The best chair for sciatica reduces disc problems that cause low back pain. Office chairs for sciatica are catching up with the science in this space and they aim to reduce the pain along the sciatica nerve which runs from the lower back to the bottom of the feet.
Have you ever felt low back pain, tingling in your lower back, and your leg while sitting? Even having numb parts of the lower body can be associated with sciatica health concerns. Most of these are caused by prolonged periods of sitting for the modern man working at the desk. The best chair sciatica sufferers can choose is one that tackles these issues before anything else.
What science tells use about sciatica?
Before we see a few best office chairs for sciatica, let’s see what research tells us about this seemingly mild health concern which is certainly an indicator or a serious problem.
Disc problems have multiple causes. They can be part of your genetic inheritance but they can also be caused by external factors. Disc pain that radiates into the legs might be tied to the longest nerve in the body, sciatica.
To be even more specific, you can ask yourself where this pain is located in your body. If it’s in your bottom, the back of your legs, or even in the toes, this disc pain can be caused by a compressed sciatica nerve.
We now have excellent literature on sciatica nerve studies. One study clearly shows that both an awkward posture and prolonged sitting cause sciatica or low back pain. This targets those who work at the desk, students, or any other professional who has to sit for hours. But some studies even go as far as tying mental stress at work with low back and sciatica pain. This could be interpreted as the mental stress of work-related tasks that make you work long hours or simply mental stress that causes nerve fatigue in general.
Incipient sciatica studies or the first studies in this area have been important as they saw a connection between this nerve and posterior body pain. But new studies now show spine flexion is detrimental to sciatica nerve pain. This means not any office chair with a lumbar pillow can work for your problem.
From here, we know that sciatica and low back pain can be caused by sitting both for too long and in a weird position that pinches the nerve. You should always look for medical support with this issue as choosing a new office chair simply won’t deal with the root problem sufficiently, but it can help you recover faster. Here are a few other tips as seen in the scientific literature.
Consider heat packs
Before you can feel great again, you need to deal with your pain. You can use heat packs on your lower back. You might also want to check your sleeping position. A pillow between your knees when you sleep on one side is going to take the pressure off the lower back as well. You should also quit smoking if you want to reduce lower back pain.
Start moving more
There’s evidence to support your sciatica nerve can benefit from moving more, but only once the pain stops. This means you should try to take frequent breaks from sitting, even if you already have the ultimate sciatica chair. Long walks seem to be advised by almost all medical professionals in this field. You can even consider weightlifting to strengthen your discs.
Best office chairs for sciatica ranked
Even when abiding by all of these recommendations, lower back pain caused by sciatica can last 1 or 2 years if not more. But all of them help as shown by research. If you don’t have a choice and you need to continue working at a desk for long hours, consider frequent breaks and one of the following office chairs for support.
When you try to buy a chair for sciatica or a chair even to prevent lower back pain, you need to choose a proven concept based on proper ergonomics. As seen in the studies above, only a correct sitting position can help you here. Above comfortable office chairs or reclining office chairs, posture support is key for sciatica.
1. Herman Miller Embody Ergonomic Office Chair
The Embody office chair is made for neutral spine support, which is what you need for sciatica. It has been developed by physicians and PhDs in biomechanics. Its backrest is where most of its benefits lie.
This backrest comes with a design that resembles your spine and ribs. It’s not a fixed backrest with some room for movement which makes it beneficial for those long hours of sitting. With a chair that is neutrally-supportive and which adapts to your movement, you get a different sitting experience.
Most importantly, this office chair for sciatica allows you to position your backrest in line with your spine without putting more pressure on the lower back.
A second important benefit comes from its waterfall seat pan edge. This design reduces pressure on the back of the feet where the sciatic nerves run through. You should prioritize these types of seat pans for a correct sitting posture.
Characteristics
- Made with adjustable seat depth
- Fully adjustable arms design
- Designed with a graphite base
- Dynamic seat pan design gives you the feeling of floating
- The seat is made with 4 layers ranging from support to airflow layers
2. Steelcase Gesture Chair
The Gesture Chair is a similar alternative for office work. It has a backrest that conforms to the shape and the movements of your back. This neutral support backrest is typical for any S-shaped support that your back naturally needs. This is the right office chair to consider when you don’t need the best lumbar adjustments system, which is the case with sciatica.
But an area where this chair is superior is in the design and materials of the seat pan. This is where Steelcase added air pockets to reduce pressure on your body. With reduced pressure on the thighs, you can see this chair as a helpful solution to your health problems.
The seat pan also features the same waterfall design you might be interested in when it comes to long term comfort on chairs for sciatica. With a rounded edge, this chair further reduces pressure points on the back of your legs and it doesn’t prevent good circulation in the area.
Characteristics
- Made with high 400lbs maximum weight capacity
- Designed with a tilt mechanism
- 4 custom recline angles
- Designed with 360 degree rotating arms
3. Sihoo Ergonomic Office Chair
If you’re on a budget, you can try Sihoo’s chair which comes with a similar spine-mimicking design. Still made for neutral support, this chair also features a backrest that can easily be adjusted in the lumbar area.
A multilayer sponge seat pan is added to these best office chairs for sciatica. It also supports a neutral sitting position. It’s best to lower the seat pan so that your feet are grounded properly with office chairs for sciatica and you can do this with the Ergonomic affordable office chair.
Characteristics
- Fishbone adjustable lumbar support
- Made with a neutral support S-shaped backrest for sciatica
- Included wide backrest
- 110° to 170° tilting angle
