Best Drafting Chairs for Back Pain – Top 5 Picks

Back pain is one of those things most people learn to live with. It starts to become “normal” after a while. If you’re in your 20s or 30s, you attribute it to everyday activities like sitting at your desk for extended periods, standing for too long, overdoing certain workouts, constantly bending over to pick up children, etc. If you’re in your 40s or older, back pain could be the result of old injuries, arthritis, or other degenerative musculoskeletal conditions.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, roughly 80 percent of adults will likely experience back pain at some point in their lives. The good news is – there’s something you can do about it. You would be surprised by the world of difference incorporating a seemingly small change in your lifestyle makes to your overall health and well-being. One of these includes replacing your old office chair with a new drafting chair.

We’ve reviewed some of the chairs available on the market right now to bring you our top 5 picks for best drafting chairs for back pain.

Best Drafting Chairs for Back Pain

1. Best Drafting Chair for Back Pain – Editor’s Choice

Top on our list is the Flash Furniture ergonomic drafting chair. This particular unit is made with a breathable mesh back that offers an incredible amount of support to the lumbar region of your back. It is designed to correct poor posture, which is one of the leading causes of back pain. This ergonomic office chair not only gives you instant relief while sitting at your desk, but you can also comfortably work for hours without feeling the strain on your back.

The unit also features padded flip-up arms, which are perfect for users looking for more versatility in their seating options. You can flip the arms down to offer support to your elbows, in turn, increasing blood circulation in your arms. 

If you frequently suffer from numbness while typing away at your computer, you’ll enjoy what this drafting chair brings to the table. If, on the other hand, you crave more space for movement or simply want a larger seating area, you can flip up the arms to achieve this.

The other thing we liked about the Flash Furniture drafting chair is the various adjustment mechanisms built into the unit. There’s a pneumatic lever that allows users to adjust the seat to their desired seat height. Adjustable seat height is particularly useful if you find the desk you’re working on too high or too low, which may put a tremendous amount of strain on your lower back and/or shoulders.

We also like the tilt-lock mechanism it comes with that allows you to tilt the drafting chair to your preferred position and then lock it in place. If you’ve had poor posture for a while – we’re talking several years – sitting in a chair whose back and seat are at complete 90-degree angles to the ground can be quite uncomfortable.

You may prefer a chair that tilts slightly to the back to relieve lower back pain. This Flash Furniture unit allows you to do just that. Simply pull the lever, lean back or forward on the chair, and then lock it in position to prevent unnecessary rocking.

You might also like the tension-adjustment knob it comes with. It is designed to balance the unit’s backward tilt resistance. That way, you don’t have to worry about leaning too far back in your chair and toppling over in the process.

The unit comes complete with a 360-degree chrome footrest and heavy-duty base. We quite liked this since several of the drafting chairs we came across did not include these nifty features.

Not having a proper base upon which you can rest your feet to reduce pressure on your legs and back is a common cause of back pain. You always want your feet at a 90-degree angle to the ground when you’re seated. The chair base comes with dual wheel casters, which are the industry standard for optimum stability and seamless movement.

All in all, its outstanding performance, expert craftsmanship, and superior ergonomic chair design make it, hands-down, one of the best drafting chairs for back pain we’ve come across.

2. Best Drafting Chair for Office Use

Next on our top picks for the best drafting chairs for back pain is this beauty from Chairman. This ergonomic, mid-back, mesh drafting chair is specifically designed for office use. We like the fact that it can be used when working on a counter-height workstation or a standard desk. Its 22.25 to 30-inch pneumatic seat height adjustment capability is as versatile as they come. You can use it with craft stations, drafting tables, home-office desks, school desks, laboratory workstations, and virtually any other work environment you can think of.

The feature that stood out the most to us when searching for the best drafting chairs for back pain is its unique ergonomic design. It is masterfully crafted to align with the curvature of the human spine and curves of the human body. Its generously padded seat comes with versatile contours and waterfall rounded edges to not only minimize the strain on your lower back and legs but also allow for ample blood circulation in these regions.

We also like how effective it is in improving posture. It supports your back and properly aligns your thighs while you’re working at your desk. Correcting poor posture is one of the most effective methods for relieving back pain.

The other thing we can’t get enough of is just how functional this drafting chair is. It comes with an SGS-tested and approved gas lift that allows you to effortlessly adjust its height depending on the workstation in question. We also like its 360-degree swivel capability.

Additionally, it comes with a fully adjustable, 20-inch chrome footrest ring. You can adjust it upward or downward to match the height of your feet and even spin it before locking it in place using the control knob.

The Chairman drafting chair is one of the very few models on the market that allows users to tilt it to their desired angle and lock it in position. We haven’t come across many units with this capability. The chair has a wide 27.5-inch base with sturdy rolling casters attached to it for seamless movement.

When rating drafting chairs, one of the primary things we check for is quality and standard. The first thing that stood out to us is the premium-quality upholstery material used in the making of this unit. It feels firm to the touch yet surprisingly soft on the skin. It has one of the most skin-friendly materials we’ve encountered so far. The best part is – it has no lingering smell, and the aerated mesh chair back is guaranteed to keep you feeling cool no matter how high the ambient temperatures get.

All the accessories used to make this drafting chair meet BIFMA Standard to ensure you’re safe while using the Chairman. One of these standards includes not using rebonded foam in the manufacture of these chairs.

Overall, we were quite pleased with the functionality, versatility, and quality of this particular product. If you’re in the market for a sturdy, long-lasting, adjustable drafting chair for office use, it’s worth checking out.

3. Best Heavy-Duty Drafting Chair

If you’re a little on the heavier side, the Harwick Evolve heavy-duty drafting chair was designed with you in mind. Its frame is made from alloy steel and can comfortably support individuals weighing up to 325 lbs. Many of the drafting chairs we came across were not sturdy enough for heavier individuals and were prone to breaking down after a short while of use. This wasn’t the case with the Evolve model.

One of the best features of this particular unit is the built-in lumbar support it comes with. Several of the reviews we came across indicated that the chair is highly effective in relieving lower back pain, especially in individuals with poor posture. Overall, it is a comfortable chair.

Additionally, if you need the chair to move closer to your desk, you will love the flip-up armrests it comes with. They allow for more versatile movement, which is something you don’t often get with drafting chairs. All in all, the Harwick Evolve is designed to offer maximum support and all-day comfort regardless of how heavy you are.

4. Best Drafting Chair for Standing Desks

If you’re looking for the ideal drafting chair for a standing desk, we recommend checking out the Modway Edge. Not only is it ideal for individuals whose work requires them to stand throughout, but it also allows you to sit from time to time without hampering the way you work. This counter-height unit comes with a hydraulic seat and has a wide adjustment capacity ranging between 20.5 and 29 inches from ground level.

It offers a remarkable amount of lower-back support and has a contoured waterfall seat to give you perfect posture while you’re working. All in all, the Modway Edge is the perfect standing desk companion for people who suffer from chronic back pain.

5. Best Drafting Chair With Headrest

Not many drafting chairs in the market usually come with headrests, and let’s face it – you may need one when you’re having one of “those days” when you just want to lean your head back, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and gather your thoughts.

The Nouhaus ErgoDraft is perfect for anyone looking for a mesh drafting chair with a headrest. Its curved 2D design not only provides maximum neck support but is also adjustable with tilt tension, allowing you to tilt it forward or backward for an optimized head position while you’re working.

The high back provides excellent support for the lower back and has proven quite effective in relieving discomfort among individuals who suffer from chronic back pain. It is made of heavy-duty material, making it one of the most durable drafting chairs in the market right now. All in all, it’s an excellent choice for home or office use.

We’ve Got Your Back

There you have it – the best drafting chairs for back pain. In the meantime, if you’re in the market for a massage chair, check out our guide for our top 3 picks for 2021.