Keeping your body in shape does more than boost strength and endurance - it also has a major influence on emotions, thought processes and decision making.
The neck and lumbar cushions on a gaming chair support an optimal spinal curve
Once, our hunter-gatherer ancestors roamed the land in peak physical condition. After that, humans transitioned to farming. During that time, studies show significant decrease in the overall mobility and lower limb strength of men.
Over the past 100 years, cars and television made people even less active. With the rise of computers and the Internet, people have become increasingly sedentary.
Physical potency has dramatically decreased in recent times
Today, Americans are sitting for around 13 hours per day while sleeping for around 8 hours. This equals 21 hours of sedentary time spent every day.
Gaming chairs provide the best solution to this problem. These products offer simply brilliant ergonomic engineering designed to support excellent comfort for many hours - without suffering health issues caused by bad posture.
How do gaming chairs help?
Whether you are a gamer or office worker, gaming chairs offer the perfect remedy to the problem of excessive screen-based sedentary time. Because of the way gaming chairs are designed, you can sit for long hours without needing to worry about the health of your shoulders, neck, and back.
A gaming chair will support your neck and spine during long hours of sitting
Gaming chairs are different from others because they are ergonomically designed to be used for long periods of time. Many other office chairs are not designed this way. Even if a chair feels padded, it may not be doing you any good (in fact, it may be detrimental to your health). A good gaming chair will support your lower back, your upper back, your shoulders, your neck, your head, your hips, and your arms.
A well-built gaming chair will improve your posture. When you have bad posture, your bones, muscles, and internal organs are in the wrong position. This puts a lot of strain on your muscles and tendons.
Over the years, you can begin to develop problems in muscles and tendons. This can be hard to fix, depending on the extent of the injury. You may find it hard to sit for long periods or even to sit at all.
A good chair will correct your posture. With your head in the correct position, the strain will be taken off your neck. If your spine is aligned, you will not feel back pain over time. If your hips are in the correct position, you will be able to sit comfortably for as long as you want.
Slouching is Bad for Your Back
Poor posture affects spinal alignment, which leads to a host of chronic health issues
Too much sitting is bad for you, no matter what kind of chair you sit in. However, using a cheap office chair magnifies the health risks. Firstly, cheap chairs encourages sloppy sitting habits. Notice that people tend to sit straighter in the morning, but their backs wilt into a curve as the hours pass.
In addition, when the spine sags, severe strain is placed on the back, neck and shoulders. Specifically because of chronic strain, a host of issues may arise over time:
- Muscle and joint pain: sitting for long periods with poor posture places greater stress on muscles and joints. Muscles and joints out of alignment must work harder, leading to chronic pain in the back, shoulders, neck, arms or legs.
- Poor circulation: sitting with poor posture prevents optimal blood flow. Poor circulation leads to varicose veins, especially in women.
- Depression: a number of studies have found a correlation between poor posture and negative emotional states. For instance, basic body language shows a lot: people who sit upright tend to be more alert, positive and energetic. Conversely, people who slouch tend towards lethargy, negative thinking and weight gain.
Gaming Chairs Support Good Posture
Gaming chairs support healthy posture, improved circulation and enhanced positivity
Most basic office chairs do not provide adequate healthy back support. Unquestionably this has massive ramifications. For example, the American Chiropractic Association notes that 264 million work days are lost per year in U.S. because of back pain. This is why sitting in a cheap chair for long periods of time can be bad for our backs.
In contrast, gaming chairs are specifically designed to provide the support which our backs need. They are great for our circulation and they are helpful in aligning our spines. In other words, if you sit for long hours and suffer stiffness or pain, a gaming chair will help straighten your back and support good posture.
Good posture yields many benefits
When you have good posture, it means the muscles around the spine are balanced to properly support the body's weight.
Thus, the longer you sit correctly in a gaming chair, the better your posture will become. As that happens, you can look forward to these benefits:
- Less headaches: poor posture causes migraines because of increased tension on the back of the neck
- More energy: when your body is in alignment, the muscles don't have to work as hard correcting postural imbalances. This leaves more energy to be spent on productivity
- Diminished joint stress: awkward sitting or standing (like resting on one leg or leaning your weight against a wall) causes tension on the hip and joints
- More oxygen: slouching compresses the lungs. Sitting upright gives the lungs more room to expand.
- Improved digestion: a slouched body compresses organs, which impacts their effectiveness.
In simple terms, by using a gaming chair correctly you will improve your posture, which leads to numerous health benefits that boost overall vitality.
Using a gaming chair for posture therapy
It is more important to use a gaming chair correctly, than the actual features of a particular chair. Sitting properly in a gaming chair will train the body to align into perfect sitting posture. This may not be comfortable at first, because the muscles need to be conditioned.
The healthiest way to sit in a gaming chair
Once your new gaming chair eases your spine into alignment, muscular strain will diminish. As a result, the muscles in your core, buttocks and back will get stronger.
When your body is aligned, great things become possible: energy, vitality and all-round wellness.
For complete instructions on how to use a gaming chair, refer to our Ultimate Gaming Chair User Manual. Here is a super-summary of what our User Manual advises:
- Distribute your body weight evenly across the seat
- Adjust the chair's height so that your knees bend at a right angle
- Avoid crossing your legs and keep the feet flat on the ground
- Push the chair close to your desk and make adjustments until the monitor is comfortably at eye level
- Rest your elbows on the gaming chair armrest and keep your shoulders relaxed
What to Look for in a Gaming Chair
With correct use in mind, there are several key factors to look for when shopping for a gaming chair. All of the factors listed below depend on you choosing the right-sized gaming chair for your body.
Once you find a chair that supports your body size, keep the following factors in mind before buying:
Look for a high backrest, lower back and neck support pillows and plushly padded reclining bucket seats
Price
Luckily, price is not a factor when determining the quality of back support provided by a gaming chair. Across all budget levels, gaming chairs from trusted brands are specifically designed to support good posture. All chairs in this range come with height adjustment, reclining, ergonomic pillows and everything needed to support the back - while sitting for long hours of working or gaming.
For the most part, when you pay more you get increased luxury, better durability - and similar quality back support. Thus, no matter your price range, the simplest thing to do is stick to a trusted brand. Then, use the chair correctly. In addition, take plenty of breaks. If you follow this method, expect to reap all of the ergonomic benefits that gaming chairs offer.
- Durability: premium gaming chairs can provide optimal support for 2-3 years; cheaper models should last for around one year.
- Back Support: gaming chairs from trusted brands all work the same. Expect a padded seat, high backrest with contoured shoulder support plus neck and lumbar cushions. The sum of the equation is premium ergonomic support for the back, neck and shoulders.
That means whether you buy a budget gaming chair or a premium one, you can expect first-rate ergonomics and all the benefits that come from having good posture.
The seat
Cold-foam padding provides excellent comfort and support
Many office chairs are flat on the seat. If you are sitting in these chairs for a long time, the chair can block the circulation in your legs, resulting in pins and needles and your legs going to sleep. There are also many long-term problems associated with sitting like this.
Humans are not built to sit for a long time, but gaming chairs help with that. For instance, they have tapered edges which allow you to sit without the circulation being cut off.
Backrest
Variable reclining modes is one of key gaming chair features
You should be looking for a gaming chair which can help improve the alignment of your spine. However, sitting with your spine straight can be hard to do when you are sitting for a long time and distracted by a game.
Gaming chairs take care of this for you. Look out for a chair with adjustable or removable headrests and lumbar pillows. There are three points of contact: the middle of your back, your lumbar, and your head. If you can get all three in the correct position, then you can sit comfortably.
Support cushions
The neck and lumbar support cushions provide the ergonomic support
The support pillows will provide the key support to your neck, back and shoulders. Above all, these will help to cushion your muscles while being firm and supportive.
As you ease back into a gaming chair, the backrest will support your frame, but the cushions are what will keep your body in proper alignment.
Note that on cheaper chairs, support cushions tend to be on the flimsy side. Conversely, most premium gaming chairs come with excellent memory foam pillows that will stay firmly in place and give solid support.
Top Rated Gaming Chairs For Back Support
Below are recommended gaming chairs across all budget levels, listed from most expensive to least expensive. Any one of these will get your posture sorted while providing a very comfortable sitting experience.
Secretlab Titan
High-end features, exceptional build, internal lumbar support mechanism and 2-year warranty. The best premium gaming chair on the market.
DXRacer Drifting Series
A gaming chair designed for office workers, this model has a narrow seat, subtle styling and a lifetime frame warranty. Our top choice for professionals.
GTRacing Gaming Chair
Enjoy excellent ergonomics at budget pricing. This solidly built beast comes with an impressive feature set and a 1-year warranty.
Elecwish Gaming Chair
This model is loaded with extras yet budget priced. It supports up to 330 lbs. Features include extra thick padding, retractable footrest and 1 year warranty.
Devoko Gaming Chair
This model costs less than $100 but will give similar ergonomic support to premium chairs. It's a PU leather racing chair with multiple reclining options that supports up to 300 lbs.
WHERE TO FIND THE PERFECT GAMING CHAIR
This article spells all out the ways gaming chairs support your back to ensure good posture. Because gaming chairs are so bulky (packages weigh over 50 pounds), few shops maintain gaming chair showrooms. As a result, the best way to buy a gaming chair is to order online.
To learn more about the various models of gaming chairs that are good for the back, check the following buying guides:
- Best budget gaming chairs: the best chairs priced under $200
- Best premium gaming chairs: the best chairs priced above $300
FINAL VERDICT
As this article shows, gaming chairs are the perfect remedy for 'sitting disease'. That's because sitting for hours without proper back support can bring real problems later in life.
If you spend long hours at a computer, buying a gaming chair will support you to sit using proper posture. Eventually, your core muscles will get stronger so that proper posture becomes a habit, not a struggle. As a result you will feel more energetic and productive.
In conclusion, not only will a gaming chair help your back, but it will also put you on a path to a healthier and more productive lifestyle.
