You come home and turn right to your comfy chair for relief, only to find that the back pain you’re feeling doesn’t go away when you sit down. Some living room chairs leave you craving more, but the best living room chair for back pain will offer maximum comfort at an affordable cost.
In this comprehensive buying guide, we’re covering all the details you need to know about purchasing a living room chair with enough support to ease your aching back.
How to Choose the Best Living Room Chair for Back Pain
There are many features to look for when you’re choosing the best living room chair for back pain. It’s crucial to marry all the features together to find something that is both functional but stylish as well.
Luckily, modern designers can include all the features your body is crying out for, while also ensuring that the chair doesn’t take up the whole living room.
Comfort
The most obvious thing we’re looking for here is comfort. If the chair isn’t comfortable, we don’t want to find it in our living room.
When we’re dealing with persistent back pain, it’s even more important to have a chair that alleviates the pain. You want to look for features like lumbar support and heat in the lower back region.
Most importantly, the chair needs to have a lot of padding in the backrest and especially in the lumbar section. It doesn’t hurt for the chair to have a comfortable neck pad as well. Keeping your neck in a stationary position helps with overall pain management.
Features
The same chair won’t work for everyone, so it needs to be flexible. By flexible, we mean it should have many different features to accommodate different people.
For example, some people might not care about a massage or heat feature, but they want the chair to be easy to recline. Others might not care at all about reclining, but they want a cup holder. It’s important that the chair you choose offers a wide assortment of different features to accommodate different people.
Adjustable
In addition to flexibility, it should be adjustable. Everyone is shaped differently, and we’re all different sizes, so one chair won’t fit all. If you’re suffering from back pain, your pain might be different from someone else.
That’s one reason why we love the Shiatsu massage chair so much. It uses sensors to pinpoint different locations on your spine so it can target them exactly. When someone else gets in the chair, it will do the same thing for them.
Size
The chair’s size compared to the room you’re putting it in is an important factor. Every chair comes with different features that help limit the amount of space it takes up, but one feature stands tall amongst the rest.
Chairs that recline down rather than out take up the least amount of space. The footrest isn’t typically a problem because you always have space in front of the chair; the problem is behind the chair. Most people don’t have four feet to spare behind the living room chair.
Material
Many people overlook the material of their chair, but it’s an important factor to consider. Choosing a fabric like leather always seems like the right choice, but that’s not always true either. When we’re trying to relieve back pain, we want to go for something that is most comfortable but also durable and long-lasting.
Style
Here is where we bring everything together. While it might be important to have a chair that is the most comfortable, we also need something that will look appropriate in our living room. Many of the chairs recommended above do just that.
They’re not only comfortable, well-padded, and durable, but they look great, and you wouldn’t even be able to tell that the chair is there to help with your lower back pain.
Why Any Standard Chair Won’t Cut It
The one thing we want to make crystal clear is that back pain won’t go away no matter what if you’re sitting on an uncomfortable chair. Lower back pain is caused by consistent strain or injury due to work or accident. You know how hard it is to make the pain go away.
While there’s no chair in the world that will magically “eliminate” the pain, you can certainly manage and control it when you have a comfortable place to rest when it’s time to relax.
The problem with a regular chair is that a lot of them are not designed to relieve back pain. They’re stiff, they don’t recline, and they don’t hug your lower back. When you have space between your back and the chair, you’re putting more strain on the muscles making it harder to relax.
Features to Look for in a Chair
As designers and engineers continue to become more crafty, we see more and more unique features included in living room chairs. Soon may come a day where you never have to leave your chair because you’ll have everything you need right there. For now, we have these features:
Heat Element
Adding heat to sore muscles and joints is always a sure-fire way to make them feel better. We’re seeing more standard living room chairs coming with heat features built-in, so you can enjoy the relaxation and warmth of loose muscles and maximum comfort.
Massage Features
You don’t need to shell out $2,000 for a premium massage chair anymore. We see chairs out there for less than $500 that come with a full massage feature, and you wouldn’t even know they are a massage chair.
The only recommendation we have for massage features is that you’re choosy about the one you pick. Some massage features vibrate rather than pulse, and many customers find those to be a nuisance more than a help.
Foot Rests
All of the chairs recommended in this buyer’s guide come with footrests, and it’s an important feature to have. Much of the time, you’ll recline while lifting your legs, which is one of the best ways to relieve pain and soreness throughout your whole body.
When you lift your legs to the same level as your heart, it promotes a feeling of weightlessness. The zero-gravity position helps reduce complications associated with varicose veins, and it helps with inflammation in the body.
Storage
Storage is important with everything, but especially when we’re talking about living room chairs. When you’re shopping for a senior citizen who will use the chair, we increase the importance of this issue even more.
When someone spends a lot of time in their chair, they need to be able to access their belongings conveniently and safely without having to exert themselves too much. Some of these storage solutions may include:
- Side pouches
- Cup holders
- Back pouches
- Lifting armrests
When you can provide simple access to the elderly loved one in your life, it not only makes them happy, but it provides you peace of mind in knowing they’re okay.
Accessories to Help with Back Pain
In addition to purchasing a comfortable chair, there are some accessories you might want to get to go along with it. No matter what chair you buy, you may not feel the full satisfaction you were looking for. These comfort accessories will help.
Acupressure Mat
Acupressure is growing in popularity and for a good reason. Before you start freaking out, don’t worry – we’re not talking about sticking needles in your back. Acupressure helps reduce pain by applying soft pressure to your pressure points.
Gel Seat Cushion
When you need a little extra help to get comfortable, a gel cushion is a great way to help reduce your lower back pain. These cushions help perfect your posture when you position them at the perfect spot. They’re designed to relieve pressure from your lower back and tailbone while allowing you to sit comfortably for longer periods of time.
Lumbar Support Cushion
Most people who experience back pain, feel it most in their lower back. This issue occurs because many chairs don’t offer enough cushion and support to the lumbar region. These lumbar cushions help bridge the gap between the back of the chair and your lower back.
This solution also works well for people who habitually sit up in their chairs, which leaves their backs wide open to pain and soreness.
Yoga Ball
While this might not go on your chair, you can put it next to it and give it a try. Yoga balls are a great way to relieve pressure in your lower back by centering your gravity and maintaining the position for a period of time.
Sitting in an upright position with a backrest for long periods is not always the best thing for our lower back. When we rest our upper back, our lower back is left exposed without anything to support it.
Yoga balls help with posture, and there are many exercises you can do to relieve back pain as well.
Oslo Collection Bergen Recliner and Ottoman
A tremendous problem that a lot of people face is pairing style with functionality. The Oslo chair does a great job at looking wonderful in your living room while also providing your back with the pain relief you need. It comes in two exceptional cobblestone and merlot colors, and it’s made with top-tier leather.
The chair has a high back and headrest, so it accommodates people of varying shapes and sizes. The headrest keeps your neck in a steady position while the deep back section of the chair hugs your sides and offers a safe and comfortable place for you to land each day.
The armrests of the Oslo chair don’t disappoint either. Each armrest is covered with a soft foam, and they’re comfortably positioned at the appropriate height, so you don’t feel that you’re reaching your arms or cramping them up when you lounge.
Best of all, this chair comes with an ottoman, including with your purchase and the curved design of both the chair and the ottoman allow you to fully stretch your legs, which will ease pain in your ankles as well.
If your living room is a bit tight on space, ergonomics are important. The Olso Collection chair swivels in 360 degrees so you can move from side to side based on what you’re doing.
The chair only weighs 87 pounds, so it’s easy to move throughout the house, and the leather material also makes it easy to clean.
Pros:
- Memory foam inserts are like sitting on a cloud
- Leather is durable and easy to clean
- Hugs your body perfectly
- Ottoman included
Cons:
- Difficult assembly
- Not ideal for people over six feet tall
Best Selling Davis Fabric Recliner Club Chair
The Davis Fabric chair is another comfortable chair for back pain that doesn’t compromise style for function. This chair looks great in most living rooms, and it offers everything you’ll need to rest your aching back after a long day.
It comes with a wide seat, so you’ll have more than enough room to park yourself here and stay awhile. The seat is both wide and deep so you can sit back in the chair, put your feet up, enjoy a cold beverage, and let your body heal itself.
This chair is the epitome of durability as well. It’s built with a solid frame and strong legs so you won’t feel nervous or unsteady while sitting here. The foam inside the upholstery hugs your body well while maintaining its shape and not wearing down after long-term use.
In addition to the chair, you get a built-in footrest that is both ergonomic and space-saving. All you need to do is push back on the backrest of the chair to release the footrest. This reduces the strain and pressure required to reach down and pull a lever or tab.
The angle of the chair helps support where most people experience back pain; the lumbar region. The backrest angle when you’re lying flat down hugs your lower back, which helps you get a better nap in and heal your body while you do it.
The Davis Fabric chair doesn’t take up a lot of space, it’s ergonomic, and its stylish appearance looks great in any room.
Pros:
- Great aesthetics
- Takes up limited space
- Footrest included
- Large seat
Cons:
- The recliner is a bit stiff
- Not leather
BestMassage Full Body Electric Shiatsu Massage Chair
Who ever said the best living room chair for back pain had to be a living room chair? Would you mind having a massage chair in your living room? I know I wouldn’t.
This FDA registered chair comes with a comfortable seat pan with a ton of padding and foam to protect your lower back, hug your sides, and keep your neck in a stationary position. The chair comes in three colors, including black, burgundy, and brown, and for a massage chair, it looks pretty nice.
The massage feature comes with three different levels of intensity and four massage points. It even has smart technology that uses sensors to determine the length of the individual’s spine so it can adjust and always hit the right spot.
If a massage wasn’t enough, this chair even comes with a heat intelligent roller system containing 30 individual airbags targeting each muscle on your body from your neck to your calves. The ultra-long massage range reaches every nook and cranny of your body with a special focus on your lower back and coccyx region.
Everything on the BestMassage chair is entirely automated, too, using the keypad so you can control everything without having to reach around or worry about losing a remote control.
If you’re someone who works on your feet all day and you come home ready to crash on the couch, take a few steps to the left and crash on this massage chair instead. You’ll be glad you did.
Pros:
- Complete body relief
- Smart sensors target lower back pain
- Heated massage included
- Complete control over massage functions
Cons:
- Price
- The chair weighs 185 pounds
Homall Recliner Chair
We get that not everyone is willing to spend the kind of money necessary to get a Shiatsu massage chair in their living room. That might be a little too much (or is it?). Either way, here’s a budget-friendly option that gets the job done and it won’t stick out like a sore thumb in your living room.
The Homall Recliner offers exceptional lumbar support for those with lower back pain. The padding is thick, and it has a large seat cushion with plenty of room for you to park your rump after a long day.
On the sides, you have curved armrests that are strategically placed at the right location to limit the amount of stress you need to put on your shoulders. They are also extra wide, so you can always find the right position.
In addition to a comfortable chair, you also get fold-out leg rests that help you lay back, relax, watch some TV, or nap. You have two different levels as well, with the leg rests. You can expand them all the way to a nearly flat angle for sleeping or stay around a 45-degree angle when watching TV or reading.
One of the best features of this chair is its appearance for the price you pay. This chair is incredibly affordable, and it comes in six different colors, so you’re sure to find one that looks great in your living room.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Multiple angles for the footrests
- Lumbar support
- Stylish appearance
Cons:
- The recliner is a bit small
- Footrest release is a bit stiff
FDW Wingback Recliner Chair
Let’s face it, when you need to relax, you need a soft place to land. This recliner offers plush padding on the headrest, backrest, and seat. It comes with a dual-function footrest and a recliner that allows you the luxury of laying back or sitting up, depending on what you’re doing.
The recliner of the FDW Wingback is a big unique because it’s very deep. It’s the perfect design to hug your lower back and protect it when you have back pain. You’ll feel the relief the second you get in and recline the chair.
The material on this one is Polyurethane, so it’s super easy to clean. The legs are engineered using hardwood, so it’s durable and stable enough for people of all sizes.
If you happen to be purchasing this chair for someone else and you’re worried about them having to assemble it, no need. One of the best features of this chair is how easy it is to assemble. IT takes two minutes to put together because you only need to slip the back part on and screw in the four legs, and you’re done.
The design and appearance of the FDW Wingback looks great in any room, and it comes in three different neutral colors that are all a different shade of grey. The small size makes it the perfect fit in small living rooms, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space when you recline either because the back opens down rather than out.
Pros:
- Simple to install
- Ergonomic and space-saving
- Affordable
- Plenty of plush padding for the lower back region
Cons:
- Not leather
- Padding on the footrest is underwhelming
CANMOV Power Lift Recliner
The reality is, while all of these chairs are great recliners for lower back pain, they might not work for everyone. If you’re trying to find a chair for the elderly loved one in your life, you might want to take a look here.
This chair is a power lift recliner that helps relieve and alleviate pain in the lower back while making it easier for the user to maintain their independence. It’s great when a chair lounges out and allows you to get comfy, but sometimes it is difficult for the individual to get in and out of it.
This power lift chair uses a remote control that allows them to adjust the position regardless of which one they’re in. They can continue to adjust it until they feel most comfortable. Best of all, the remote only comes with two buttons, so it’s easier for senior citizens to operate.
When it’s time for the user to get up and go around their day, the chair extends upwards, making it easier for them to get out of the chair.
From first glance, you can see that this chair is stuffed full of material. The back is overstuffed with plush cotton, as are the seats, armrest, and footrest. Laying in this chair when you have back pain is like sitting on a cloud.
Pros:
- Premium-grade materials
- Easy to use remote control
- Quiet motor
- Plush backrest and seat for back pain
Cons:
- Only comes with a one-year warranty
Esright Massage Recliner Chair
When you want the best of both worlds, you get it. This chair offers five different functions, including vibrating, reclining, heating, swivel, and rocking. It features eight different massage zones ranging from your calves to your neck.
Right where you need it most is the heating function. Your lumbar region will melt away from the heat, and whether you’re sore from a long hard day, arthritis, or years of abuse, you’ll get everything built into this chair at an affordable price.
One of our favorite features of this chair is the pull handle to release the reclining function. We think this is easier to use than the “push to recline” style, and it makes it more effective for the elderly.
In addition to all of these fancy features, you also get two cup holders and extra storage on the sides of the chair to keep magazines, remote controls, and snacks.
Pros:
- Eight vibrating zones
- Heat function
- Rocking chair
- Storage and cup holders
Cons:
- Pulley for leg rest is an issue for people with wide hips
- You can’t use the heat without the massage
Christopher Knight Home Recliner
Here we have another simplistic but classy living room chair that offers exceptional quality and style to any room. It’s a modern-looking chair that comes in a variety of different colors, and it boasts great lower back support for those suffering from back pain.
Our favorite feature of this chair is the fact that you can get a stylish chair with a tufted back that also reclines and fits into any space. The Christopher Knight chair looks great in a formal living room or foyer, and it’s also a great touch to the corner of your master bedroom.
The main downside is that we would not recommend this chair for anyone who is six feet or taller. The chair is quite small, and that makes it a great accent option, but it’s not an ideal chair for long-term resting or for larger people.
Pros:
- Stylish and attractive looking
- Comes in many vibrant colors
- Small and ergonomic
Cons:
- Not for larger people
- Not the best solution for severe back pain
Human Touch Perfect Chair PC-420
We love this chair for a variety of reasons, let’s start with the lumbar support. You can adjust the chair based on your size and where you have the pain. The technology behind the design was developed by NASA, and it’s intended to have the feeling of zero-gravity. They do this by keeping your heart and feet at the same level.
When you do this, you’re able to reach the maximum level of relaxation while relieving lower back pain and promoting a feeling of weightlessness. Best of all, you get a comfortable and plush headrest to relax your head and neck.
As for appearance, the chair is super sexy. It’s a bit low for some people with limited mobility, and it weighs 145 pounds, so it’s not the smallest chair on the list. It does come with full-grain leather upholstery and multiple color options.
Pros:
- Made with real wood and leather
- Zero-Gravity chair promotes weightlessness
- Design helps dramatically reduce lower back pain
- Easy to adjust, lower, and raise
Cons:
- Expensive
- Heavy and large
X Rocker Pro Series H3
If you’re looking to combine innovation with functionality, here’s a good chair for you. This might not be the choice you’d want to make for grandpa, but if you play video games and enjoy back pain relief, this might be your chair.
The X Rocker is essentially a rocking chair without the legs. You sit the chair down on the floor, and it comes with a reclining design that lowers the back of the chair down without it falling all the way to the floor.
It also comes with built-in speakers near the headrest that you can hook up to your favorite video game while you play. These speakers are forward-facing, so you get the best audio, and they come with subwoofers, so if music is more your thing, you’ll love this chair too.
You can even sync the vibration motors in the chair with the bass of the music you’re playing to create a full-body vibration to help relax your muscles and ease tension.
Pros:
- Great for gaming and music
- Comfortable and padded back and headrest
- Forward-facing speakers with subwoofer
- Full body vibration
Cons:
- Complicated assembly
- Not the ideal choice for many back pain sufferers
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best living room chair for back pain isn’t complicated when you know what you want. The problem is, many people are unsure about how to choose and what to pick. We think the Oslo Collection Bergen Recliner and Ottoman offers the most bang for the buck.
Here you get a stylish chair that offers all the comfort and support you need without too many bells and whistles. When you need a chair to support your lower back and hug your body like a soft embrace, the Oslo chair is the way to go.
