Why Your Office Chair Should Have Lumbar Support

Office chairs with lumbar support have been around for decades, but it has largely been relegated to high-end seats. That's no longer the case. Lumbar support is a standard feature on most office chairs these days, even budget models. Often it's included, but you may have to pay a small fee to add it on. But is having lumbar support really worth it? Unless you have perfect posture, the lumbar spine is the area in your lower back that needs help. A standard office chair may not follow the natural curve of the spine, especially in that lower region, which is why you see lumbar attachments that are height-adjustable. I spoke to a few ergonomics experts to see just how important it is. Your Spine Needs Help Often, your mid-back or shoulders will rest against the back of your chair, and your lower back is left to fend for itself. That's where bad posture comes from—not just from a lack of discipline. Lumbar support in a chair should hug those curves in your back so that it's fully supported. That's according to Kristianne Egbert, an ergonomist at Briotix Health, a workplace ergonomicsx company. She's pro lumbar support, though she says it also depends on how long you're sitting. “Your back has this natural curve to it, and if you're sitting in a chair that doesn't help support that natural S curve, over time, it's going to feel a little bit less comfortable," Egbert says. "When you're sitting in a forward, hunched position, and don't have that curve in your lower back, it increases the forces on the discs in your lower back, definitely resulting in discomfort.” The Herman Miller Aeron. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu It's something modern cars have had for a while. If you've ever sat in a car with a lumbar adjustment, you probably know how much better it feels. Egbert says it can be important on long flights, too. “When I fly, I often take my neck pillow when I'm not dozing off, and I stick it in my lower back, and it makes a world of difference, just kind of helping to relieve any pressure that you have in your lower back," she says.