6 Best Office Chairs for Upper Back Pain

Staying seated for too long in your chair at work will lead to pains in your lower back. That could even spread to your shoulders, exacerbating existing back issues you might have. The reason is that your body stays in a static position. This position later places immense stress on your legs, back, shoulders and arms if you don’t use the best desk chair for upper back pain. An even greater amount of stress lands on the spinal discs and back muscles. However, not all chairs are made alike, and the right office chair upper back support could help you work comfortably.

Suffering from intense or mild upper back pain is not something you should take lightly, but instead, address it as soon as possible. Take into account that this is a delicate issue that could end up causing you significant problems in the future, making you unable to keep working. That's why most office workers try to get as many ergonomic products as they can in their workplace, and one of the best things you can invest in is buying the best office chair for upper back pain.

Ergonomics is a whole new world to the people who haven't studied a lot about it, so it's tricky to understand all the aspects about it when being a first-timer with them. However, you shouldn't let this stop you from getting an upper back pain office chair, since these chairs don't only help ease your back pain, but also prevent it from happening while offering many advantages in the process!

We mean to explore many aspects of the ergonomics business, specifically the ones related to back support since we want you to have some knowledge before investigating on your own.

Sometimes we want to find the best office chair for upper back pain, but then we realize that the best chair is not always the best chair for us. Taking that into account, let yourself dive into this page to learn what's the best ergonomic chair for you!

Best Office Chairs for Upper Back Pain

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to show you the best ergonomic chairs for upper back pain. Most of these chairs provide you full back support and not only upper back support, so they help to address the problem in every part of your back. Each chair on this list is individually great and we recommend it to you, so analyze which one you like better regardless of its position on the list.

1. ErgoChair Pro

Muscle overuse, poor posture, and tendon or ligament inflation are some of the most common causes of upper back pain. Unfortunately, this can disrupt your life by restricting your movement, causing problems with sleeping, and affecting your work engagement.

However, there are proven ways to prevent or reduce upper back pain. Using an ergonomic office chair, such as the ErgoChair Pro, is one of them.

Autonomous considered everything you need to protect your body while working when designing this office chair. That's why it has an adaptable and flexible frame that adjusts to your silhouette and comes with several accessories that will provide extra comfort as you move during the day.

Is the ErgoChair Pro the best office chair for upper back pain? Check out its features and benefits to make a smart decision!

ErgoChair Pro

2375 reviews

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Key Features

• Height adjustment mechanism
• Headrests, armrests, backrests, and seat tilt mechanisms
• 100% earth-friendly materials
• 300-lbs support
• Two-year warranty
• Five caster wheels
• Six color options

What we love

Thanks to its flexible and adaptable frame, which is made of resistant materials, this chair can relieve discomfort in the upper back by enhancing your natural mobility and ensuring postural health. Plus, it can recline up to 22° for extra comfort.

This furniture piece also comes with a flexible lumbar support for office chair that supports and protects your spine by adapting to its natural curve, which can relieve stiffness and pain.

Besides that, the ErgoChair Pro offers the following benefits:

• Promotes optimal airflow and breathability
• Is eligible for the brand's discounts
• Has a modern and elegant design
• Complements any space or style
• Requires easy assembly

What to consider

Although the ErgoChair Pro is an excellent office chair for upper back pain, there are a few potential drawbacks that should be considered, including the following:

• Armrest pads cannot be locked in a fixed position. Instead, they move freely.
• The seat is rigid and may be slightly uncomfortable.

• 

  "After sitting on this thing for 6 hours straight, this thing is AMAZING. I have no back pain which is my main issue when sitting on a desk. The features this chair has are pretty awesome! I often just raise the head rest, lean all the way on it and shift my seat forward. I code like that. Pretty sweet!" - David H.
• 

  "As someone who works at a desk for 6-8 hours per day, 7 days a week, my experience with the ErgoChair over the past 3 weeks has been enough to justify a solid recommendation." - Jake R.
• 

  "After months of back pain, I’m so happy to have a new chair. It honestly feels like a sofa compared to my old one, I’m thrilled with it! It even has my dog’s approval! I’m also planning to get a standing desk from Autonomous soon."

  - Ellie

2. Herman Miller Aeron

If you're looking for the best desk chair for upper back pain, the Herman Miller Aeron Chair is one of the most popular options you'll find. This seating solution is among people's favorite choices because of its attractive appearance and cutting-edge style. However, there are many other things to learn about it.

The Herman Miller Aeron Chair is highly adaptable and offers superior comfort. It has a Pellicle mesh structure that contours your body for a pleasant sitting experience.

Additionally, this chair comes with armrests, a height-adjustable seat, and lumbar support to help you maintain a healthy posture while working, reducing stress on your muscles and relieving back pain.

However, the Herman Miller Aeron Chair is available for a high price, starting at $1,000. Is it worth choosing such an expensive furniture piece? Take a look at the information below to answer that question.

Key Features

• Comfortable mesh seat
• Breathable Pellicle backrest
• Sturdy structure with an aluminum frame
• Noiseless casters
• 12-year warranty

What we love

The Herman Miller Aeron Chair offers the best of both worlds: functionality and comfort. Also, it has a modern design that fits any style and can improve your office's appearance.

Thanks to its sturdy frame and high-quality construction, this chair will support your long work sessions and last for years! Furthermore, the brand offers a generous 12-year warranty, which demonstrates its commitment to manufacturing long-lasting products to ensure customer satisfaction.

Still wondering if this is a good office chair for upper back pain? Consider the following benefits:

• Promotes temperature regulation through its ergonomically designed mesh seat
• Boasts a beautiful and elegant but environmentally conscious design
• Includes adjustable office chair accessories, such as armrests
• Has smooth and noiseless casters for an optimal experience
• Comes in different colors and configurations

What to consider

While it may be a good option if you're looking for an office chair with upper back support, this seating solution comes with some drawbacks, such as:

• The Aeron Chair doesn't include an office chair headrest attachment.
• Its price is too high compared to other options.

Herman Miller Aeron Chair Review

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3. Steelcase Leap Chair

We have the Steelcase Leap Chair. This chair provides an innovative back support system that allows you to decide which specific part of your back you want the pressure to be in and configure how much lumbar support you want.

This feature makes the chair a great asset to your office and your goal of getting the best office chair for upper back pain you can ask for.

This fully adjustable chair also provides a decent reclining system along with a minimalist design that makes it fit with most office aesthetics, making it a chair that doesn't shine for having a showy design, but for its utility and back support. 

Steelcase Leap

487 reviews

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4. ErgoChair Ultra 2

The ErgoChair Ultra 2 is engineered for those seeking the best office chair for upper back pain, offering a blend of innovative materials and biomechanical design. Unlike traditional chairs, it features a 4-layer matrix seat, inspired by endurance cyclists' saddles, combining breathable mesh, memory foam, TPE, and a spring matrix. This structure evenly distributes pressure across the seat bones, eliminating discomfort from prolonged sitting.

What makes this desk chair for upper back pain stand out is its adaptive backrest, designed with flexible ribs that remove hard edges. This allows for smooth posture adjustments, ensuring proper spinal alignment whether you're leaning forward or reclining. The invisible X-shaped lumbar support promotes posture alignment, keeping the lower back supported while allowing the shoulders to move naturally, reducing upper back strain.

Breathability is another highlight, thanks to Air Mesh technology, which is 3-5 times more breathable than standard mesh. This keeps you cool and dry, even during long hours of focused work. Combined with adaptive support and posture correction, the ErgoChair Ultra 2 provides a balanced ergonomic experience, making it one of the best office chairs for upper back support.

For those experiencing upper back tension from poor posture or long sitting hours, investing in an ergonomic chair for upper back pain like the ErgoChair Ultra 2 can help alleviate discomfort and enhance long-term spinal health. Its biomechanical design, breathable materials, and flexible support make it a top choice for professionals looking to work comfortably and efficiently.

ErgoChair Ultra 2

152 reviews

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Specs

Dimensions (w/o headrest)	28”L x 28”W x 41” - 46”H
Dimensions (with headrest)	28”L x 28”W x 49” - 58”H
Seat dimensions	18”L x 18”W
Seat depth range	18” - 20.5”
Seat height	18” - 23”
Headrest	8" - 12"
Back dimensions	20”W x 23”H
Tilt range	25°
Armrest height	7” - 11”
Armrest height (from the floor)	23.5” - 27.7”
Caster wheel diameter	2.56 inches
Number of caster wheels	5 pieces
Materials	100% TPE and polyester fabric upholstery with ABS plastic frame, aluminium base
Colors	Onyx Black, Dover Gray
Weight capacity	320 lbs
Item weight	36.5 lbs
Shipping dimensions	28”L x 17”W x 31”H x 45 lbs
Assembly required	Yes
Warranty	2 years
Free returns	30 days
Adjustability	Headrest, armrest, back tilt angle and tension, seat height.

 

• 

  "Feel like it's from the future. There's still some foam lining the top of the seat, but the springs are doing plenty of work to make this chair comfortable. A rubbery liner separates these two layers to spread your weight more evenly across the springs, and it all sits atop an inch-high air gap that allows for better shock absorption." - Adam S.
• 

  "I like the chair. It's comfortable and can be configured as needed." - Wayne H.
• 

  "Great for someone over 6 foot with long torso Loving the new Ultra 2! Finally found a chair the actually makes my back feel better when I'm setting in it. I typically have an issue with the lumbar support being way too long on my back. Not with the Ultra 2, the design of the backrest fits to my back like a glove."

  - Heath L.

5. Ergohuman LE9ERG Office Chair

The design of this Ergohuman office chair with upper back support is impressive when you talk about providing support to its user, and that's because it supports your back regardless of the position you are in.

When looking for the best office chair upper back support, the first thing you should think of is the back support the chair offers you, and back support is the best advantage that the Ergohuman Office Chair gives you.

This chair's adjustability makes you able to decide how much lumbar support you want to receive while adjusting your seat depth too. That’s not all, since the chair’s lower back support stays with you even when you lean forward, so it’s great if you are someone who tends to do that.

Ergohuman Eurotech LE9ERG

55 reviews

$779

 

6. Steelcase Gesture Chair

Many brands claim to offer the best desk chair for upper back pain, including Steelcase. This manufacturer has designed a seating solution that manages to keep your body in a comfortable position for hours.

Steelcase wanted to create an ergonomic office chair with headrest with several adjustability options to allow users to customize it based on their needs. Moreover, it comes with many ergonomic features.

Since it has been manufactured with high-quality materials, the Gesture Chair is highly durable. Unlike other options, it has plastic components for added flexibility. However, its structure is still solid.

This chair has a beautiful and elegant design that provides a cleaner appearance. It'll fit any modern or minimalist design.

However, the Steelcase Gesture Chair is quite expensive. Actually, many users consider that it's a "premium" option that requires a significant investment. Do you want to know if it's still a good choice? Read on for more information!

Key Features 

• Several ergonomic features, such as a comfortable backrest and recline
• Innovative lumbar support mechanism
• BIFMA LEVEL® 3 and indoor air quality (IAQ) certifications
• Manual adjustments to control seat height and depth
• Durable polished aluminum base

What we love

Do you want to make sure the Steelcase Gesture is the best office chair for upper back pain you'll find? These are its advantages:

• This chair is made with high-quality materials and can last for years, even if you use it every day for hours.
• The Steelcase Gesture's metallic components have been covered with molded plastic for a smoother appearance.
• It features highly adjustable armrests. You can move them in almost any direction or angle to make sure you're always in a comfortable position.
• This chair can keep your body comfortable for hours.

What to consider

Are you considering buying this chair? Check out its disadvantages before making a final decision:

• This chair's price is above $1,200, which means it'll require a significant investment.

Steelcase Gesture Review

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What Is Causing Your Upper Back Pain?

To understand how an upper back pain office chair can help you, you need to understand what is causing this pain. This problem can originate in many ways, and those things have specific causes for them, so we recommend that you carefully analyze the primary reasons for it to know which one is in your case. Here you have a list of the things that could be causing your upper back pain:

• Bad Posture

Having bad posture is a common issue that affects office and remote workers since they have to spend most of their time in a chair. Sitting all day in a chair causes many health risks. Using a standard chair worsens your posture the more you use it, even more, if you had these problems before. What is dangerous about having bad posture is that if the issue progresses, it can produce other back problems, so you have to correct it quickly.

• Muscle Strain

Muscle strain can produce severe upper back pain, so if this is what is causing your pain, you can notice it right away. The sensation is extremely uncomfortable to the one suffering from it, so you should treat it as soon as you detect it. Muscle strains tend to happen for lack of flexibility or overexertion of the muscle, so having a bad posture can bring that as a consequence.

• Spinal Cord Compression

That issue occurs when you are in a situation that causes your spinal cord to deal with a lot of pressure, producing pain and spreading it to other parts of your body. Take into account that this condition can make many parts of your body hurt, so pay attention to what you feel and when the sensation starts to decide how to address it.

>>> Read more: What Causes Middle Back Pain in Females?

How Can an Office Chair with Upper Back Support Help You?

As you could see, many reasons can cause upper back pain to happen, but the question is: How can you stop the pain? And the answer is with chair support for upper back pain! It's understandable that you doubt that a chair can help you address all the situations we mentioned, but the reality is that since those chairs were made to solve those situations, their design does all the work by itself. Look at some of the benefits of using ergonomic chairs:

• Posture Improvement

Ergonomics companies develop ergonomic chairs with a design that allows them to support your back completely. This support improves your posture. The chairs adapt to your body and boost your back's breathability, alleviating any pain that you could be suffering from.

When correcting your posture, you prevent neck and back pain, since most back problems come from a bad posture. Not only that, but these chairs allow you to adjust them as much as you want, so you can modify your chair to meet all your personal needs.

• Productivity Boost

It's proven that you work better when you feel comfortable, so having a chair that provides comfort is the best thing that could happen to an office worker. Suffering from something or feeling uncomfortable is detrimental to your job performance since it distracts you from what you have to do.

Using an upper back pain office chair makes this issue go away, making you forget about that pain that was disturbing you so much. Its back breathability and range of adjustment are excellent to relax and relieve pressure from your spinal cord, which helps you focus on your work and not on other unpleasant things. Thus, it boosts your productivity and work performance.

• Blood Circulation Improvement

We recommend you to do things that improve your blood circulation since it prevents future mobility problems and flexibility issues from happening. Standard chairs jeopardize your blood flow and block it, so try to look for ergonomic chairs since they can improve the blood circulation in your legs and other parts of your body.

What to Look for In a Desk Chair for Upper Back Pain?

Regardless of their pros and cons, there are things that you must consider when looking for an ergonomic chair for back pain. Every best office chair for upper back pain should have some specific features that allow it to meet your needs properly. We want you to have the best chair you can ask for, so here are some of the functions that every ergonomic chair should have:

• Adjustability

One of the best things about ergonomic chairs is that you can adjust them and configure them to meet your personal needs. If a chair doesn't provide a decent range of adjustability, you shouldn't think about buying it since many affordable chairs allow you to adjust some basic features.

• Back Support

As their name shows, every office chair with upper back support should offer great back support to help you correct your sitting posture and prevent back pain. Most office chair support for upper back pain provides full back support, so try to look for a chair that attends to each part of your back equally.

A well-designed chair evenly distributes support, reducing strain and promoting long-term comfort. If you're looking for upper back support for office chairs, choosing a model that properly aligns the spine can make all the difference in maintaining a healthy posture throughout the workday.

• Related Items

Ergonomic chairs can help you a lot by themselves, but if combined with other ergonomic products, you can duplicate their advantages. Most of the companies that sell those chairs sell items such as desks or decorations for your office, so try to combine your chair with similar products to boost your comfort and productivity.

>>> Read more:

• Find the Best Office Chair for Back Pain Here!
• Best Office Chairs with Back Support for Every Budget

FAQs

How can I stop upper back pain at my desk?

Management of upper back pain while seated can be corrected by adjusting your desk and chair. Set a position that supports your spine properly and won’t cause you to hunch over or slouch. Then restore your posture by aligning your spine against the chair backrest or add a brace attachment on that backrest.

How do you adjust a desk chair for upper back pain?

To adjust the chair, place your upper arms parallel to the spine. Then, place your hands on the desk and see if your elbows form a 90° angle. If your elbows are lower or higher than this 90° angle, readjust your chair or desk's height till it's completely straight. Standing desks give you the optimal height irrespective of your seating position or height.

Can sitting cause upper back pain?

Excessive sitting leads to pain in the thoracic spine and upper back because the muscles get fatigued. Weak muscles cause slouching that puts extra pressure on connective tissues and joints as well. Eventually, you develop muscle pain, joint strain, and muscle imbalances.  

When should I worry about upper back pain?

It begins as a mild tweak or twinge that’s very easy to ignore and actually goes away once you’re standing. However, it could worsen if overlooked at the initial stages, which prevents you from working or moving easily. If you stay seated for too many hours at your desk, look out for these symptoms: stiffness, pain, tightness, headache, and tender muscles.

The pain originates out of the thoracic spine that’s connected to the ribs. It could spread to the shoulders, shoulder blades, and lower back closer to your hips. Other symptoms might even include pain in the lower legs, the lower back, leg weakness, and bladder and bowel leakage.

Conclusion

Choosing the best office chair for upper back pain can make a significant difference in your daily comfort, posture, and overall well-being. Whether you opt for the adaptive support of the ErgoChair Pro, the breathable mesh of the Herman Miller Aeron, or the dynamic ergonomics of the Steelcase Leap v2, the right chair helps alleviate strain and encourages healthier sitting habits.

A well-designed desk chair for upper back pain offers adjustable lumbar support, a contoured backrest, and breathable materials, ensuring comfort during long work hours. Investing in an ergonomic chair for upper back pain goes beyond pain relief—it plays a key role in improving posture, reducing muscle tension, and maintaining spinal alignment for long-term health.

For those experiencing upper back pain from office chairs, making small ergonomic adjustments and incorporating seated upper body exercises can help relieve tension throughout the day. Additionally, integrating stretches for upper back tightness can further improve flexibility and reduce discomfort.