The Best Office Chairs for Back Pain

The Steelcase Leap V2 is the chair we'd point most people with a sore back toward. Its LiveBack design lets the backrest flex and change shape as you move, so it keeps following your spine when you lean in to type or sit back to read.

The lower back controls are why it leads this list. You can slide the lumbar support up or down, then turn a separate dial to set how firm the lower back feels. The seat slides forward and back, with about 15.75 to 18.75 in of depth listed by a Steelcase retailer, and seat height runs from 15.5 to 20.5 in. The back reclines with four stop settings plus an upright lock, and the seat glides forward as you lean back, so you stay close to your desk. The arms move four ways, the weight limit is 400 lb, and Steelcase covers it with a limited lifetime warranty.

The trade-offs: it costs much more than most chairs here, no headrest comes with it, and there are a lot of controls to learn. Plan to spend some time setting it up. If you want the finest control over lower back support, this is the one. Check the current price of the Steelcase Leap V2 on Amazon.

The Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro gives you nearly as much control over lower back support as the Leap V2 for quite a bit less. Its lumbar pad moves two ways, up and down and in and out, so you can choose both where it sits and how firmly it presses. If you'd rather go without, it comes off completely.

Branch lists 14 points of adjustment. Seat depth runs from 16.7 to 19.7 in, the seat can tilt forward for focused typing, and the back tilts through 26 degrees with tension you can tune. The 5D armrests adjust in height, width, pivot, and pad width and depth. Branch says it's built for 8+ hours a day and rates it for 275 lb, with a 7-year warranty. It's listed for people from 5'2" to 6'2", and an optional tall cylinder suits people over 6 ft.

The headrest is sold separately, and the weight limit is lower than either Steelcase chair here. For two-way lumbar support and a seat slider without a premium bill, it's a strong pick. check the current price of the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro on Amazon.

The Steelcase Series 1 brings Steelcase's build and warranty to a lower price than the Leap V2. It suits people who want a chair that will last for years but don't need every possible control.

The features that matter most for your back are all here. Steelcase lists adjustable lumbar support as standard, and the seat adjusts for both height and depth, so you can fit it to the length of your thighs. The back has a full recline range, an upright back stop, and a boost setting that adds about 20% more back tension if you like firmer support as you lean back. The 4D arms adjust in height, width, depth and pivot. Like the Leap, it's rated for up to 400 lb and covered by Steelcase's limited lifetime warranty.

It has fewer lower back controls than the Leap, with no firmness dial, and no headrest is included. Steelcase also makes a version with fixed lumbar, so check that the listing says adjustable lumbar before you buy. check the current price of the Steelcase Series 1 Office Chair on Amazon.

The Secretlab Titan Evo is a gaming-style chair, but its built-in lumbar system makes it worth a look if you like to lean back often. Instead of a separate pad, the lumbar support sits inside the backrest. One side knob raises or lowers it, and the other changes how far it pushes out.

This pick is the Regular size, which Secretlab recommends for people from 5'7" to 6'2" and under 220 lb, with a 285 lb maximum. Small and XL sizes are also sold. The backrest reclines from 85 to 165 degrees, the 4D armrests move in several directions, and a magnetic memory-foam head pillow comes with it. The seat is 19.3 in deep.

The seat depth doesn't adjust, so shorter people may find it too deep. Tom's Hardware also found the seat firm after a couple of hours and the lumbar knobs hard to reach while seated. It's heavy too, at about 76 lb. If reclining is a big part of your day, it's a good choice. check the current price of the Secretlab Titan Evo (Regular) on Amazon.

The Staples Hyken is the budget pick for people who want adjustable lumbar support and a headrest without stepping up to the bigger names. It's an all-mesh chair, which helps it stay cooler than foam seats on long days.

Staples lists adjustable lumbar support, a headrest that changes in height and angle, and height-adjustable arms. Seat height runs from 17.2 to 20.9 in, and the swivel-tilt mechanism has a tension knob plus a 3-position tilt lock. It's rated for up to 275 lb over an 8-hour day and backed by a 5-year limited warranty.

The seat depth is fixed at 16.7 in, which suits average and shorter users but may leave taller people with less thigh support. The armrests only move up and down. If you mainly need lumbar support you can place where your back wants it, it's a solid start. check the current price of the Staples Hyken Mesh Chair on Amazon.