Value
- Steelcase Gesture Office Chair – Premium Pick
- HYLONE High Back Mesh Ergonomic Chair – Best For Standing Desks Pick
- Mimoglad Ergonomic Office Chair with Adjustable Headrest – Best For Teenagers
Based on the current trends and demand, we found these to be the top choices for upper back pain in each of these categories.
With intensive research into what makes a chair good for upper back pain, we made sure to pick high back chairs with lumbar support. Take a look below.
Table of Contents
Compare Our Picks
Chair Name | Pick Awarded | Warranty | Selling Points |
Top Pick | 5-Year Warranty |
| |
Best Value Pick | 1-Year Warranty |
| |
Premium Pick | 12-Year Warranty |
| |
Best For Standing Desks Pick | 1-Year Warranty |
| |
Best For Teenagers | 5-Year Warranty |
|
First on our list is this ergonomic office chair from SAMOFU, our top pick for the best office chair for upper back pain. The chair has many features that often only come with the most expensive options without the hefty price tag. While not our budget pick, it’s definitely worth the money for what it offers.
The chair comes with a whopping 5-year warranty, and it only means one thing, longevity. This isn’t the only thing that stands out, however. The chair has an abundance of adjustable parts, from the headrest down to the seat itself, enabling you to adjust the chair to your liking. These features are essential in a chair that tries to combat upper back pain.
The headrest can be rotated up to 45° and adjusted up and down 3″. The armrests can also be adjusted up and down up to 3″; they don’t, however, flip-up or are rotatable. This specific chair also comes with lumbar support. Its job is to maintain the natural curvature of your spine.
All these combined are the perfect recipe for a healthy upper back. Adjusting these to fit your posture will ensure your back is strain-free and enables you to work for a prolonged time without worrying about your back.
Another reason this office chair is perfect for upper back pain is that it’s a “High Back” chair. The term “high back” comes from how tall the back of the chair actually is. This chair, in particular, supports the whole spine, neck, back, and waist, ensuring that your back is straight at all times and has support.
This office chair includes other user-friendly features like the tilt and locks feature. This lets you tilt the chair backward and lock it in place; this iteration lets you tilt 90° to 135°. A sloped seat is also preset, better known as a waterfall edge. This relieves the pressure on the back of the thighs and offers increased support and comfort behind the knees; it also helps with hip pain.
Overall, this chair comes with everything you may need in an ergonomic office chair to support back pain. It enables you to adjust almost every part of the chair and has a capacity of 300lbs. The price point is reasonable considering the features compared to other brands with a lot less for a much higher price. This and the fantastic warranty makes this a tremendous office chair.
KEY FEATURES:
- Adjustable Headrest
- Adjustable Lumbar Support/Armrest
- High Back Chair
- Tilt & Lock Function
- 5-Year Warranty
- Ergonomic
- Sloped Seat
- Good for Hardwood
- Comfortable Mesh Seat
- Neck/Back/Waist Support
- Easy Assembly.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Chair Size: D: 19.1” x W: 21.2” x H: 54.2”
- Color: Black
- Base Movement: Swivel
- Headrest Rotation: 45°
- Headrest Height Adjustment: 3”
- Armrest Height Adjustment: 3.5”
- Lumbar Adjustment: 3.54”
- Backrest Tilt: 90° – 135°
- Load Capacity: 300lbs
- Adjustable Presets: 4 Presets
- Chair Weight: 45.5 Pounds
PROS:
- Long Warranty
- Quick Assembly
- Modern Design
- Heavily Adjustable
- Supports Whole Spine
- High Load Support
- Durable
CONS:
- Pricey
- One Color Only
Second on our list is the best value pick. The winner is the Ticova high-back ergonomic office chair.
It almost scored our top pick but ultimately ended up as our best value. This is mainly because of the relatively low warranty Ticova offers for their office chair of just a year. The price can justify the quite substantially low warranty. However, the chair does not hold back on the features at all and even competes against top brands.
This chair offers just as much as some of the greatest and most known brands. It includes the all-important lumbar support, offering 1.6″ of up and down movement and 1.4″ of forward and backward movement. This is plenty and impressive considering the price. The headrest can be rotated 135° and adjusted by 5.1″. While it’s little detail, it also offers armrest rotation of 40° and movement of up to 2.8″.
Another significant difference compared to our top pick is the segmented backrest. Our top pick has all the essential parts of the seat separated, allowing for more freedom in terms of applying the chair to the spine curvature. While this chair offers almost as much to combat upper back pain, it is beneficial to have that extra control that the separate lumbar support can offer.
This chair comes in an elegant black base design with metal legs. A simple, plain design that will fit most lifestyles. It also goes the extra mile of material, both on the headrest and the armrest. It does that by offering thicker and softer padding that’s more durable and fits your favorite position for a lot longer.
A waterfall-edge design is also present to reduce fatigue of the legs for longer working hours, alongside the tilt & lock feature. It also features an excellent breathable mesh design on the backrest and on the seat itself.
In conclusion, this is a great office chair for upper back pain. It packs all the features you get on some of the more expensive options on the market—an incredible load capacity of 280lbs and a decent amount of adjustability for all the moving parts. However, you need to remember that this chair only comes with a 1-year warranty, which may deter some buyers.
KEY FEATURES:
- Adjustable Lumbar Support
- Adjustable Headrest
- Adjustable Armrest
- Tilt & Lock Support
- Ergonomic
- High Density Foam
- Waterfall-Edge Design
- Quick to Assemble
- 3D Metal Armrest
- Breathable Mesh Design
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Chair Size: D: 27” x W: 9.8” x H: 20.9”
- Color: Black Base/Metal Legs
- Base Movement: Glide
- Headrest Rotation: 135°
- Headrest Height Adjustment: 5.1”
- Armrest Rotation: 40°
- Armrest Height Adjustment: 2.4” x 2.8”
- Backrest Tilt: 90° – 130°
- Lumbar Adjustment: 1.6” x 1.4”
- Load Capacity: 280lbs
- Chair Weight: 39.8 Pounds
PROS:
- Easy Assembly
- Elegant Design
- Floor Friendly Casters
- Quality Breathable Mesh
- Load Support
- Heavy Duty Leg
CONS:
- 1-Year Warranty
- One Color Only
We went for the Steelcase Gesture Office Chair for our premium pick. It may look simple, but it comes packed with every feature you can imagine. The most impressive thing about this chair is the fact that it comes with a whopping 12-years warranty.
The Steelcase Gesture Office Chair is one of the top-rated office chairs that provide great flexibility and versatility in its sitting positions—making it one of the most excellent ergonomic chairs for upper back pain. The lumbar support, backrest, armrest, and seat itself can be adjusted and moved according to user preferences. This, in turn, leads to creating a perfect fit and snuggle to sit comfortably on the chair for hours without feeling tired or strained.
Compared to competitors, the armrests can be raised up and down and even to the sides according to the work you may be doing. All these available adjustability options can also combat thoracic pain. It may also be worth mentioning that the chair comes fully assembled. This chair’s simplistic but modern design allows it to be placed wherever without looking odd or out of place.
While the price may deter most people, you need to remember that compared to most on the market, this chair comes with a 12-years warranty, which implies it’ll rarely break. Whereas, if you buy one with a lower warranty, it may not even last a year before having to buy another one. Ergonomic chairs usually come with many moving parts, and the manufacturer’s warranty must cover them for as long as possible. The seat is also very wide, which allows for a broader target audience.
While comfort is one of the selling points of this luxurious office chair, you are welcome to check out our most comfortable office chairs for 2022 to find alternatives at a more comprehensive price range.
Overall, Steelcase Gesture Office Chair is one of the most high-end ergonomic office chairs available in the market today. Steelcase offers solid and durable choices which are bound to last years. The backrest features a static lumbar support(flexes up to 4″) which helps users maintain a healthy posture, especially beneficial for individuals with back pain. To top it off, the chair has a weight capacity of 400lbs, making it perfect even for heavier people.
KEY FEATURES:
- Adjustable Headrest/Seat
- Lumbar Support
- Fully Adjustable Arms
- Pneumatic Seat Height Adjustment
- Recline Tension Adjustment
- Wrapped Upholstered Back And Seat
- 12-Year Warranty
- All Day Comfort
- Ergonomic
- Advanced Technology for Spine
- Fully Assembled
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Chair Size: D: 23.63” x W: 34.64” x H: 57”
- Color: Licorice
- Form Factor: Upholstered
- Lumbar Flex Zone: 4”
- Seat Pan Angle: 1°
- Backrest Tilt: 98° – 116°
- Load Capacity: 400lbs
PROS:
- Heavily Adjustable
- Polished Aluminum Base
- Impressive Warranty
- Coat Hanger
- 100% Polyester
- Extreme Comfort
- Modern Design
- Reputable Manufacturer
- Comes Fully Assembled
CONS:
- Very Expensive
I’ve chosen the HYLONE High Back Mesh Ergonomic Chair for our next pick. With people going for healthier options, I’ve decided it would be great to combine an office chair for upper back pain that fits nicely with a standing desk. If you have a couple of minutes to spare, check out our best standing desk chairs and stools to find more alternatives. This chair, in particular, focuses on being tall, and that’s why it comes with a foot ring for when it’s at the tallest position possible.
The chair is designed for standing desks. However, it can still be used just as a regular office chair. This chair can be lifted a lot higher than most, and therefore it needs a foot ring, as you may not be able to reach the ground with your feet. The foot ring itself can be adjusted along the whole gas lift for your liking.
Let’s not forget that this chair offers good support for the upper back. The ergonomic designed back, tall back, and built-in lumbar support fit the body curve well and provide reasonable protection for your spine and waist. It also comes with a waterfall-edge design, which eases the strain on your legs when working for long hours.
Some other nice to have additions are things like the flip-up arms, which some chairs don’t come with. While it is personal preference, it’s nice to be able to move them out of the way if not needed. The load capacity of this particular model is 285lbs which is relatively low compared to competitors, but keep in mind that it’s also one of the cheaper models out there. The warranty is also nothing to write home about, just shy of 1 year.
Overall, the chair is an excellent pick as the price reflects it quite well. The only real drawback of this office chair is the lack of adjustability. However, it does include the all-important lumbar support and is a “high back” chair; together, they create a great chair for any back pain you may have.
KEY FEATURES:
- Padded Armrests
- High Back Chair
- Ergonomic
- Tall
- Adjustable Foot Ring
- Flip-Up Arms
- Adjustable Height
- Built-In Lumbar Support
- Breathable Mesh
- Waterfall-Edged Seat
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Chair Size: D: 20.8” x W: 19.7” x H: 22.4”
- Color: Black and White
- Base Movement: Swivel
- Backrest Height: 23.5
- Load Capacity: 285lbs
- Chair Weight: 38.1 Pounds
PROS:
- Nice Design
- Decent Load Capacity
- Adjustable Foot Ring
- Ergonomic Backrest
- Heavy Duty
- Breathable Mesh
- Natural Sponge Seat
- Cheap
- Comes In 2 Colors
CONS:
- Little Adjustability
- 1-Year Warranty
Last on our list is this Ergonomic Office Chair from Mimoglad, which has taken the best for teenagers spot. The reasoning behind the “best for teenagers” choice is that most chairs emphasize office work while this one focuses on their target demographic. People looking for a chair for their kids for school work will benefit significantly from it; we even have specific picks for kids at great prices.
The chair offers a simple but sleek design and is designed for people who are under 5’10” tall. Meaning it’s suitable for most teenagers, most ladies, and some gentlemen with a load capacity of 280lbs.
This specific chair comes with all bits and bobs that you may expect from an ergonomic chair for upper back pain. It achieves this by its design to fit your back curve perfectly to provide you with more comfort. An adjustable headrest is present to support your neck and lumbar support with the adjustability of up to 2″, which should be plenty to adjust to your spine.
The pricing for this office chair is impressive considering it comes with a 5-year warranty and is regarded as a “high back chair.” This means the manufacturer is determined in the quality of the chair. Other minor details include the tilt and lock feature and extra thickened cushion both on the seat and armrest.
Overall, Mimoglad as a manufacturer is very reputable in the office chair market with a warranty of 5-years and is known to be good for back pain. The extended warranty ensures that the chair can be fixed if anything breaks, and since teenagers are the primary target audience, it’s crucial as it’s more likely to break. With the armrest adjustment of up to 90° and backrest tilt of 90° to 135°, you get everything you need from a chair targeted at teenagers. Definitely worth a look.
KEY FEATURES:
- Stylish Design
- Adjustable Headrest
- Adjustable Lumbar
- High Back Chair
- Thickened Cushion
- 5-Year Warranty
- Quick Assembly
- Ergonomic
- Tilt & Lock Function
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Chair Size: D: 16.5” x W: 19.68” x H: 50”
- Color: Black
- Base Movement: Glide
- Lumbar Adjustment: 2”
- Armrest Flip: 90°
- Back Rest Tilt: 90° – 135°
- Load Capacity: 280lbs
- Chair Weight: 13 Pounds
PROS:
- Long Warranty
- Fast Assembly
- High Elastic Breathable Mesh
- Thick Ergonomic Seat
- Removable Headrest
- Flip-Up Arms
- Reclining Function
CONS:
- Non-Adjustable Headrest
- One Color Only
How We Decided
It’s absolutely essential that chairs designed for upper back pain effectively eliminate the problem while seated on them or at least alleviate users’ issues. That being said, picking an office chair for upper back pain required intensive research. I’ve ensured that included chairs have superb ergonomics, comfort, and adjustability.
A chair that is made for people with upper back problems needs to enable users to sit for an extended time and therefore needs an outstanding ergonomic design. The user needs to sit in the most natural posture possible. This usually means back straight with a natural s-curve to it and knees at 90 degrees with feet on the ground. Chairs included here all have the ability to achieve this.
Comfort is self-explanatory. People experiencing pain will need to pay extra attention to the level of padding when buying a chair. Slight discomfort may discourage those from using it. Cold-cured foam is often one of the best paddings you can get. I’ve made sure to include options for everyone to choose from.
Adjustability is also super important, so I’ve paid extra attention to the amount each chair offers. The more choice the user has, the more control you have over the chair and your sitting experience with it. Something doesn’t feel right? Adjust it. Chairs included have enough adjustability to target upper back pain.
Things To Consider When Buying Office Chairs for Upper Back Pain
There are quite a few things to bear in mind when picking a chair for upper back pain. Check out the list below to see what to look out for.
Ergonomics
When looking for a chair that’s good for your back, go for an ergonomic chair. These chairs are designed in a way to fit the natural curvature of your spine. A perfect chair will have an “S” shaped back seat.
High/Mid Back Types
High and Mid-back chairs refer to how tall the back seat is. High back chairs should reach the neck and head, which in this case is the best as it supports the upper back. While mid-back chairs tend to be cheaper, they won’t entirely prevent upper back pains. So consider spending a little extra for a high back chair. We have a page dedicated just for high back chairs if you want more options.
Adjustability
This is an important one to look out for. When talking about adjustability, it’s the freedom to adjust the chair to match your sitting preference. The more adjustability a chair has, the better the chances of the chair being right for you.
Warranty
Due to the nature of ergonomic chairs, they tend to come with many moving parts, hence the importance of an extended warranty. As with anything, when an object has moving parts, they’re more fragile, leading to breakages.
Quality
You can expect the chair to be more sturdy with a longer warranty. Going with the more reputable office chair manufacturers is recommended as they tend to have better quality office chairs.
Benefits Of An Office Chair for Upper Back Pain
- Reduced Pain – Lower and upper back pain are some of the most common body paints that office workers have to battle with. Using ergonomic chairs promises better relaxation and reduced body pains.
- Lowers Risk of Developing Musculoskeletal Disorders – Not only will ergonomic chairs reduce pain, but they will lower the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders such as damage to the joints.
- Help You Focus – A recent study has linked the use of ergonomic chairs and focus. Workers who switch to these chairs demonstrate significant improvements in error rates and timeliness of work submitted.
- Improves Blood Circulation – Another significant benefit of using ergonomic chairs is the positive effect on blood flow. Adjusting your back seat to a 90° has proven proper circulation in the legs.
Final Thoughts
There it is, the rundown of our best office chairs for upper back pain. While there are many options for ergonomic office chairs, we have tried to focus on the ones that will either help existing upper back pain or not cause them in the first place. We hope that this guide has helped you pick the office chair you need.
The ergonomic office chair from samofu has taken our best pick, and we really do recommend it if you consider your health a priority. A reasonable price with an impressive warranty makes it a very appealing choice. However, if the price isn’t an issue, we recommend the gesture office chair from Steelcase. The 12-year warranty is very stunning and will ensure that it’ll last years before having to find another one. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to us.
FAQs
Are Ergonomic Office Chairs Worth It?
While at first, you may consider going for any old office chair, an ergonomic variant has many benefits for your health. Therefore, whenever you can, go for ergonomics.
Do Upper Back Pain Office Chairs Really Help?
It all depends on the structure and the features the chair comes with. Ergonomic chairs usually help with back pain. High back chairs combat upper back pain much more effectively.
Are Ergonomic Office Chairs Reliable?
This differs based on which manufacturer you buy from. When buying chairs, always look if they provide a warranty. If anything happens, get them to fix it.
Why Are Ergonomic Office Chairs So Expensive?
This is because of all the individual moving parts they contain. A typical office chair typically has an up and down function. An ergonomic one has support for headrest, backrest, and armrest, increasing the cost to make them.
How We Review: 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.
