Sciatica is the pain caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve. If you suffer from sciatica, you will feel pain in your back, butt, and the outer side of your leg.
Many factors may aggravate this problem. As an office worker sitting for consecutive hours every workday, buying the best office chair for sciatica pain is the first thing you should do. So, here, I would like to review the top picks to help you make a wise choice.
What Is the Best Office Chair for Sciatica Pain?
Features:
- 3 sizes for people of different heights and weights
- Ergonomic seat design for sciatica
- Flexible & unique lumbar support
- Fully adjustable arm support
- Controllable tilting feature
- Recycled breathable material
This Aeron chair from Herman Miller is the most popular in its class. With a high price, this chair boasts many ergonomic designs for sitters to custom-make your seats. If you have no worries over budget, this is, by all means, the best office chair for sciatica pain.
It has 3 sizes available, each being adjustable, for people of varying builds. Size A is for small and short people with back pain while B is for the average build. So, as you can infer, model C is for big and tall guys looking for ergonomic seating.
Also, the chair shines with its unique PostureFit SL support for the lower back. This particular machine can provide support to your lumbar area, despite your minor movements on the chair. Besides, the lumbar support is adjustable in height to better fit the curvature of your spine.
In a word, this chair will easily outperform other competitors in ergonomics, whether they are cheap or expensive. I’d strongly suggest you buy this one if you suffering from sciatica.
How Do You Sit in Computer Office Chair with Sciatica?
There are many ways of alleviating sciatica in terms of office seating. Here I will introduce some to you. But also, remember that the focal point is that you need to do more exercise and form a better lifestyle. These chairs are a nice addition to that.
1. Buy An Ergonomic Chair for Long Sitting Hours
Poorly made chairs have given rise to many health problems when you are even unconscious of that. If you are troubled by sciatica, then you are having pains in the back, hip, and part of your leg. So, these are the three parts you should pay special attention to when choosing office chairs.
For back pain relief, lumbar support plays a major role. High-end chairs boast advanced technologies like PostureFit SL system on Aeron chairs and LiveBack on Steelcase chairs. But if you have a limited budget and cannot afford the expensive seats, the best bet is to choose chairs with adjustable lumbar support. The customizability of such lumbar cushions makes for a position that fits you the best. Then, you are less likely to get back pains.
For hip and leg pains, the highlight is the chair seat. It needs to have thick padding so that your tailbones do not have to make do with the hard seats. Personally, I have hurt my coccyx when going down the slide with my little cousin. It was a funny story, but the sad side is that I have to sit on chairs with generous padding, or my tailbones hurt badly.
Except for padding, the curvature of the seat is also essential. Many seats have a waterfall edge. It looks nothing special but can be of great help in reducing leg fatigue. The improved circulation in your calves and thighs will prevent you from leg pains, too.
The chair below is what I bought after hurting my tailbones. It fits me just fine, and I believe it will also do you a power of good.
>>Best Office Desk Sciatica Chair for Long Hours
2. Correct Your Postures While You Sit
It is true that many ergonomically correct chairs can prop up your poor sitting postures and reduce the risks of ensuing pains. However, there is no shortage of benefits if you correct your postures. Once you sit in a healthier way, the chair can support you more ergonomically. Also, you are much less prone to lower back pain.
The following illustration gives an idea of how you sit in a proper way. The numbers, sure, are only for your reference. The point is your feet should be flat on the floor. Failing to do this may make your sciatica more severe. Meanwhile, the angle of your knees should be at least 90 degrees. So, you can measure out what range of seat height is best for you when sitting in this way. And don’t forget the desktop should be 8 to 9 inches higher than your seat.
Here is a round-up of proper sitting postures. You can also refer to this when you buy desks and chairs for office rooms.
- Place your feet flat on the floor.
- Keep the knee angle 90 degrees or more.
- Avoid sitting cross-legged. This is the worst for your sciatica.
- Ensure the desktop is 8 to 9 inches higher than the seat.
- Place your arms naturally on the desktop or armrests. Your elbow angle is best to be 90 degrees.
- Put the computer monitor slightly lower than your eye level to avoid neck pains.
3. Add Cushions for Your Back and Hips
Most office chairs have thick padding to ensure comfort during your long sitting hours. However, some cheaply made ones have low-quality padding that wears easily over time. And this is when the lumbar and seat cushions can help.
The seat cushions are the best for people suffering from sciatica, especially those who have painful tailbones. The cushions are often at least 3 inches thick so that you can feel soft. Meanwhile, they have the ergonomic curvature that fits your coccyx. With the combination of these two features, you can feel comfortable support from the seat padding.
As for the lumbar support cushions, they are best for posture improvement. Some chairs do not come with a reclining or tilting feature. That means you have to sit upright for chair back support. This, however, is difficult, especially when long sedentary hours are a must. Plus, experts suggest that reclining to 130°-135° while sitting is the best position to reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerve. Therefore, sitting on chairs that do not tilt or recline is terrible for health. So, this is where the lumbar pillow shines. They have the curvature that supports your lower back when you recline. Also, the thick padding will protect you from discomfort.
>>Best Seller Aylio Sciatica Seat Cushion for Computer Chairs
4. Try Balance Ball Chairs for Active Seating
Except for the regular executive chairs you often see, there are some special types of chairs good for your health. Though they may look strange in offices at first, you can hardly refuse them once you try for a period. Swiss ball chairs are one of the magic seats.
These chairs have also got various types due to the different bases available. But however they change, the core idea is that you are sitting on a ball, or a curved surface like a ball, instead of a flat seat. So, you can sit directly on fitness balls if you are good at keeping balance on them. If not, no worries. You can choose the balls that come together with a ring base. Such chairs often have a pair of handles. With these features, you can do more exercise too. Or there are chair-like bases available. These are the best for people who want rolling and ergonomic chairs. They have a four-leg base with casters to roll across the floor and a metal bar to secure the ball. Plus, the chair leg adds extra length so that the chairs can fit you and your desk better.
No matter which type of ball chair you choose, plenty of benefits await. Sitting on these special chairs can improve your overall health by building up stronger core muscles. It can also lower your risks of developing heart diseases and, sure, relieve sciatica. Apart from that, the balls are often detachable so that you can do exercises with them. This bonus makes the chair even more economical and functional.
>>Hot Selling Office Gaiam Exercise Ball Chair for Sciatica Sufferers
5. Kneeling Chairs Are Good for Pain Sufferers
If you care about ergonomic seating, then you must have heard about this special type of chair. Different from the balance ball chairs, which many people have seen in gyms, these options are more revolutionary. But if you want me to choose the best office chair for sciatica and for posture, I’d say no one can beat kneeling chairs.
Though these chairs look uncomfortable to sit on, the truth is the other way round. Once you get seated, you can feel you are placing your weight evenly across the seat. On regular chairs, however, you tend to put pressure on part of your legs on the seat. This, in the long run, may give rise to pains to the area that carries extra weight. If you can’t help sitting cross-legged, however, things get worse as you place your weight on your left or right side only. This excessive pressure is very dangerous.
On kneeling chairs, this bad sitting habit is sure to come to an end. You can not even sit down if you try to cross your legs. Instead, you will wind up placing your knees on the knee pads and sit in a better posture. In this way, you are less prone to sciatica.
>>Best Cheap Office Kneeling Posture Chairs Good for Sciatica
6. Massage Sessions on Chairs Are Soothing
Pains are almost inevitable whether you sit or stand for long hours. So, it is necessary to find out more efficient ways of reducing sciatic pains. Receiving massages is one of them. It can help you reduce muscle tension and improve circulation. Through physical relaxation, mental health will also witness a change for the better. You can feel more relaxed and rejuvenated after massages and thus work with higher productivity. And, obviously, choosing the best office chair for sciatica pain is not enough.
So I’d like to recommend massage chairs to whoever wants easier access to massages. These functional chairs can deliver a masseuse feeling massage. Meanwhile, you don’t need to travel the distance for the appointment with professionals. After purchasing the chair, you win the opportunities for massages at home or in your office – no more paying for that. Sharing the chair with your family or colleagues will make your investment wiser.
The benefits, sure, lie not simply in saving time and money. Massage chairs these days shine with many high-tech designs. Courtesy of technological development, massage techniques from all over the world are attainable on the chairs. They can deal with your lower back pain, sore legs, and sciatica. Plus, the advanced features like zero-gravity positions will make you more relaxed when enjoying full-body massages.
It is hard to summarize the pros of massage chairs within a few words. If you want more information, click to read about Best Massage Chair Reviews and Buying Guide. Or, you can directly buy the top one pick below. It has won a reputation among customers and can provide unprecedentedly soothing massage sessions.
>>Best Kahuna LM6800 Massage Office Chairs to Help Sciatica
7. Do Some Simple Exercises in Your Office
As I have mentioned, chairs and massages are an excellent addition that helps lower your risks of pains. Regular exercises, however, are the most efficient recipe for pain relief.
One change you can make with your office seating is to change it into a sit-stand chair. That is, you can buy a chair that allows you to alternate between sitting and standing. So, together with that, you will need a height-adjustable desk to match your need when you stand up to work.
Also, the more recommendable solution is to do some simple exercises. Here are some hints:
- Park your car half a mile away from your office building and walk the distance.
- If you live near your office, what about riding a bike or walking there?
- You can take the stairs instead of taking the elevator all the time. Walking to the fifth floor is like a walk in the park for you.
- Doing some simple stretches from time to time can help you refresh your mind and improve work efficiency.
Plus, if you can spare time and money, I’d strongly suggest you arrange schedules for gym lessons. They are the best for promoting health.
How Should You Sit with Sciatica?
Pain in your back or legs is sciatica, which can be disabling. This is especially true if you work in an office and sit for any length of time. What you need to realize is you can easily find the best office chair for sciatica pain and get to know how to sit correctly with sciatica pain. Yet you need to know more about what the best office chairs are. This can help you in dealing with the pain that you are experiencing in your legs and back.
1. Best For Relieving Nerve Pain – Boss Office Products Black LeatherPlus Executive Office Desk Chair
Boss Black Leather Plus is the best office chair for sciatica pain for people suffering from sciatica. This chair is generally going to have an ergonomic style to it, which makes it easier for people to sit in the chair for long periods of time. However, the chair will also have a lot of padding. This padding is going to provide the comfort that people need to have if they are going to be working in their chair for any length of time. Also, you can move the chair around and lock it into position.
2. Best For Sciatica Nerve pain – Serta 43506 Bonded Leather Big & Tall Office Chair
Serta’s best office chair for sciatica pain was not to be outdone in the office chair contest. They have their own model out that is meant to deal with back pain. The Serta chair is obviously going to be providing quite a bit of comfort for people, but it goes one step further in the comfort level by providing a lumbar pivot in the chair. This pivot means people will get the full lumbar support while they are moving around in the chair and trying to get comfortable.
3. Sciatica Pain Relief Cushion – Memory Foam Seat Cushion for Lower Back, Coccyx and Sciatica
Buying the best office chair for sciatica pain will be more powerful if you purchase another cushion. While not a complete chair, people may want to consider this memory foam cushion. This cushion will insert into any of the office chairs that people are using. It will, however, allow people to have the cushion additive to their chair that it could be missing. The reason this could be missing is age or even the amount of time people are sitting in the chair. This addition will help provide the ergonomic seat that people need. It allows them to get comfortable in their seat without concerns over comfort.
As many people have found out, working in an office is a great way to have a job, but it also can be painful if they suffer from any type of back or leg condition. This condition or sciatica often can lead to people not being able to complete their job because they are constantly getting up and down to complete their work. This is when people should know about the best office chairs on the market to help them with their back pain. But if they cannot afford a chair a good insert that can mimic what the high-dollar chairs are doing.
Final Words
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Likewise, it takes time to reduce sciatic nerve pains. Once you have bought the best office chair for sciatica and tried a healthier lifestyle, you will gradually see a change for the better.
