Gaming chairs are the new smoking gun in the furniture market.
There is a lot of buzz surrounding gaming chairs, but does gaming help your back? In addition to the flamboyant look, how do these chairs improve performance?
The article describes how gaming chairs promote good posture and productivity through better back support. In addition, it details how improving posture will promote long-term wellbeing and help you avoid back pain.
Contents
Does Posture Contribute to Back Pain?
According to studies conducted, prolonged sitting and a sedentary lifestyle can be harmful to your back.
Cornwell University says that sitting for long hours exert 40%-90% extra pressure on your spine. However, this is not the case while standing.
Put back pressure and reduce blood flow, and you have back pain.
Yes, when you sit for long periods, the blood vessels constrict. Therefore, cutting blood circulation. Not to mention, reduced blood circulation can cause fatigue and headaches.
So what types of postures contribute to back pain?
Let’s take a look at this image of a person sitting straight and slouched.
The image shows that reclined sitting position lessens the pressure on the back. In comparison, the person sitting in slouched posture exerts maximum pressure on the back.
How to Sit in A Gaming Chair to Counter Back Pain?
Are you sitting correctly in your gaming chair?
Not sure, then read further.
Yes, back pain gaming chairs are designed to aid you from slouching. However, you should know that you must sit in a chair correctly. Therefore, sit with your head resting on the headrest. Similarly, place your neck against the neck pillow.
Next, align your torso against (parallel) the backrest.
Likewise, avoid resting your elbows on the desk or crossing your legs when seated.
How Do Gaming Chairs Help Your Back?
Let’s take a look at the different ways using gaming chairs prove to help your back.
Increase Performance and Productivity
Sitting uncomfortably and slouching tires the muscle. Therefore, draining the brain juice and decreasing productivity and performance.
Studies show that incorrect sitting posture amplifies feelings of apathy. In comparison, people who sit straight were found to be more assertive and alert.
Correct Posture
A good sitting posture boosts your confidence and mentality. A proper spine alignment while sitting allows your efficiency and reduces fatigue.
Therefore, using a gaming chair help correct your poor posture by allowing you to sit straight, indirectly aligning the lumbar disc.
Moreover, gaming chairs prevent slouching. This, in turn, reduces rib cage compression. Furthermore, compressed ribs mean less oxygen intake, and less oxygen intake can cause brain fog.
Relaxation
Gaming chairs come with tall backrests. In contrast to other ergonomic chairs, gaming chairs support maximum recline.
So, next time you feel tired or need a quick wink, reclining backrest. The primary purpose of gaming chairs is to provide comfort and aid in reducing fatigue.
Improve Blood Flow
Gaming chairs allow various adjustments by which you can quickly move around when sitting. It can be done either by reclining or resting your feet on the footrest. By doing so, you can avoid restricted blood flow to your legs and lower back.
Reduce Muscle Strain
Gaming chairs remove stress from the muscles. This is because they have quality foam cushions all over. In addition, these chairs have 2D, 3D, 4D, and 5D adjustable armrests. So it allows you to quickly move the arms as well as adjust the armrest height.
Moreover, the backrest has a curved shape to support your lumbar spine. It also helps in maintaining your natural lumbar curve.
Reduces Eye Strain
Continuously staring at the screen can strain the eyes and cause migraines, headaches, and blurred vision. Therefore, gaming chairs have adjustments to angle the chair to focus your eyes at the center of the screen to avoid this.
Moreover, it is essential to have the correct chair height when gaming or streaming on multiple monitors.
What Makes a Gaming Chair Different?
Are you thinking along these lines?
What’s all this hype around gaming chairs?
Aren’t they luxury upgraded standard office chairs?
What’s the difference?
Slow the express train, and let me explain.
Here’s the overall look at what makes a “gaming chair” different from standard office chairs.
These are the differences based on the features that help avoid back pain and back-related issues:
Backrest
Do you suffer from lower back pain, sciatica, or hip pain?
If yes, then it is vital to use a chair that will help in spinal alignment.
Therefore, a gaming chair is an ideal option.
Set the gaming chair backrest height at the level ideal for you. Some prefer a higher backrest and others mid-back.
Tip: When shopping for gaming chairs, sit on the chair to check the ideal backrest height for you.
Recline and Tilt Mechanism
You must have wondered, how does the reclining feature help in reducing back pain?
Well, gaming chairs offer vital reclining and adjustments. This is the most important feature that separates gaming chairs from standard office chairs and chairs in general.
You can adjust your slouching or texture neck with this reclining feature.
The tilt mechanisms allow different modes/ levels of recline. So you can work in comfort by leaning back.
Lumbar and Neck Support + Alternatives.
- Lumbar support.
Gaming chairs mainly offer adjustable lumbar support and neck pillows. You should help if you place the hips in the natural spine curve.
How to place gaming chair lumbar pillows to avoid back pain correct posture?
Your chair manual will help you with this. However, you can start them to the backrest according to your height and sacrum position.
- Neck support.
This is another accessory offered by gaming chairs. They help in supporting the neck.
Furthermore, they help in lessening shoulder and upper traps stress and fatigue. Place the support pillow between the neck curvature .i.e between the shoulder blades and skull base.
- Alternatives
Here are some alternatives you can turn towards if you don’t have access to a quality lumbar cushion.
- Orthopedic cushions.
- Sandwich a pillow between the chair’s backrest and your back. Place it in the area where your back aches not all the way down to the tailbone.
- A small foam roller or soft yoga block.
Foam Padding and Breathability
A gaming chair with high sensitive memory foam offers excellent support to your lower back. Not only does it relax your muscles while being supportive and firm, but it also makes you feel relaxed and comfortable.
It should have a good piece of fabric to avoid accumulating excess heat and sweat in your body.
Other ergonomic features to consider include:
Price
You always looked long-lasting, affordable, served your purpose, and according to your budget. Doing a little research and checking any particular brand’s reviews may help you make a good choice.
Durability
A gamer would always choose more gameplay than to waste their precious time mending the chair fabric and settings. Hence, the material and framework should be durable.
Size and Setting
There are different sizes of gaming chairs depending upon the size of a user. Most manufacturers make precise measurements in all aspects of their gaming chairs, e.g., the exact height of seat depth and width and armrest.
Other Health Benefits and Drawbacks of Gaming Chairs
Let’s take a look at the benefits, pros, and cons of gaming chairs.
Benefits:
- Help keep the PSIS, ASIS pelvic bone areas aligned. Thereby, reducing hip and pelvis strain.
- Allows steady flow of blood while sitting.
- Provides comfort to the spine by molding the back.
- Helps in straightening slouched shoulders. (But this depends on the user’s responsibility.)
- Decreased fatigue.
- Reduces feelings of apathy.
- Prevents back pain, neck, shoulder pain of sciatica.
Drawbacks:
- High cost.
- Some chairs dupe you with fake upholstery. So be careful to always choose a top-quality durable gaming chair.
Best gaming chairs to avoid back pain
Here is a table with specifications of the best gaming chairs available in the market.
For short and average height users:
| Weight (pounds) | Weight capacity(pounds) | Material | |
| Homal gaming chair | 51.4 | 300 | PU Leather |
| Ficmax gaming chair | 53 | 300 | PU LeatherABS Plastic |
| Herman Miller X Logitech Embody | 51 | 355 | PU Leather |
| Maxnomic gaming chairs | 66 | 330-375 | Premium PU Leather |
For big and tall height users
| Weight (pounds) | Weight capacity (pounds) | Material | |
| DXR racing gaming chair | 49 | 250 | Carbon look VinylPU |
| VERTAGEAR P-Line P6000 | 50.7 | 440 | PU Leather PVC Leather |
| SecretLab TITAN series | 77 | 286 | PU Leather |
| Anda Seat Axe Series | 50 | 264 | PVC LeatherAluminum base |
Takeaway
The answer is yes, a gaming chair is good for your back given its many features that allow you to maintain good posture. In addition to gaming, it can also be used for work for long hours. Choose accordingly and invest in a good gaming chair. Cheers!
