Lower back pain is awful. You don’t realize how many everyday tasks require bending and reaching and squatting, until you are unable to do any of those things. But one of the most uncomfortable tasks to perform with lower back pain can be simply sitting in a cheap office chair for long hours and working at your desk. Unfortunately, this is also likely the very cause of your lower back pain.

The human body is simply not designed to sit for long hours. We were built to stand and walk, keeping our spine straight. Sitting for long hours puts unnecessary strain on the muscles and vertebrae in the lower back, leading to a considerable amount of discomfort. Lower back pain is actually the number one complaint among office workers.

There are ways to prevent this pain, however, and the most important step we can take is looking into quality office chairs. The best office chairs for lower back pain are ergonomic office chairs. These chairs are designed for people who sit long hours at a desk, and they provide the support and adjustments that are needed to keep you comfortable and healthy.

The best office chairs for lower back pain are able to be adjusted to suit each user’s individual body size. Very few people are exactly the same size, and sitting in a chair that is not properly adjusted will not do any good, and can in fact be harmful. Quality office chairs will allow you to adjust the seat height, depth, seat back tilt, and armrest height.

The most important feature of the best office chairs for lower back pain is the lower back support. Each chair is equipped with a lumbar pillow insert or cushion to help support the lower back. This cushion lifts and stretches the muscles in the lower back, and takes some of the weight off of the lower vertebrae. The lower portion of the spine bears a majority of the body’s weight when seated, so alleviating some of this extra stress does a lot of good.