Office chairs for back-pain...

Gulliver

So - from years of being an obese dickhead - incorrectly lifting amps, cabs and the like - I suffer from pretty bad lower-back pain. My current office chair is comfortable enough for general lounging around and interweb-ing, but these days I'm doing a lot more work at home - and my back is getting worse.

Anyone got any recommendations for supportive office chairs that don't cost a fortune?

EricTheWeary

For an office chair in an actual office you could call Access To Work who would come and do an assessment and tell you what you need.
For home use I guess just go and try a bunch.

bertie

one would suspect for a 'resonable chair (a non designer city yuppie snake oil one) you'll need to part with a couple of hundred sheckles at least

CabbageCat

If you really want a chair that will help your back you need to get one that suits you. Chair #1 might help my dodgy spine but it could make yours worse. My colleague tried five different expensive back chairs before settling on the one she has now.

That said, I swear by kneeler-chairs that have no back support at all. Fcks up my knees though.

guitarfishbay

bertie;158915" said:

one would suspect for a 'resonable chair (a non designer city yuppie snake oil one) you'll need to part with a couple of hundred sheckles at least

I discovered that I prefer a rigid plastic chair to an office style chair. Makes me sit up straight instead of slouching.

At home I used a stability ball for a while but now just use a plastic chair.

It may just be my experience but I don't like office chairs. They give too much which introduces support problems, meaning you need to spend more to get a better one that will support you better. The two types of plastic chair I use are quite sturdy and catch my back in the right place so to me are much more comfy than the office chairs I've had.

I do agree that this is a very YMMV topic though and that you'll need to try them yourself.

EricTheWeary

you could also try working standing up more, although you will need a riser desk or similar. Standing for prolonged periods isn't brilliant for my joints (much more problematic than walking) but ideally I would alternate between the two. It would get me out of my slouch and you burn more calories (the same task standing is about 1/3rd more calories than sitting).There was a bit of research done where office workers who mostly stood at their work stations were found to be happier at work. 

equalsql

I suffer from lower back problems too and when it's been really bad I've managed to borrow a kneeling chair for a few days and that has helped a lot with the recovery:

This one looks really quite cool:

guitarfishbay

Actually looking at the first picture there that is kind of how I sit already, feet tucked under the chair with me sat up straight, though I guess mechanically it will be different as my feet are on the floor.  The back of the chair only touches my lower back but it enough for me to feel more comfortable than I did with an office chair anyway.  

A big improvement for my own personal comfort came when I got a computer monitor with height adjustment so I can look forwards instead of down.  Monitors that are too low just encourage you to slouch and roll your shoulders forwards IMO.

Gulliver

EricTheWeary said:

you could also try working standing up more, although you will need a riser desk or similar. Standing for prolonged periods isn't brilliant for my joints (much more problematic than walking) but ideally I would alternate between the two. It would get me out of my slouch and you burn more calories (the same task standing is about 1/3rd more calories than sitting).There was a bit of research done where office workers who mostly stood at their work stations were found to be happier at work. 

I spend all day stood up as it is (I'm a school teacher)  This is for when I get home and sit down to do planning and shit...

johnnyurq

Roll on anti gravity devices for bad back days/months/years.

I couldn't get on with the knee stools at all and a cheapish mesh back chair wiht lumbar support has helped a fair bit. I think it was about £130 ish.

Myranda

equalsql said:

I suffer from lower back problems too and when it's been really bad I've managed to borrow a kneeling chair for a few days and that has helped a lot with the recovery:

This one looks really quite cool:

Good lord! the second one looks like a Stephen Hawkings type wheel chair.

I had one of those Z chairs (not the cyborg killatron version) and it had cheap tacky cushion material and nasty material. And because the padding was so sub-par it felt uncomfortable on my shins and bum.

So I invested in a high backed office chair with a head-rest. It's a sort of bucket type car seat shape (though not quite). The whole seat leans as one, so when I laze about the chair supports my whole back, and head without letting my legs slouch... and as a result my back never felt better than when I've been sat in that chair - recently, my mother appropriated it so I've been lacking in comfy chair...

I'm always on the look-out for more comfy chair - think I'd like a mesh one as leather can be a little sweaty in summer month

wibble

Has anyone ever used a standing desk for a reasonable length of time?

Rocker

http://back-shop.com/ in Dublin.  Not cheap but what price do you put on comfort?

d8m

Steep mind!

ToneControl

d8m said:

Steep mind!

they are the best I had at work

I want one at home

Herman Miller aeron

You can get refurb ones cheaper, e.g.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/shops/A2AJ4ZSREC9IM7

bluechargeboy

I struggled with RSI and bad back culminating in sciatica a couple of years ago. Had many keyboard, mouse, chair and desk variants. As far as I am concerned you can throw all the technology you want at the problem but the biggest (only) benefits for me came from losing some weight and starting to do some press-ups / squats / chin-ups. No more bad back, no more RSI, no more sciatica.

Having said that, if I was working from home I would have a standing desk with tall stool so I could stand, lean on the stool, sit on the stool. Presumably you have an armchair in the vicinity if you want to slouch for ten minutes. We have not evolved to sit still in a chair, so do it as little as possible whilst still being able to do your work.

TTony

Getting a decent chair will help stop your back getting any worse, but only if you sit properly and have it suitably adjusted.  

Plus, it's not just the chair, you have to think about the desk, where your monitor/s and keyboard are placed, etc.

However, even a decent chair properly adjusted won't necessarily sort any underlying problems.  For that, I'd recommend a decent physio.  Try a couple of sessions (expect £35 per 45mins) and see what they recommend.  A good physio has really helped my back in recent years.

ToneControl

yes, when my back or neck locks up, I go to the chiropractor, good seats don't fix it. Bad seats make it worse.

thumpingrug

I had an access to work assessment last september and was recommended a chair for use at the office.  Ill dig out the details tomorrow and post them.  However its was approx. £600 which because we are a small organisation was covered by the DWP.  Its not clear if your self employed but if not you may find your employer is responsible.

In any event the initial assessment costs nothing and is well worth doing to get the best possible guidance on what is needed for your particular problem.

meltedbuzzbox

a chair is a lazy fix to a real problem

you need to strengthen your back. Light weight exercises and dorsal raises.

save that chair money and see a physio, get some real advice. .

thumpingrug

I agree that strenghthening the core is the best way to go long term, however sometimes a short term fix is needed.

anyhows,  I got one of these and I have to say its darn good.

http://ergochair.co.uk/products/_/adapt_600/adapt_660