I tried an ergonomic office chair for my chronic back pain

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If you have a desk job, I’m going to take a wild guess that you also have back pain.

Perhaps you try to stretch after sitting all day, do exercises at your desk or maybe you take breaks every few hours to stand up and move around. If nothing seems to help, however, you may want to think about the chair you’re sitting in and how it affects your posture.

As someone who has only ever had a desk job and also suffers from chronic pain thanks to scoliosis, joint issues, sciatica and a handful of things in-between, having a chair that corrects my posture and helps prevent slouching is not just beneficial — it’s a must.

So, when the company FlexiSpot reached out to me to see if I’d like to test their new C7 Premium Ergonomic Office Chair, I jumped at the chance.

$350 (was $659) at FlexiSpot

All About The FlexiSpot C7 Premium Ergonomic Office Chair

The chair features patented lumbar support and is fully adjustable and made for all heights and bodies up to 300 pounds. Tailored to the spine’s natural alignment and motion, the backrest, seat, headrest and arms are all adjustable, which FlexiSpot says reduces spinal and sciatic pressure on your back, waist and hips.

It also features a lumbar support cushion, which is made to detect subtle changes in posture and automatically adjust. The seat is 20-inches wide, so you can even sit cross-legged if you don’t want your feet on the floor or on the built-in footstool, which can be slid under the chair when not in use.

While you have a choice of either foam or mesh, I received the foam chair for review. While there are not many differences between the two, the foam version has a 1-inch thicker seat, which I prefer, as I also suffer from tailbone pain when sitting.

The chair arrived quickly and each piece was wrapped tightly in Bubble Wrap and organized, so putting it together was quick and easy. My first impression was that I have never seen a chair with such distinct lumbar support, and I assumed it would take some getting used to and may even hurt my back temporarily. I was correct in my assumption, and the first three days of using the chair did worsen my lower back pain a bit, though it was subtle.

Does The C7 Premium Ergonomic Office Chair Actually Help?

$350 (was $659) at FlexiSpot

Part of the reason for my initial discomfort was simply because the chair was actually putting my back into proper alignment, which I am not used to. Secondly, it simply took a few days to get each part of the chair into the best place for my body, so after quite a bit of adjusting and getting used to sitting correctly, I quickly noticed a massive improvement to my pain as well as relief from the burning and tingling from a pinched nerve in my lower back.

Not only did the initial increase in pain subside by the end of the first week, but my typical pain is also much better. While the back and neck portion of the chair took some getting used to, the cushion provided instant relief.

I typically sit on a pillow to help with my tailbone pain, and I have not had to do so at all since receiving this chair. I have been through a lot of office chairs, and even my couch tends to hurt my tailbone after sitting for a while — but I have had zero pain in that area while sitting in the FlexiSpot.

I have used the chair while sitting straight up with my feet on the floor, crossing my legs and putting them on the seat and reclining and using the footstool. I have found it’s best for my body to have both feet flat on the floor or cross-legged on the seat while working, but leaning back and putting them on the footstool was quite comfortable and relaxing while taking a break.

After Two Weeks Of Using The FlexiSpot Chair…

I have now been using the chair for two weeks and have noticed that I do not have the desire to squirm around in my chair as much, or feel the need to get up every hour and walk around (though it’s not a bad idea to do that, anyway).

Is all of my pain gone? Absolutely not — but all of my pain was not caused by sitting, either. While the chair does help me sit up straight, puts my lumbar spine in better alignment and is great for my tailbone, my issues including scoliosis and my hypermobile joints will not be fixed by a chair.

Is The FlexiSpot Worth The Price?

While it may be fine for some budgets, one downside of the chair could be the price. The chair retails for $659 on FlexiSpot’s website, but is currently nearly 50 percent off, priced at $350.

While that price tag is a bit much if you only sit at your computer to check your email or play a quick game, if you work from home or spend hours at your computer each day and suffer from pain as a result, I believe it’s worth setting aside some cash to purchase this chair.

Of course, since all bodies are different, the FlexiSpot C7 Premium Ergonomic Office Chair may not help everyone. You should always weigh the pros and cons when making a large purchase, and perhaps even consult a doctor to figure out your pain issues so you know what may help you the most.