Are gaming chairs good for your back? It’s complicated
Are gaming chairs good for your back? Let's take a look
Are gaming chairs good for your back? We get this query a lot. We think it’s because a lot of people continue to believe gaming chairs are the same plastic toys they used to be.
Thankfully, buying a gaming chair is no longer a waste of money, with many of them being well-built, comfortable, and yes, good for your back.
This is due to a few specific improvements to the gaming chair market that have occurred over the last few years, mostly in terms of ergonomics.
Are gaming chairs good for your back? The ergonomics
Of all the ergonomic features we’ve seen in the current gaming chair market, lumbar support is the most critical one.
The majority of gaming chairs provide this by including a support cushion which is typically made of memory foam or other firm materials.
At a minimum, these cushions support your lower back by preventing you from slouching into an uncomfortable pose.
Higher-quality options use an integrated system. You lose the cushion, but you gain the ability to adjust the lumbar support.
The cheaper chairs simply allow you to increase or decrease the prominence of the support ‘bulge’ for lack of a better word.
Extra premium offerings, like the Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 Series allow more control, giving you the ability to move the bulge up and down too, providing for a wider range of heights.
Another way of making gaming chairs good for your back is via the use of a neck pillow. These are typically made of the same stuff as the aforementioned lumbar cushions.
They perform a similar function too, gently coaxing your neck and head into a healthy position that also helps to prevent slouching. These are usually strapped directly to the chair, but magnetic options are also becoming more common.
Are gaming chairs good for your back? Our recommendations
We’ve mentioned the Sercxretlab Titan EVO a couple of times in this article as it has the best examples of lumbar and neck support we’ve seen to date.
Secretlab Titan EVO 2022 Series
Height range (Medium Size)
5’6″ – 6’0″
Maximum load
286lb/129kg
Seat width
56cm
Tilt-lock?
Yes
Height adjustment range
75mm
We’d also be remiss if we didn’t recommend the noblechairs HERO TX here, as it’s one of the firmer options out there, which stops you from slouching in and of itself.
noblechairs Hero TX – Anthracite
Max load
330lbs/150kg
Adjustable backrest angle
90° to 125°
Tilt range
11°
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