Are you a desk worker concerned about the ache on one side of your back or the numbing and burning sensation running down your legs? This could result from a poor sitting position putting pressure on your sciatical nerve triggering sciatica.
Sciatica has been commonly observed in people working long hours in an incorrect spinal alignment, putting extreme pressure on the lower back, which often ends up in a herniated disc, causing leg and hip pain, making it difficult even to sit or stand when the pain boosts up.
I thoroughly discussed the finest type of chair for sciatica patients with neurologists and orthopedic doctors before writing this post to help you choose what kind of chair is best for sciatica.
The most asked question in its treatment is, what kind of chair is best for sciatica?
Here is a short answer:
Moving to a workroom seat tailored ergonomically, provided with a reclining or a kneeling feature offering backrest, is helpful in preventing sciatica and works the best in relieving lower back pain and promoting upright posture.
That being said, you should continue reading, because I will be sharing some useful stuff and tips throughout the guide.
Understanding what sciatica is
Do you often feel pain shooting down your spinal cord to the legs? This unique pain is known as sciatica, commonly observed in people who put a lot of strain on their sciatica nerve while working.
You must be interested in knowing what causes sciatica to flare up.
The sciatic nerve is known as the longest nerve in our body, stretching from the lower back to the buttocks and then moving down each leg.
Sitting for prolonged hours in an incorrect posture increases the chances of developing a herniated disk and muscle spasm resulting in excessive compression of the sciatic nerve, triggering sciatic pain.
The symptoms noted in long hours office workers due to sciatic pain include numbness of the foot and pain in the rear or leg which boosts up and makes it hard to stand. The pain radiates down the lower back to the hips and legs and affects one side of the body in most cases.
I looked for an ergonomic seat offering full features for a workplace chair to relieve sciatic pain. I found the Sleekform kneeling stool offers maximum support in adopting a correct posture. The tilt-forward design of a kneeling stool reduces the pressure from sciatica by assisting some of it by the shins and distributing it equally, making it a considerable option to work as the best chair for sciatic pain.
The Hbada workplace stool can also be considered to relieve sciatica. The best part I liked about Hbada stool was the double lumbar support, comfortable backrest, flip-up arms, and the rocking feature that helps to keep the core muscles engaged while taking the maximum strain off your lower body.
It is important to take sciatica pain seriously and consult the doctor in extreme sciatica ache because, along with causing leg pain, it can also result in loss of bladder, leading to serious health issues.
What kind of chair is best for sciatica
If you use a traditional workplace desk while experiencing pain and swelling in your back, you are more exposed to developing a serious health issue. Not all workplace desks are designed while keeping the ergonomics considered a basic factor that can consequently result in the incorrect alignment of the spinal cord.
Below I have discussed the factors to look for while buying a chair to prevent strain on the nerve, triggering sciatica.
Choosing the best chair for sciatica
Due to an unnatural sitting posture, the compressed sciatic nerve radiates pain from the lower back down to the hips and legs, making it difficult to stay focused during working hours. It is challenging for a person on duty to check the sitting posture and maintain focus side by side.
To prevent sciatica pain, it is time for every office worker to invest in an ergonomic stool for the workplace that can maintain proper blood circulation and take the strain off the internal organs and the lower body nerves offering excellent back support.
Look for the following features while choosing the best chair for sciatica:
Adjustable height
The backrest of the ergonomic seat should be movable so you can adjust it to your preferred height. An adjustable height enables an office worker to maintain eye level with the work desk, preventing slouching over the desk and the associated lower back pain.
Seat width
An ergonomic seats are usually 17 to 20 inches wide, offering maximum space to settle on it comfortably, but it can vary from body to body.
While looking for a chair to prevent sciatica, look for a seat width offering atleast an inch of space on each side of the hips.
This spacing will allow proper blood circulation in the lower body, restricting the numb feel and sciatica pain radiating down the legs.
Adjustable lumbar support
If your workplace seat’s lumbar support pushes you to sit straight 24/7, it is a big no to use.
The adjustable lumbar support offers exceptional comfort while keeping the natural S curve and preventing strain on the lumbar disc, minimizing the chances of sciatica pain.
Seat dimensions
The seat size is another feature to consider when looking for what kind of chair is best for sciatica.
A normal seat with a 25.98-inch length, 11.41-inch width, and 24.60-inch height works the best for anyone with 150-175 cm height offering proper lumbar support.
Adjustable armrest
The adjustable armrest provides comfort to the arms and alleviates sciatica by offering support to the lumbar, helping correctly align. Look for the armrest provided with padding for a better experience.
Seat material
The seat material is another factor to look for before purchasing a chair to relieve sciatica.
Ensure the seat is built of a high-quality material to handle the body weight and does not squish or pressure the spinal nerve when used.
Also, check the quality of the backrest. It should not be hard enough to develop pain in your back.
Footrest
An ergonomic workplace stool provided with a footrest is what an office person should look for. Stretching your legs for long hours develops the chances of muscle pain.
A chair with a footrest will keep the legs in a rested position, boosting energy.
Rocking or reclining feature
The rocking or reclining feature is important to consider in your next workroom chair. The rocking or reclining feature helps keep the core muscles engaged during work hours, preventing muscle pain.
Best types of chair for sciatica relief
Looking for what kind of chair is best for sciatica relief?
Below is a list of the best types of workplace stools to consider when looking for a chair providing maximum lumbar support and lesser strain to prevent pain in the lower back and leg and treats sciatica.
- Kneeling chair
- 24-hour stool
- Ergonomic office seat
- Computer chair
- Recliner office seat
Kneeling chair
A kneeling desk is considered one of the best types of stools on the market that works efficiently to treat sciatica pain.
The tilt forward design of the kneeling desk helps to open the hip angle and distributes the pressure of the lower back, causing sciatica pain equally by backing some of it by the shins.
The kneeling stool is good to be used on and off with a traditional workroom seat or for short-term tasks that push to slump on the desk and cause pain in the neck and shoulders.
One negative point of the kneeling stool is that it is not provided with a backrest to support your back.
➡️ My recommended pick: Predawn Kneeling Stool
24-hour stool
If you operate in a call center or control room or have a monitoring-based duty that requires your undivided attention, the 24-hour stool is for you.
The seat is particularly tailored, keeping the needs of an attention-seeking job in mind. The 24-hour stool has an ergonomic design with seat height, backrest, armrest, and cushion length adjustability to prevent slouching, muscle cramps, and pressure on the lower back, making it the best option to be used in long shifts.
➡️ You may consider using FelixKing Ergonomic Desk in your workroom.
Ergonomic office seat
In the chair industry, ergonomic seats are well known for assisting individuals in encouraging active sitting. The seat depth, backrest, and height of the ergonomic seat may all be adjusted to meet individual demands and aid in treating sciatica pain.
➡️ Tested ergonomic seat by me: Ergonomic mesh office chair
Computer chair
Computer seats are specifically designed to help people work long hours on computer tasks.
Prolonged sitting in front of the computer in an uncomfortable seat puts strain on the lower back and causes leg pain, making it difficult to do daily tasks.
The computer’s seats are tailored to offer ergonomic adjustment to customize the chair providing maximum comfort while sitting for prolonged hours and relieving sciatica.
It is often customizable from the backrest to the seat depth, making it easy to work for prolonged hours.
➡️ You may consider: Ergonomic computer desk chair
Recliner office seat
As the name says, the reclining seats offer a reclining position and take short breaks while working.
The reclining position benefits by taking off the pressure from the back and relaxes the lower back muscles by the reclining feature in the backrest, promoting an upright sitting posture while working and aiding in treating sciatica.
➡️ My recommended pick: KERDOM computer desk chair
Does a best chair for sciatica give relief?
Do you worry about the style of chair that will best aid you with your sciatica?
You should switch to a seat with lumbar support to solve your issues.
In this sense, a chair with a kneeling or reclining capability and adjustable settings is very helpful.
The kneeling desk’s tilt-forward design works to widen the hip angle. It relieves most of the pressure from your lower back and the pain caused by stretching on the shoulders and lower body.
Another option:
If you are uncomfortable with a kneeling stool for its unique design and unavailability of the backrest, a seat with a reclining feature can also be considered to treat sciatica.
The ideal seat to consider for treating sciatica should always be ergonomically created and feature a customizable adjustment setting for maximum comfort.
Conclusion
Suppose you are a person working hours in an unnatural sitting position and ending your day with pain radiating down your spine to your legs. You are probably developing sciatica which can affect your health and work efficiency in the long term.
Investing in an ergonomic chair such as a kneeling or a recliner chair can help by providing an upright and correct posture. We have discussed everything from the top factors considered to the best products in the market; hope you loved it!
Adam had a bad experience with his 5 years of job life. He later decided to start his own initiatives and now pursuing his passion for years. Working as a founder and senior editor at Workplace Ambitions is like a dream come true – sharing stuff related to the things he faced earlier and helping the community achieve their work-life dreams. Reach out to him at Adam@workplaceambitions.com.