It's rare for an ergonomic office chair to score perfectly in design, comfort, build quality and features. I've only found five chairs that manage to nail all areas - and that's out of the 30+ chairs I've personally reviewed over the last five years. Branch's Ergonomic Chair Pro is one of them, and it's my top pick of the best office chairs for back pain.
Long-term back pain is unlikely to be cured by upgrading your mattress, and a doctor or physiotherapist should be your first port of call if pain is affecting your quality of life. But studies suggest that switching to the best mattress for your body type and sleeping position can genuinely help. I'm lucky to not experience chronic pain, but in years of testing mattresses, I've often suffered temporary backache after sleeping on a surface that doesn't suit me.
Most ergonomic chairs promise to solve your back pain, then force you into rigid positions that feel more like punishment than comfort. You spend your day constantly adjusting lumbar support, repositioning armrests, and shifting around, trying to find that perfect spot that never quite exists. The average American now sits 9.5 hours daily, yet traditional "ergonomic" solutions still treat our bodies like they're designed to stay perfectly still.
If you have back pain, then you already know that shopping for a mattress is hard work. No matter how much research you do before you shop, you can never be 100% sure that a mattress will work for you until you've slept on it for a few nights. There are a few brands that dependably offer advanced pressure relief and comfort, though, and should be at the top of your list.
I can't remember exactly what I was doing when it happened. The morning had started normally enough. It was a Tuesday and I'd woken up before my alarm-this part was not normal, and the subsequent consequences almost certainly ensure it will never happen again. I fed my cat and watered my plants. I made a cup of coffee. I washed the dishes I'd left in the sink overnight.