Best Office Chair for Sciatica Nerve Pain in 2022

When you think about an office chair, what usually comes to your mind? Just a random chair will do and you’ll be able to keep working. WRONG! And it’s a big no if you’re someone who has an issue with sciatica nerve pain.

Maybe you didn’t do your homework, maybe you were like ‘Pfft! Who needs the best chair for sciatica? Anything will do.’ But when it comes to eliminating your sciatica nerve pain, you need something that comes with great lumbar support, great adjustability, amazing back support to keep your spine aligned.

Let’s not forget that the quality of the chair needs to be top-notch and it needs to blend in with your environment too.

Now, you can say ‘Okay I got, so what is the best chair for sciatica?’ That’s when you need to read this write-up.

What is Sciatica?

Yes, we know! Sciatica is one of the worst things that can happen to you. Honestly, we wouldn’t wish it on our worst enemies. Sciatica is a medical condition that causes pain along the sciatic nerve. It only affects only one side of your body.

This condition usually occurs when the sciatic nerve is constricted or pinched. Now, what would cause this nerve to get pinched? Well, there are mainly two ways.

You can have a herniated disc or a bone spur pinch that nerve. Although this can be a serious issue, most cases only need some non-operative treatment. That usually fixes the condition. But in some cases, it can get too severe.

We assume you might have guessed already why this review exists. Improper sitting posture and a bad chair can be a cause as well as worsen symptoms. Don’t worry though, we have just the right thing for you. Keep on reading.

What You Need to Know About Piriformis Syndrome

A rarity but, Piriformis Syndrome is where the piriformis muscle will actually compress the sciatic nerve. And if you have been paying attention so far, you would know that’s a big no-no. Although this is a very uncommon disorder.

By the way, this syndrome is a neuromuscular disorder for those of you who are curious.

Why Trust Our Picks: How We Select Products?

We will start asking the hard questions first. Why should you trust our picks? The simple answer to that question is our carefully made selection criteria. Since sciatica can be caused by prolonged sitting and bad posture, we wanted to pick chairs that tackle those things.

That’s why our selection criteria ensure you get the best chair for sciatica nerve problems. What are our criteria then? Glad you asked.

Adjustable Ergonomic Features

You know what? Whether you’re picking out a chair for sciatica or just a chair for doing normal work, it should be adjustable and ergonomic. That’s just the base minimum for any chair, really.

That’s why we made sure all our products have adjustable ergonomic features that make it comfortable to sit. A chair that you can adjust to make the sitting posture just right for you.

Multiple Seating Options

Speaking of being comfortable, multiple seating options made it into our criteria list. This one is a bit of a no-brainer. Multiple seating options give you flexibility. It gives you the ability to change your sitting position to one that you feel comfortable with.

You aren’t a robot. No. you’re a living breathing human being. And you can definitely wish to change your sitting position whenever you want. That’s your right.

Okay, we may have gotten a bit dramatic there, but you get the point. More seating options equal to a good chair.

Seat Design & Padding

Ah yes, seat design and padding. You can sit on the seat of the chair. That’s a sentence right there isn’t it. If the seats of your chair aren’t comfortable what point is even there picking that one.

A comfortable seat design with ample cushioning is the way to go. We might even dare and say it’s the only way to go.

Fit

Lastly, you have fit. Making sure your chair fits you will ensure you get the right one for your needs. Buyer’s remorse is a real thing. And you certainly don’t want to feel that for a chair you bought to handle a medical condition. Right?

As you can see, some thought has gone into our selection criteria. And why not? We care about what we do and take it very seriously. Before we get started with the meat of the article, here is a helpful buyer’s guide first.

What to Look for When Buying an Office Chair for Sciatica

Picking out a product from a list of reviews is easy. And there is nothing wrong with that. We did curate the best for you. But if you know what features to look for though then you can make a more informed decision.

Good Lumbar Support

A chair with good lumbar support will do wonders to help with back pain and improve your posture. That’s something that will surely help with sciatica.

Waterfall Seat

Look for a waterfall seat design. A waterfall design makes the chair fatigue-free and will eliminate any pressure points as well. That’s good news for sciatica patients.

Adjustability

Here is the rule of thumb for adjustability; the more adjustability the better. With an adjustable chair, you can tweak it to the exact position you prefer. Not everyone is comfortable with the same sitting height, angle or sitting position. So, adjustability is a must. One size fit all isn’t the case here.

Fabric Quality

While you’re at it, why not just get a good quality premium chair with top-notch fabric and build quality. This will not only be an investment, but a high-quality chair will also last longer.

Brand and Price Point

Lastly, you have brand and price points. Just pick the chair that suits all your needs within your budget. Make sure you keep the above-mentioned features in mind. As for settling on a brand, all the ones we reviewed here are reputed names.

What is the Best Office Chair for Sciatica?

If you were to put a gun to our head and asked to pick the best chair out of all these, we have to side with the Office Star ProGrid High Back. It just checks all the boxes and is a perfectly well-rounded office chair for sciatica.

But that might not be the case for you. People’s tastes and priorities differ. If Office Star’s chair doesn’t quite cut it for you, here are the reasons why you may want to check out the others.

• The Steelcase Gesture Graphite is undoubtedly one of the best-designed ones on this list. The two-tone color finish and the classy design make this one quite an attractive option for someone who values aesthetics.
• Flash Furniture’s Mid-Back Drafting Chair is a stellar choice for someone who doesn’t want a full mesh back. Maybe you don’t like your total back being covered. And that’s completely fine. Get this one then.
• As for a top-quality home office chair, that crown goes to the SIDIZ T50. It has a balanced design and features that give you proper relief from sciatica. It strikes the perfect middle ground in all aspects
• The Steelcase Leap is a great choice for executives and high earners. All the must-have features like adjustability, lumbar support, and comfort are present. But it is expensive. If you’re a big shot, that won’t be too much of a problem, will it? Besides, it’s a small price to pay for sciatica relief anyway.
• For those who want a unique experience and a cool kneeling chair, DRAGONN kneeling chair is the way to go. It’s adjustable with an unconventional kneeling position that is good for posture and back pain.
• Lastly, if you’re in the market for a chair you can get super comfortable on, then the Ergohuman High Back is where it’s all at. The headrest is a nice touch which means you can get settled in it. As we mentioned in the review though, check to see if you’re too tall or too short for it.

7 Best Office Chair for Sciatica Reviews

Out of all the junk products in the market you can find, here are the 7 and the only 7 worth paying attention to. And boy do you want to pay attention to them. Each one has something impressive to offer.

1. Office Star ProGrid- Affordable Office Chair for Sciatica

If you want to save a little money and still get one banger of a chair, this one from the guys over at Officer Star is the one to get. It has all the features you need, packed in a simple and attractive design.

First up is the breathable mesh high back. The mesh means your back can breathe when you sit on the chair. Or if we are feeling a bit comfortable in the office after a long productive burst of work, maybe you want to lean back a bit. Whatever position you choose, this one will make sure your back can breathe.

Then there is the adjustable armrest. You can twist and turn it and fix it in the exact position you like. This will make sure while you’re working away at the office, you won’t get hand cramps or wrist pain.

The seats are adjustable as well and give you superior comfort. One of the things we love is how you can adjust the depth to reduce pressure on your buttocks. It even has a slightly sloping edge. That ensures it doesn’t cut off circulation and worsen sciatica pain.

Plus, it also has all the usual features that make this a good chair for the office. The 360-degree swivel gives you ease of motion. Also, the height adjustments help you move the seating position up or down, depending on your preference.

2. Steelcase Gesture Graphite Chair

Steelcase is one of the biggest names in the field. Of course, they didn’t come this far by making shoddy quality products. Their lineup is filled with durable and high-end chairs and this one is great for someone who suffers from sciatica.

Let’s get to the main features first. With this one, you get a superb backrest. It will conform to the natural shape of your back and give you neutral support. It will keep your posture the way it’s meant to be and that’s something you would want for sciatica.

Other aspects of it are just as impressive. You get adjustability up the wazoo here. The seat depth, height and also the armrests are all adjustable. For the armrest, getting it to just the right position is only a matter of twisting and turning it to make it fit you.

And the height adjustment is pneumatic. You can easily adjust it with the lever. All that’s fine and dandy. But the true potential of this one list in its seat design. It has innovative air pockets that reduce the pressure on your thighs. This is great for dealing with health problems and improving blood flow.

It also doesn’t hurt the fact that this is one of the better-looking chairs on this list. Yes, we know this is completely subjective. But the classy and minimal design with the two-tone color finish does give it quite a premium look. The small gripe we have is it doesn’t have a mesh back.

3. Flash Furniture- Best Drafting Chair for Sciatica

Straightforward, comfortable and adjustable. Those are the three words we would use to describe this one from the guys over at Flash Furniture. It really is one of a kind. Get this one if you want a chair that simply works.

What makes this so good for sciatica? Well, it has one of the best lumbar support. Plus, you have the super comfortable padded seat that features an extreme waterfall design with a tilt/tension lock. Lumbar support is an important feature you want to have to deal with sciatica pain. And since it’s adjustable, you can tweak it to just the way you like it.

The waterfall seat design will relieve pressure from your thighs and give you even more comfort. Do you get the gist already? This is one comfortable little chair. Why deal with just one issue of sciatica when you can also prevent things like back pain? And that’s exactly what this chair is good for.

You may have also noticed it’s a mesh back. And that brings a couple of inherent benefits. Your back can breathe! Tell us if this sounds familiar, you work for a couple of hours straight. And when you get up your back is sweaty.

Yeah, that’s probably because your chair isn’t breathable. Not only can that be annoying but also embracing having a sweaty back in the office. Yikes! This one from Flash furniture takes care of all that. We would just have loved to see seat depth adjustment though.

4. SIDIZ T50- Home Office Chair for Sciatica

Yeah, we are going to just come out and say it, a lot of these products either look the same and/or have a mesh back. But that doesn’t mean it’s all made the same. Take the T50 for example, it gives you a mesh back but a fabric seat for the best of both worlds.

We will get to how this chair works for sciatica in just a bit. But can we take a moment and appreciate the fact that this one doesn’t use the same material for the back and the seat? The seat is made from fabric which gives you some warmth and keeps you cozy.

Its back is made from mesh to make it more breathable. That’s such a refreshing thing to see. And you will love sitting on this one. And it’s also adjustable. The seating position, seat depth and height and even the armrest can be adjusted the way you want.

The material and the comfortable seat aren’t the only tricks up its sleeves. You get phenomenal lumbar support. The back has a natural S-curve design which is very similar to human backs. When you sit on it, it will fit like this one was just made for you. And we all know by now how important lumbar and back support is.

The seat is also wide and comfortable. More importantly, it has a teardrop design with no bolsters to be found anywhere. This does two things; it makes it comfortable and will also get rid of any pressure points and keep blood flow optimum. And that’s good news for battling sciatica.

5. Steelcase Leap Fabric Chair

The name might seem familiar. And why won’t it be? We included a great option from this brand earlier. The Leap is also a great choice. But truth be told, it doesn’t look as good.

A chair doesn’t need to look good to give you relief from sciatica. This is hands down one of the top office chairs for sciatica sufferers. Ergonomics and support are the names of the game here. The backrest will change its shape as you move and shift your weight.

This means you’re fully supported at all times. Now that’s saying something, isn’t it? Steelcase calls it LiveBack Technology. You can immediately tell why we pick this chair for someone who has sciatica.

Then there are all the other features like the padded soft seat. It’s super comfortable to sit on. What’s even more important is it won’t hamper your blood flow which is crucial for sciatica patients. The armrest and seat height are adjustable. Just as you would expect from a top-class chair like this one.

All in all, we can’t recommend this chair enough. It checks all the right boxes and should give you a comfortable and very relaxing sitting experience whether you use it in the office or at your home office. And the build quality is very sturdy too.

Related Post!
Best Ergonomic Office Chair Under $300

6. DRAGONN- Best Kneeling Chair for Sciatica

How about this one? The DRAGONN kneeling chair is certainly the most unique chair you will find on this list. But we are sure you know by now that we didn’t include this just for its unconventional design.

The seating position of this one is what makes it one of the top chairs for sciatica relief. The seating position of leaning chairs has shown to greatly improve posture and help with back pain too. And this one is no different.

It’s adjustable too. You can tweak the height to your liking. This will help you find the exact position comfortable to you when you’re at the desk working away.  

Then comes the seat itself. The seat is comfortable. They come with 4” thick padding which makes them very supportive but won’t create pressure points. So, that’s a win-win right there. We also quite like how premium the faux leather is. It will handle natural wear and tear just fine.

You also have cool features like the locking casters. When you need to be a bit mobile or need to move the chair, the casters will help you easily do that. There are locks as well that will keep it in place.

7. Ergohuman High Back Chair

This one has to be the king of customizability and adjustability. You get all this and very durable build quality as well. If you don’t mind the design, this is an easy pick when it comes to getting a chair for sciatica.

You get lower lumbar support with this one that’s independent of the upper backrest. Customize and tweak it to your heart’s content and get the exact sitting position you want. We also love how it’s sort of self-adjusting. Meaning it will adjust itself when you move.

Apart from great lumbar support to help deal with sciatica pain aside, the seat is another impressive aspect. 3 different tilt features allow you to get the right angle. Choose from either 90 degrees, 110 or 135 degrees. These three should cover everyone’s preferences, for the most part.

The seat is a mesh seat though. So, it could have used some padding. The lack of padding is somewhat made up by how adjustable the armrests are. You can swivel them to get the perfect angle. And they are height adjustable too. Not only that, you can adjust them individually.  

One thing that might have jumped out at you about this one is the headrest. The headrest is like a cherry on top of all the cool features. You can adjust the height of it too. But there’s a caveat. If you happen to be over 6’5″ or shorter than 5’2″, the headrest won’t quite line up perfectly.

How to Sit Comfortably with Sciatica

Since the crux of the problem with sciatica is the pinched sciatic nerve, a proper sitting position can help a lot. If you have the right sitting position, you will be quite surprised as to how relieving it can be.

The optimal position is to sit with your feet solidly planted on the floor/ground. Also, be aware to keep your legs at a 90-degree angle from your trunk. To make sure your feet are in the right position, you can get a small box or a tool and place your feet on top of that.

Another thing you can try is putting a pillow at the back of your seat. This is to help you give some lower back support. Although a good chair, like the ones we reviewed here, will help with this. But it doesn’t hurt to be extra diligent.

There are some anecdotal ways of sitting. Some say sitting cross-legged helped while others say that leaning on one side or leaning back helps as well. The point is, apart from the general best practices of sitting, what works exactly for you can depend.

If leaning back helps, get a chair that will let you do that. If placing a pillow helps, do that. Make sure you have a good posture and good support and you should be fine. Shifting your weight and changing your sitting position from time to time also helps.

Incorporate these into your lives and you will hopefully see lots of improvements in your condition.

Tips for Dealing Sciatica

Here are some tips that will help you better cope with sciatica. We are sure all of these will come in super handy. Even if you knew some of the ones we are about to mention, a little refresher doesn’t hurt.

A strong core helps

A strong core will help improve your spinal health. The pelvis, back muscles and sides are all part of your core. Working on those will sure help with better spinal health.

Nothing beats good sitting posture

Yeah, we have been raving about good posture all this time. Just to make sure you get the point; we are going to say it again. Having a good sitting posture is very important for dealing with sciatic nerve pain.

Watch Your Weight

Increased body weight will put extra pressure on your spine. People who are overweight have an increased chance of suffering from sciatica. Plus, those who are already overweight and suffer from it, recover much slower.

Don’t Sit for Long Stretches of Time

When you sit for a long period of time, you put pressure on the ligaments and discs. Try standing up every now and then and maybe stretch a bit. This is especially important for those who have a desk job.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are some questions that might be popping in that head of yours, and the answers to them.

Is sitting good for sciatica?

If you have sciatica, continuously sitting in one position is definitely not a good idea, at all! Make sure to alternate between positions. Sit, stand up or lie down. If you’re at the office and can’t necessarily lie down, you can stand up and take a break every once in a while.

Can massage chairs help sciatica?

Yes, they can. A proper massage chair can help to massage the tense muscles to alleviate the pressure on your sciatic nerve. This will in turn reduce the pain as well. If you do get a massage chair, make sure it still is a good chair first with lumbar and back support.

Does sciatica go away on its own?

Yes, it can go away on its own. Some cases might need treatment and some might not. It isn’t a medical emergency and you can wait and see if the symptoms go away. Of course, if the pain is too much and you feel you need to see a doctor, definitely do so.

Wrapping Up

There you have it. Picking the right chair for you is a matter of getting one that suits your needs. Get one that gives you enough adjustability and proper lumbar support. That will help you with your sciatica.

All the ones we mentioned here are top-quality chairs you can buy right now. Since now you know which is the best office chair for sciatica you don’t have to wander the internet anymore looking for the perfect fit.

Clinton A

Writholic, Very passionate Writer, love to travel a lot