Best Gaming Chairs for Back Pain (from an Ergonomist)

If you’re a gamer, having a robust gaming chair is critical to keep back pain at bay. There is nothing worse for your back than a chair that forces you into either a poor or fixed sitting position the way many office chairs do.

In this guide, we looked at over 30 models and consulted with our resident ergonomist George to come up with the 7 best gaming chairs for your back. This isn’t just some random list- each chair has been meticulously vetted to ensure they can help your back in some way.

Let’s get started.

Best Gaming Chairs for Back Pain at a Glance

1. Secretlab Titan – Best Overall for Back Pain
2. GTRacing Gaming Chair – Best Budget Chair for Back Pain
3. AndaSeat Big and Tall – Best Option for Big and Tall People
4. AutoFull Gaming Chair– Best Gaming Chair with Footrest for Back Pain
5. Goplus Massage Gaming Chair – Great Gaming Chair Recliner
6. X Rocker Pro Series Floor Video Gaming Chair – Best X Rocker Chair for Console Gaming
7. Giantex 360 Degree Swivel Gaming Chair – Best Swivel Floor Chair for Console Gaming

1. Secretlab Titan – Best Overall for Back Pain

The Secretlab Titan is perhaps the most refined gaming chair we’ve ever reviewed. What makes this chair awesome for people with back pain, however, is its multi-tilt mechanism that mimics a zero gravity chair.

First, let’s talk about its build quality. Just about everything in the Secretlab Titan screams top notch. The 5 star base is made of aluminum that’s lighter yet stronger than metal. The class 4 KGS gas lift cylinder is the most heavy duty in its class. And the foam inside the seat? It consists of the company’s patented mix that is virtually sag proof yet still reasonably soft. Top it off with PU leather upholstery that’s 4x more resistant to peeling, and you got yourself one durable chair.

As for the Titan’s similarity to a zero gravity chair, it comes down to the chair’s advanced multi-tilt mechanism. While its 165° maximum recline is fairly standard for a gaming chair, the seat tilt angle lock can also be locked:

This means that you can work in a highly reclined position, by angling your entire body upwards, and not just your back. For people with back pain, this is a godsend, as the reclined position has been found to exert the least amount of stress on the spine.

The lumbar support on the TItan is also arguably better for back pain than the external pillow found on most gaming chairs. It’s built into the backrest, with a knob that lets you control its protrusiveness. This lets you tailor it based on the curvature of your lower back, instead of a one size fits all offering.

For anyone looking for a high end chair with supreme build, class, and comfort, the Titan won’t disappoint. Though the price is quite steep, you’ll get your money’s worth with 5 to 10 years of pain-free gaming.

2. GTRacing Gaming Chair – Best Budget Option

The GTRacing represents one of the best values in a gaming chair, providing a well rounded set of features for well under $200. It also stands out as an awesome chair for people with back pain.

The key feature in the GTRacing chair that’s conducive for back pain sufferers is the robust backrest. It can tilt and recline up to an almost horizontal 170° angle. Even at its highest recline angle you can continue to rock the backrest, unlike in many gaming chairs we’ve tested. This helps bring constant micro movements to your back, which one owner credits as helping him relieve pressure on his sensitive tailbone.

Relative to other budget chairs, the GTRacing is also superior in features. The 3D armrests aren’t just height adjustable, but can pivot in and out to support your arms when typing. We also love the external neck pillow that can be positioned exactly where your neck needs cradling, thanks to the cut out in the headrest that lets it move up to 4″ vertically.

The two shortcomings that we’ve seen are common with budget gaming chairs. First, there are a lot of plastic parts, limiting the maximum weight to 230 lbs in our estimation. The seat cushion while comfortable is also relatively thin (3.1″ thick), and as such won’t be supportive enough for heavier people.

All things considered, if you’re the average Joe with back pain looking to make the most out of your budget, this is our pick for you.

3. AndaSeat Big and Tall – Best Option for Big and Tall People

For big and tall people that like everything about the Secretlab Titan except the moderately firm seat, you’re in luck, as the Andaseat offers the perfect alternative with a super thick and plush seat.

Like the Secretlab chairs, we found the build quality of the AndaSeat Big and Tall to be impeccable in our review. The PVC leather upholstery is fused with carbon fiber that makes it virtually tear proof. The seat padding consists of 6″ of cold cured foam, the thickest we’ve ever come across. And like the Secretlab Titan, the base is made of aircraft grade aluminum. Oh yes, and the chair is completely silent as well as you sit and rock the backrest. A simple test that tells you how well made a chair is.

After 2 years of usage, one buyer who’s 6’8” tall and 300+ lbs remarked that it still works like new. He also said that having been dealing with herniated disks for a long time, this is the most supportive chair he has ever tried.

The AndaSeat comes with the same seat-tilt locking feature found in the Secretlab chairs that make it so good for your back. By angling then locking the seat, you can work in a heavily reclined position with ease. Known as supine sitting, it puts the least spinal pressure out of all the typical sitting positions.

There’s still room for improvement, however. The arms would sometimes get stuck when changing its position. The seat width is also somewhat limited at 18”. For ultra wide gamers, this might be cramped.

In our book, if you’re big and tall, you really should only be looking at two gaming chairs – the Secretlab Titan (and XL) or the Andaseat Big and Tall. As mentioned, if a plush seat is what you crave, then the Andaseat is your man (or woman).

4. AutoFull Gaming Chair – Best Gaming Chair for Back Pain with Footrest

If you see yourself reclining the backrest of your gaming chair often (to read, watch a movie or even to nap), what you’ll want to look into is one that has a kick out footrest. And for that, the Autofill chair is one of the most well built and reasonably priced options currently on the market.

To support your lower limbs and encourage proper blood circulation when you’re reclined, the Autofull comes with a retractable footrest. For people with sciatica, elevating your legs periodically may be helpful in relieving your symptoms.

To make your gaming breaks even more comfortable, the Autofull is packed with a 5.1” thick seat cushion, which is much thicker than average. You also don’t have to worry about tipping over when fully reclined; the chair is well balanced, made even more stable with the sturdy metal frame and level 4 gas lift cylinder.

The AutoFull’s weak points are its armrests and relatively shallow backrest recline. While the armrests do pivot in and out, they don’t lock into place when angled, so can easily move out of position with a slight bump. We’d also wish the backrest can recline more than just 155 degrees, especially given that the chair comes with a footrest.

All in all though, the Autofull is still a great chair when you want to kick back and relax your whole body thanks to the decent build quality and kickout footrest.

5. Goplus Massage Gaming Chair – Best Gaming Chair Recliner

Looking to game with your feet kicked up and a beer in one hand? What you need is gaming chair recliner, with which the GoPlus is an excellent option.

The recliner is packed with all sorts of goodies like a soft reclining backrest, an adjustable footrest, a cup holder, and a side pouch. Best of all, it has a vibrating massage function to help you get rid of your back pain.

The high backrest has a decent maximum recline angle of 140°. Embedded in it is a 4-point massage function which you can adjust in terms of mode, strength, position, and time. The vibration helps with short-term back pain by loosening up your tense back muscles and promoting blood flow. As one customer put it, it’s actually much more useful than he expected.

Like any good recliner, the Goplus comes with a thickly padded, wide footrest that supports your entire lower limbs when activated. It beats the footrest on any gaming chair (sorry Autofill) for long lasting comfort when you’re reclined.

The main weakness of the Goplus is that the chair isn’t height adjustable. This means it’s mainly meant for the living room. if you intend to pair it with your computer desk, there’s a chance it may be too low (standard desk height is 29″), unless you have an ergonomic desk that is height adjustable.

Despite the potential drawback, for your living room or console gaming, the Goplus recliner is a solid choice.

6. X Rocker Pro Floor Gaming Chair – Best X Rocker Chair for Console Gaming

If you’re a console gamer, you’ll want to consider the highly popular X Rocker Pro to create a healthier and more enjoyable gaming experience.

Sitting on the floor or on the couch when console gaming gives you little to no back support. The X Rocker Pro has a highly padded backrest with an integrated head pillow to support your entire back. Plus, the armrests can reduce the muscle tension in your neck, shoulders, and back.

You can also rock to your heart’s content using the X Rocker Pro to decompress spinal pressure. As one happy gamer put it, the X rocker chair ended his back pain by preventing him from slouching.

Health benefits aside, the X Rocker gaming chairs are well-known for providing an immersive experience. Connect it to your gaming system and set up the audio. Then you can enjoy the full-body sensations of the synced vibrations and powerful, punchy bass tones as you play your favorite titles. For games like Fortnite, the effects just sound so realistic!

The major drawback we’ve noticed is the quality of the PU leather, which is average at best After a year of regular usage, it will probably start peeling. A quick fix if that happens to to put another cushion over the seat.

For the benefits you get, the X Rocker Pro is a worthy buy. Aside from console gaming, you can also use it when you’re reading or watching TV. One gamer even said that his wife uses it to rock their baby to sleep.

7. Giantex 360 Degree Swivel Gaming Chair – Best Swivel Floor Chair for Console Players

Rounding off our list is the best swivel floor chair for casual gaming or reading in the living room – the Giantex 360° Swivel Gaming Chair. It’s an ultra comfy and affordable chair that offers far better support for your back than a sofa.

Compared to the X Rocker Pro, the Giantex is a more basic floor gaming chair in that it doesn’t rock and it doesn’t have an audio and vibration system.

What it offers, however, is a reclining backrest which you can lock into 4 points to support more sitting positions. The backrest is not that high at about 25” from the seat to the top, so we only recommend it for shorter gamers less than 5’8”. 

In terms of comfort, the Giantex is a winner. The combination of the thick, fluffy sponge and high-density springs makes for a great sitting experience. It comes with a fairly wide swivel base, making it more fun and convenient. One reviewer said that he had to buy more of this chair because it’s so comfy that his family fights over who gets to use it. 

The upholstery is superior linen, so it’s both durable and good for people with sensitive skin. We think it’s a nice touch that the fabric covers the base. This means that even when your kids drag the chair across the floor, the base won’t scratch the floor.

The only thing missing is a lumbar pillow to better support your back. Of course, as always, you can just grab a throw pillow or even a rolled towel if you’re going to be playing for a while. It can also be tricky for some to get off the chair since the swivel doesn’t lock and there are no arms to help you.

Overall, though advertised as a gaming chair, the Giantex is a very solid pick for both gamers and non-gamers. Not only is it great for lounging around, it’s also compact, lightweight, and space-saving.

And there you have it – 7 great gaming chairs that can help you stay pain free even after an extended gaming session. Also check out our comprehensive guide on the best office chairs for back pain.