Are Gaming Chairs Good For Your Back? Top Full Guide 2022

Gaming chairs now appear larger in the market and users can get a variety of chairs and types at very cheap rates. These chairs come in various shapes, sizes, and designs and users can personalize their chairs to be comfortable and assist them in playing games for a longer duration.

And the question is Are gaming chairs good for your back? Or are they just a waste of money?

In this post, Focal Upright will provide you the information about the advantages of gaming chairs for your posture.

What Does A Gaming Chair Do?

Gaming chairs were first introduced in 2006 as an affordable alternative to expensive ergonomic task chairs. The best gaming chairs are priced between $150 and $500. They offer fancy ergonomics for the masses.

Gaming chairs are made to allow for healthy sitting over long periods. Most use a racing-style design. A steel frame provides an ergonomic foundation.

This provides support for a padded high-backrest, padded seat, and 5-point wheelbase. These basic features allow you to adjust the seat height or swivel 360°.

Neutral Sitting Support

Gaming chairs can be used in a variety of neutral, fluid sitting positions. This is how you should sit. Place your hips in the seat pan. To adjust the neck and lumbar pillows for your spinal curves, relax by putting your weight on the backrest.

The lumbar pillow supports your hips, making it easier to align your upper body and straighten your spine. This position helps to balance the head and shoulders, which reduces neck strain.

The ‘Dynamic” neutral sitting adds movement and motion to the routine. Light movements can help to relieve muscle pain and increase blood flow. You can adjust the seat angle of your chair to change your hip position. Alternately, adjust the backrest’s angle by turning it a few degrees.

Dynamic neutral sitting in a gaming chair helps in many ways. You can comfortably sit for as long or as you like without straining your back or having to worry about your health. Sitting in a healthy, comfortable position improves brain function and boosts productivity.

Casual Relaxation Support

Herman Miller Aeron ergonomic chairs offer mid-back support and a limited range of recline. It is crucial to maintain upright, crisp postures at all times.

On the other hand, gaming chairs have a high backrest that can be repositioned into many casual positions. There are pros and cons to the casual feature.

Gaming chairs are more comfortable because you have more mobility. However, if you don’t exercise caution, your freestyle habits could lead to bad posture.

What Are The Benefits Of Gaming Chairs?

Gaming chairs are good for your back, as they allow you to sit in a healthy, fluid position. Standard office chairs can be locked into awkward, static positions.

Long periods of sitting awkwardly can cause strain to the spine and muscles around it. This can cause misalignments in the body. This can lead to chronic problems in the muscles and tendons over time. It can also lead to pain if you sit for prolonged periods of time.

Gaming chairs are unique, and ergonomically designed to allow for long sitting periods. Gaming chairs are designed to align your spine, hips, and legs in a relaxed, healthy way. The weight of the head and arms is absorbed by the chair, which helps relieve back pain. It promotes seated movement. This provides a brain-sharpening, energizing boost.

Your Back Is Not Good From Sitting In An Office Chair

Let’s now dive into when a gaming chair is better for your back than a normal office chair.

These are some common reasons poor posture can hinder productivity and wellness.

Joint pain and muscle: Poor posture can cause damage to the muscles and joints. It is more difficult for misaligned joints and muscles to work. This can lead to chronic pain in the neck, back, hips, arms, or legs over time.

Chronic fatigue: An unhealthy sitting position can cause tension in body parts that are not designed to support the weight. The body uses more energy to compensate. This causes muscular fatigue. Long-term fatigue can cause damage to joints and ligaments. This causes the body to work harder.

Bad circulation: Poor sitting posture can prevent optimal blood flow. Varicose veins are caused by poor blood circulation, particularly in women.

Depression: Many studies have shown a correlation between poor posture and negative emotions. People who are more upright tend to be more positive, alert, and energetic. People who slouch are more likely to be apathetic, have negative thoughts, gain weight, or slouch too much.

Gaming Chairs Are Great For Good Posture

It is not designed for sitting in a chair. The spine will distort if there is no bracing. Particularly, if the lower back is not supported, the lumbar curve will be flattened.

Two key characteristics make a good gaming chair stand out: The first is protection for the spine’s natural curves. The second are features that allow the seated body to move.

Healthy Spinal Curves

Gaming chairs include adjustable neck and lumbar support pillows. They maintain healthy spinal curves.

To fill your lower back curve, adjust the lumbar cushion. Next, lean back. The pillow should be pressed into the lumbar area and this will help to straighten your upper back.

The lumbar cushion by itself is sufficient to support a healthy sitting posture. Optional headrest. Some people use it while others do without. It all depends on your personal preferences.

Dynamic Neutral Sitting Positions

Many studies recommend dynamic neutral seating as the best option for health. This technique reduces muscular stress and encourages seated movement.

Good-quality gaming chairs include adjustable arms and reclining backrests. Adjustable armrests can be adjusted to fit your body. This allows the back to support the weight of the arms.

The reclining backrest is designed to stimulate the core and improve circulation. These features combine to provide consistent, comfortable bolstering during long periods of healthy sitting.

Health Benefits Of Good Posture

Gaming chairs can improve your sitting habits. Your posture will improve the longer you are seated in one.

These are the benefits to consider:

Fewer headaches: good posture decreases neck tension which can lead to migraines.

Less joint stress: Uncomfortable sitting locks up your hips. This places excessive stress on the joints.

More oxygen: A good sitting position opens the chest cavity, increasing oxygen intake by up to 30% ( source).

Increased energy and focus: When your body is in alignment, it doesn’t work nearly as hard. This gives you more energy to improve cognitive function.

Improved digestion: a slouched body compresses organs. This slows down the passage of waste.

A Good Posture Gives More Energy To Your Brain

A good posture balances the muscles surrounding the spine. Efficiency gives more energy to support cognitive function. The truth is that the more your spine is out of balance, the harder it is for your muscles to compensate. This can cause brain damage.

Dr. Roger Sperry (1980 Nobel Prize recipient for brain research) has a famous quote on this topic:

“Better than 90 percent of the energy output of the brain is used in relating the physical body in its gravitational field. The more mechanically distorted a person is, the less energy available for thinking, metabolism, and healing.”

Ninety percent of brain energy goes to maintaining an upright position. The remaining 10% is responsible for thinking, metabolism, and healing. This ratio can be ‘hack’ with the help of a gaming stool.

One will take a great amount off your back, neck, and upper body. You’ll feel much more focused when you have more energy.

Increase Brain Power Boosts Productivity

Long periods of sitting in a chair can cause muscle strain. This is a wasteful way to use energy that could be used to power the brain. This is contrary to “working” at the computer.

Numerous studies have shown that poor posture can increase feelings of apathy. Those who sit straighter tend to be more assertive and alert. This is supported by science.

Human brain contains billions of neurons and trillions upon trillions of synaptic links. These connections power processing, memory, and information transmission.

Slumping your shoulders down compresses your rib cage. This can reduce oxygen intake by as much as 30%. The computational speed in the prefrontal cortex is therefore slower.

This is the “thinking part” of the mind. The mind shrinks as the body becomes slouchy. Brain fog and inability to focus are common effects of slouching at work.

Conversely, neutral sitting increases alertness and brain activity.

Are Gaming Chairs Good For Your Back?

A Tall Backrest

Many gaming chairs have a high back. It provides complete support for your entire back, including your neck, head, and shoulders.

Your spine is the length of your vertebral column. A taller backrest (or a higher back) is better for back pain than a mid-back in a chair. It supports the entire column while you sit and not just the lower part of many office chairs.

Gaming chairs usually have a backrest that is between 30” and 33” high. You should measure your body to ensure that the backrest is tall enough to cover your entire body.

Pro Tip: Gaming chairs’ backrests are often designed after racing car seats. They help to keep the driver in place while he spins around. You might consider a wingless or extra-wide backrest if you are a significant person. This will ensure that your back is supported when you sit.

Reclination For The Back Is A Robust and Comfortable Choice

Gaming chairs have a number of critical features that are so comfortable for your back, including their robust tilting and reclining.

A cheap office chair under $100 can tilt, rock, and recline beyond 135 degrees. Some chairs even allow for a 180-degree horizontal. This is in contrast to cheap office chairs that have a tilt of 10 – 15 degrees.

A study by Dr. Waseem Bashir, University of Alberta Hospital, confirmed the importance of reclining in a chair to relieve spinal pressure. They observed that a seated position with a backrest recline angle of 135° puts the least amount of strain on the back.

You can achieve a back-friendly recline angle with virtually all gaming chairs. This is not possible with more expensive office chairs.

Pro Tip: Don’t confuse slouching with reclining. In slouching, your entire body slides forward, leading to compression of the neck, chest, and lower back. Slouching is the worst position for back pain.

Backrests on office chairs that don’t recline may encourage poor posture and slouch. You’ll be forced to lean forward in order to relieve pressure on your back.

External Neck Pillow

Most gaming chairs include an external neck pillow. This is especially useful when you are in the reclined position. This helps to relax your shoulders, upper back, and neck.

Because almost all gaming chairs are height adjustable, the neck pillow of a gaming chair fits perfectly in your cervical spine. This allows you to lean back while maintaining your spine’s natural alignment.

You will get even more neck support from office chairs with a separate component that can be adjusted in height and angle. The ergonomics of the cervical spine support found in gaming chairs is excellent.

Pro tip: Choose a gaming chair with a neck pillow that runs through the cutout on the headrest. This will let you move the neck pillow to the place you need it.

Adjustable Lumbar Support

An adjustable lumbar in all gaming chairs are essential for sitting straight. Standing, the healthy lumbar curve should be between 20 and 45 degrees.

The curve is reduced by about half when you sit with no lumbar support. The effect is reversed by a gaming chair’s adjustable lumbar pillow.

Studies have shown that a sitting position with a 110-degree backrest recline and lumbar support of 4 inches is optimal. The lumbar curve should be approximately 47 degrees. Users can then sit comfortably for long periods of time at this angle with very little pressure on their backs.

DIY Lumbar Support

A simple wooden chair can be used to test the effects of lumbar support. To keep your back straight, use force from your legs as you sit. When you are tired, your lumbar curve will flatten and your hips will curl forward.

Next, you can try sitting on a rolled-up yoga mat or weightlifter’s belt. Both of these options exert gentle pressure on the lower back. This makes it easier for you to sit straight.

Gaming chairs work on the same principle. The lumbar support pillow can be adjusted to your body. Next, lean back into the chair. Your back will stay straightened by light pressure. The neck support is not required. Some prefer to use it, while others do not.

Gaming Chairs Can Help With Posture Therapy

A gaming chair can have many benefits, but it is crucial to use the chair properly. Your body will learn to sit correctly in a gaming chair. The initial discomfort may be uncomfortable as your muscles need to be trained.

Once you become accustomed to the gaming chair, your muscular pain will decrease. You will be able to strengthen your core, back, and buttock muscles. An aligned body will have more energy and better overall health.

These are the steps to use a gaming chair properly.

• Place your back flat on the seat and distribute your body weight evenly.
• To allow your knees to bend at the right angle, adjust the chair’s height.
• Keep your legs straight and your feet flat on the ground.
• Move your chair closer to the computer and adjust the monitor’s level.
• Relax your shoulders and let your elbows rest on a gaming chair armrest.

How Can Gaming Chairs Harm The Back?

It is hard to believe that the thick padding between the backrest and seat of a gaming chair is so thick. These chairs are incredibly comfortable no matter how you position them. A NASA theory chair I tested showed that 128 degrees recline is the best.

This was how I sat for ten days. My shoulder muscles became irritated. The pain was so intense that it sent a throbbing sensation up my neck and into my ears. It caused me to experience skull-crushing migraines. It took me around a month of sitting properly (plus some yoga stretches) to stop the pain.

You might not notice a problem until it becomes severe. Here are some ways gaming chairs can cause damage to the back.

Improper Usage

Lower back pain can often be caused by breaking from a neutral sitting position. The most common mistake is to dangle your feet instead of placing them.

To keep your upper back straight, you can plant your feet. The spine must perform the job without it.

Another mistake is to cross your legs while sitting for extended periods. It is incredibly comfortable to do this in a gaming chair.

This tightens your hamstrings and twists your pelvis. It also overextends your lower back.

Neutral sitting principles will help you avoid neck pain, back pain, and other issues. Your lumbar support should be adjusted so that it does not press on your lower back. Your feet should be planted, and your hips should be buried in the seat pan. This position will become habitual with practice.

Incorrect Sizing

The wrong-sized gaming chair can also result in poor sitting support. If the chair’s dimensions are too small for your frame, then the chair’s sharp edges can dig into your legs.

Another example is that smaller people will find the backrest of an oversized chair too high to support their bodies. The neck support pillow will not be usable.

Best Gaming Chairs For Your Back

A cheap gaming chair is just as good for your back as an expensive one. A gaming chair that has a high back, adjustable armrests, neck support, lumbar support, neck pillows, and adjustable lumbar support is great for your back. Gaming chairs that are durable, comfortable, and adjustable are the best. Even the cheapest gaming chairs can support neutral, fluid postures while you are sitting.

A gaming chair that is cheap will have less padding and lower quality PU leather. You can adjust the arms in only one or two directions on cheaper models.

The highest-end gaming chairs for pro esports are made to offer more luxury. Premium cold foam padding, 4D armrests, and a tilt lock are some of the features found in high-end gaming chairs. This allows you to adjust the seat angle and lock it in place.

For extra luxury, power users should be willing to pay more. A cheap gaming chair will be fine for casual gamers and hobbyists. It all depends on what you need. These are the top gaming chairs that you can use for various purposes.

Secretlab Titan is a premium gaming chair that includes an integrated lumbar, 5-year warranty, and a Secretlab Titan. ($399)

E-Win Champion Series: Affordable model with professional features and a 2-year warranty ($309)

GTRacing’s S1 is the best-in-class cheap chair, with 4D arms and a 5-year guarantee. ($199).

Conclusion

Gaming chairs can really improve your back and posture. It’s very easy to find yourself slouching in front of your monitor. And if you don’t take care of your body, poor posture can become a habit. We hope you find helpful in this article.