Best Gaming Chair for Bad Backs: Complete Reviews With Comparisons
Now, more than ever, people of all ages embrace gaming.
It is one of the largest communities in the world, with over 2.7 billion estimated gamers.
With its popularity, many have become financially successful because of their skills.
While many benefits come with gaming, the negatives are exceedingly critical to ignore.
Among the most common body issues that long-time gamers would complain about is their back pains due to bad posture.
That's where the best gaming chair for bad backs comes in. A gaming chair helps you sit in a neutral stance while giving the body freedom to move.
With that in mind, let's check out five of the top gaming chairs that you may consider buying.
Comparison Chart
Gaming Chair for Bad Backs: A Review
1. Epic Racing Professional Gaming Chair
Epic Racing is a gaming chair manufacturer that focuses on racing-style chairs.
Their chairs offer elite comfort and an appealing design, and the Epic Racing Professional Gaming Chair doesn’t fall short and has great features for back support.
Review
You can expect premium supportive cushioning from the Epic Racing Professional Gaming Chair because of its high-density foam that can withstand long hours of gaming and other sitting activities.
Also, the other materials used, such as PU vegan leather and thick alloy steel frame, deliver a sleek look to your gaming station.
The Epic Racing Professional Gaming Chair can accommodate your body's natural shape, minimizing body pains that result from long gaming sessions.
Its recline is also adjustable from 90 to 180 degrees, which offers exceptional comfort and support for your back.
This feature will also help you find the right angle that you’re most comfortable with or not cause you back pain.
It also provides additional comfort and support to your arms and shoulders, thanks to its adjustable armrests.
This also ensures you have the correct sitting posture while gaming or using your computer for extended hours.
The Epic Racing Professional Gaming Chair can carry up to 300 pounds worth of weight due to the thickness of the frame.
Aside from the 1.88mm frame, reinforcements such as Class 3 gas lift and five-point base are there for heavy-duty use.
The lumbar form of the Epic Racing Professional Gaming Chair promises critical back support.
If you're someone who experiences back pains from gaming, this quality may be your main reason for getting this chair.
PROS
CONS
2. Soontrans Computer Chair
Soontrans is another well-known brand of gaming chairs that you can’t ignore.
They offer various gaming chair models for every type of gamer out there, and this particular unit is one of the best for those with back problems.
Review
The expanded seat surface of this gaming chair can support up to 250 pounds of weight.
While this weight capacity may not be as impressive as the others on our list, you'll be alright as long as you are less than the limit.
It is one of only two gaming chairs on this list that features a footrest that you can quickly retract or extend according to your preference.
The materials used for this chair from Soontrans offer breathability, softness, and durability.
The leather surface also ensures a premium feel and appearance.
Another great feature of this chair is that you can change the length of the seat between three and four inches.
This feature is convenient if multiple individuals who have different body sizes will use this chair.
PROS
CONS
3. YITAHOME Big and Tall Massage Gaming Chair
The company YITAHOME specializes in offering gaming chairs and other types of furniture. From the living room to the outdoors, YITAHOME has quality releases.
The Big and Tall Massage Gaming Chair is among their top-selling units and for a good reason.
Review
The YITAHOME Big and Tall Massage Gaming Chair is wider than the average office chair, so you could cross your legs with ease.
It also has a 5.5-inch thick foam that is durable enough to withstand regular use.
While the 180-degree recline is somehow a standard for many gaming chairs, the YITAHOME Big and Tall Massage Gaming Chair has a 20-degree rocking function.
This feature allows for optimal relaxation for any user.
Additionally, the chair's five rubber casters can swivel 360 degrees without any noise.
You can also adjust the armrest in 3D, which offers further customization.
Plus, you can also easily adjust the chair’s height to your preference, so you can also use it with other desks of different heights.
With the stable base joint, the YITAHOME Big and Tall Massage Gaming Chair delivers increased safety.
It also has a class 4 gas lift that can safely support up to 350 pounds of weight.
Whether you are gaming with a bad back or has a heavy weight, it can take care of you without issues.
The massive backrest of the chair not only provides support but also creates a sleek profile for your gaming station.
PROS
CONS
4. POWERSTONE Gaming Chair
POWERSTONE is one of the most popular manufacturers of gaming furniture.
They have gaming chairs, gaming desks, and gaming recliners in their catalog.
This particular gaming chair model one of their top options for individuals with or want to prevent back problems.
Review
The POWERSTONE Gaming Chair has nylon casters and a heavy-duty base that both deliver stability and mobility.
It is made from sponge, faux leather, highly elastic foam, and breathable leather.
The thick four-inches cushion of this POWERSTONE chair is more than enough to deliver lasting comfort.
It also features a lumbar massage pillow. If you connect it to a power source, it can massage your waist, which gives you a relaxing feeling during your gaming time.
You can use an adapter, power bank, or your PC or laptop's USB port to connect your lumbar massage pillow.
The ergonomic design of the POWERSTONE Gaming Chair’s headrest and backrest is meant to provide cervical and lumbar protection.
Plus, it comes with a pillow that allows you to stay as comfortable as possible while gaming or doing office and school work on your computer.
Additionally, you can customize the chair to provide you with personalized support, thanks to its 2D adjustable armrests.
PROS
CONS
5. Southern Wolf Gaming Chair
The company Southern Wolf has a variety of ergonomic gaming chairs and desks.
They label themselves as manufacturers of high-performance but affordable e-sports equipment for everyone, and this specific chair is one of the best in their arsenal.
Review
Conforming to ergonomics, this chair features a high-straight backrest construction that passes the correct angle sitting posture.
Overall, the design allows you to feel the relaxing "embrace" of the backrest.
Considering that other gaming chairs on this list can only tilt up to 180 degrees, the tilt function of the Southern Wolf Gaming Chair is adjustable from 90 to 165 degrees.
This feature will allow you to lie down a bit to rest your eyes.
The chair also features a retractable footrest to provide optimal leg muscle relaxation.
A footrest is not something that all gaming chairs have, so its inclusion in this model is excellent.
This chair's high-quality all-steel frame guarantees stable and reliable performance.
Also, this gaming chair's racing seat qualities offer maximum durability and cannot be easily deformed.
The memory foam of the chair is also virtually free from human error because robotic arms make it. It ensures consistent, high-quality cushioning.
You can also easily turn your gaming chair into a rocking chair by adjusting the knob. Just reach the knob under the chair and start swinging back and forth.
PROS
CONS
What Is the Common Cause of Gamer Back Pain?
The sedentary lifestyle gaming promotes is one of the most frowned upon aspects of the activity.
Long periods of gaming are common for many gamers. As such, they are also sitting most of the time.
This practice is not ideal for the body. We are not built to sit or lay down for the majority of our active hours.
Among the most common aches gamers suffer from is lower back pain.
RELATED:
Gaming Chair for Lower Back Pain
If left untreated or ignored, it can be a serious issue that could affect your performance at gaming and other activities.
The number one cause of back pains is sitting with a bad posture for long periods, which usually leads to muscle strain.
Besides your lower back, other parts of the body affected by poor posture are the shoulders, knees, hips, and neck.
If no one corrects your posture, it would be challenging to avoid back pains because gaming is done while sitting.
As of this writing, VR Gaming has yet to make a considerable impact, so gaming while standing up is not very common.
Many suggest using a gaming chair to avoid bad posture.
In general, gaming chairs are built to support the ergonomics of your posture while giving you optimal comfort.
ALSO READ:
Gaming Chair for Posture (Guide)
How Do You Prevent Back Pains While Playing Video Games?
Gaming chairs are a boon for many gamers, but it is not the be-all-end-all answer to gamer back pains.
Sure, it will help you with the posture, but it wouldn't be sufficient to eliminate it.
Position the Monitor Correctly
For starters, make it a habit to play with your monitor at eye level.
This practice prevents you from looking upwards or downwards.
Prolonged looking in these directions puts strain on your neck and spine, which leads to discomfort, pain, and in severe cases, injuries.
Remedy the Pain Immediately
If you are already getting back pains regularly, you can do a few steps without making an appointment with your physician or orthopedic.
You could either use cold or heat packs on the affected area.
Place a bag on a specific spot for about 10 to 15 minutes until you notice improvements.
The ice or heat pack helps with increasing the blood flow, which results in relieving muscle pain.
If you have the tools for it, self-massage is also an option.
Exercise
The self-help options mentioned are proven to alleviate back pains, but you should also strongly consider pausing gaming every now and then.
Regular exercise in the form of long walks and jogging could help with your physical well-being.
The constant movement of your body helps keep your muscles and joints in regular shape, which reduces the instances of back and other body pains.
A good gaming chair will save you some back pain. Still, try to diversify your activities so that the chances of getting body pains get minimized.
What Are Some Benefits of Using a Gaming Chair?
Probably the most quality we are looking for in a chair is comfort. Gaming chairs are designed precisely for that purpose.
Before, we are used to play on the floor, couch, bed, or office chair.
As gaming becomes more time-consuming, these traditional pieces of home furniture are not suited to give us the comfort we need.
Gaming chairs are specifically tailored for those who are into long gaming hours.
In addition to providing comfort and support, they look stylish too.
In relation to comfort and support, a gaming chair could lead to better gaming results.
Back pains and other discomforts could affect your gaming, and a gaming chair could minimize it.
Subjectively speaking, the looks of a gaming chair is far more appealing than a regular or office chair.
The racing style is the most common type, but it wouldn't take long before we see other design variations.
Another couple of notable features of gaming chairs are the head cushion and lumbar support. You will not see those regularly on other chairs.
Ergonomic chairs are generally expensive. While gaming chairs do not feature the best type of ergonomic design, the price difference should convince you to get it instead of the specialized ergonomic chairs.
What Is the Price Range of Gaming Chairs?
For gaming chairs, it usually starts from $100 up to more than $10,000. Similar to most items, a higher price means more features.
It's easy to be captivated by some of them because of their cutting-edge design and qualities.
Some of these expensive gaming chairs look like the ones we only see in movies.
However, if you are just playing with your PC, console, or phone, you don't need to avail these over-the-top chairs.
What Are the Most Popular Types of Gaming Chairs?
When you start shopping for a gaming chair, you might get overwhelmed with the varieties to choose from, apart from the several brands and models.
As such, here are some of the most common and famous types of gaming chairs:
PC Gaming Chair
As the name implies, this chair is made specifically for PC gamers or users. It is arguably the most common type of gaming chair available in the market.
Racer Gaming Chair
At a glance, a racer chair is superior to a PC gaming chair in essentially all aspects.
While they may share a similar appearance, a racer chair is more supportive, cushioned, and durable than a PC gaming chair.
Some simulator variants include steering wheels and pedals, which simulate an IRL racing environment.
Beanbag Gaming Chair
Some consider this as the OG gaming chair. It is inexpensive compared to the standard gaming chairs we see now, as it has no backrest, headrest, or wheels.
While it has been a part of gamers for decades, the lack of lumbar and back support makes it a tough choice for those who want more features in their chair.
Pedestal Gaming Chair
With their premium price, pedestal gaming chairs are not for those on a budget.
It features a thicker and solid base than regular gaming chairs.
The appearance may not look as stylish as other gaming chairs, but the quality and features of the pedestal are more superior.
Our Final Recommendation
There are many similar features that the five gaming chairs we reviewed. Thus, the factors for picking the overall top gaming chair for bad backs are design, price, comfort, durability, and other various features.
Considering those, we have to give it out to POWERSTONE Gaming Chair because it exhibits an ergonomic design conducive to a bad back.
The massaging lumbar pillow, a feature not available in other chairs, provides additional relaxation to your waist.
Some may see it as a gimmick, but it would be difficult to argue that it could be beneficial during specific times.
The class 4 SGS gas, a standard feature for heavy-duty gaming chairs, is also on this gaming chair.
With this quality, you can rely on it without worrying too much about its support and durability.
Lastly, the price of this chair is almost unbeatable.
So, if you're looking for a gaming chair that fits your budget, provides back support, and has all the bells and whistles, the POWERSTONE Gaming Chair got it all covered.
