Can anyone recommend a good chair?

[Woof!]

Hi all,

I seem to alternate a lot between mental-PEM and physical-PEM. When I've got brain fog, I try to get outside so I can be physical & keep up my muscle tone, and when my PEM is more physical in nature, I'm inside trying to catch up on things that require concentration and decsion-making. This often means sitting at a desk.

The chair I have now is hell on my back and neck and rotten for my posture despite a few layers of extra padding. When I get up, I hurt soooo much and I'm bent over like I'm 100 years old until I can gradually straighten up.

Does anyone have a supportive desk chair that they absolutely love? I'm hoping to find one that would fit a short person (5'4' and losing height, sigh).
Many, many thanks! L.

 

[wabi-sabi]

I like a cozy wing-back arm chair. Not really a desk chair exactly, but comfy and supportive.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I think you HAVE to sit in it somewhere. To try it out.

I ordered a very pricey Excutive Posture Chair, many dials and adjustments =, my job paid for it and it was horrible, I gave it to somebody else, never worked for me.

My one chair here, for lounging, is the only furniture which fits my body and does't make my back hurt. I'm around 5'4 also.

 

[Cipher]

I've used IKEA's MARKUS office chair for many years, and I find it very easy on my back compared to other chairs I've tried. I'm on the taller side though.

 

[Mary]

I used to be a legal secretary in my Former Life (pre-ME/CFS). I started having back problems in my late 20's (I'm tall, 5'9"). I learned (somehow) that how I sat was as important as what I sat on. If I didn't sit properly in whatever type of chair, it would hurt my back.

The most important thing I learned was to sit on my pelvic bones. I think I had been slouching or just not sitting properly. You can feel the pelvic bones (under your butt) when you sit properly, and that's how you're supposed to sit - on those bones. To feel them, you have to sit upright.

I bought this chair or something very similar a few years ago and I like it very much. I don't sit in it much because I don't do very much desk work (or any work at all!) but it feels good when I sit on it. I can't vouch for doing hours of work with it, but I have a feeling it would work: AmazonSmile: VigorPow Armless Mesh Office Chair Ergonomic Swivel Black Small Computer Desk Chair No Arms with Lumbar Support Height Adjustable Task Chair for Adults and Kids : Home & Kitchen

ETA: it looks like a cousin or version of @Cipher's chair - I didn't want arms on my chair.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Because of spinal issues- for me, the mesh would be a problem. I'd do better with some padding.

But otherwise that looks like a nice chair!

I went looking at images and saw no chair like mine ...

In an office chair advertisement, a woman relaxes in her chair in high heels. OH? How to kill the lower back.

 

[wabi-sabi]

I didn't want arms on my chair.

I want lots of pillows, a fuzzy blanket and a heating pad for mine. The heating pad is my best back pain relief.

 

[Judee]

I got one from my work that I love but can't use all the time here because it still has a perfume scent. But it is a Steel Case chair. The model # from the bottom may be 117-75.

It is extra padded which is very nice. It is the most comfortable office chair I have ever used. (I'm 5'1" if that helps and on the thin side.)

However, try to go to the store to try them out because before my work gave these ones away, I tried to find it on my own and bought a similar model at a used office place. It was the same brand but just didn't feel the same at all.

So make sure you can try it before you buy and also that they have a return policy in case it's nice in the store but not when you get it home.

My chair looks a lot like this blue one in the top picture of this website: https://www.steelcase.com/products/office-chairs/criterion/

It must be part of their criterion line but maybe the 117-75 is an older model. (shrug)

Hope you can find one like mine without the perfume scent. The print is a dark blue purple plaid look. This pattern but in purple/navy blue: https://finishlibrary.steelcase.com/woven-texture.html?color=17268538

Edit: I think mine is the mid-back model.

 

[Reading_Steiner]

Dx racer iron is the best one I know of, maybe not the absolute best in the world but they are pretty good,
solid...not going to break easily, I got 2 of them and after 5 years there is some minor damage to the fake leather surface but no huge holes yet, and nothing has broken on the chairs. It can lie approximately horizontal, I usually put my legs on someone else. Its quite expensive though and weighs a lot. You can get them non-multicolored, mine is just a sort of slate grey and black color.

DXRacer Iron Series Gaming Chair Review
DXRacer Iron Series -The Benz Like Gaming Chair

 

[BrightCandle]

I use a Steelcase Gesture and the Leap is a bit cheaper, both have good amounts of sales second hand on ebay for a lot less than their insane initial asking price. There is also plenty of the Aeron chairs going too and they aren't bad if you have a tendency to run too hot all day.

 

[Woof!]

I learned (somehow) that how I sat was as important as what I sat on. If I didn't sit properly in whatever type of chair, it would hurt my back. The most important thing I learned was to sit on my pelvic bones. I think I had been slouching or just not sitting properly. You can feel the pelvic bones (under your butt) when you sit properly, and that's how you're supposed to sit - on those bones. To feel them, you have to sit upright.

Words of wisdom. Thank you!

 

[Woof!]

DXRacer Iron Series Gaming Chair Review
DXRacer Iron Series -The Benz Like Gaming Chair

I watched the video. Nice chair! He also made a recommendation about raising the arms of the chair to minimize shoulder and elbow pain (something I never thought of). I tried this with my existing chair and I like the results. Thanks!

 

[Rufous McKinney]

My chair looks a lot like this blue one in the top picture of this website

that looks nice!

I seem to recall my feet being on the base of the chair, not on the ground very often. I'd like the version with the place to put your feet, altho that looks like a taller chair or different model...

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Words of wisdom. Thank you!

all very true.

Some of us come with spine issues. Mine isn't normal.

The idea that you have a tail, like a cat? it generates a position wherein your sitting quite correctly on those pelvic bones. Your cat tail- continues. I just don't hold that position for very long.

I can't last 5 minutes on my sofa, the dining table chairs, or any other piece of furniture. But the chair that fits my body, so just much much better and necessary. Its like medicine too.