The 10 Best Office Chair for Tailbone Pain
Tailbone pain can be incredibly uncomfortable and difficult to deal with, especially if you sit in an office chair all day. This can significantly impact your productivity at work. Tailbone pain, otherwise known as coccydynia, is the pain located in and around the triangular bone just below the sacrum of your spine. This injury can be slow to heal. Depending on the severity, it can last between 8 to 12 weeks.
Luckily, there are office chairs that can help alleviate coccydynia and allow you to work effectively. We’ll review the 10 best office chairs for tailbone pain and provide a buyer’s guide to selecting the right chair.
The Best Office Chairs for Tailbone Pain (Coccyx Pain)
- Steelcase Leap – Best Overall
- Herman Miller Aeron – Best Mesh
- Steelcase Gesture – Best for Hip Pain
- Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair – Best Under $300
- HAG Capisco – Most Ergonomic
- Isokinetics Fitness Ball Chair – Best for Posture Correction
- Secretlab Titan – Best for Gaming
- Herman Miller Embody – Best for Back Pain
- DRAGONN by VIVO – Best Kneeling Office Chair
- Serta AIR Health and Wellness – Best Leather Office Chair
Steelcase Leap – Overall Best Office Chair for Tailbone Pain
The Steelcase Leap V2 is one of the top-rated ergonomic chairs on the market featuring excellent build quality, adjustability options, and comfort.
Read our full Steelcase Leap Review
Tailbone pain can be a huge distraction when working. It’s important to find a seat with a good cushion and matches the shape of your buttocks. Specifically, the Steelcase Leap uses a dense foam cushion along with tiny air pockets in the foam to conform to the shape of your body. This ensures you’re getting firm support throughout while having the pressure dispersed due to the density of the cushion.
In addition, the Leap has flexible edges that bend downward when sitting on top. This relieves the pressure points underneath your thighs and improves circulation.
Besides its seat cushion, posture is an integral part of alleviating tailbone pain. Since the coccyx is a part of your spine, you need to ensure you are sitting in a balanced and forward posture. The Leap has its Natural Glide technology that slides forward when you recline your back.
The backrest features a 3D LiveBack technology that mimics and adapts to your movement. As a result, your lumbar will be well-supported, and your spine will retain its S-shaped curve.
Pros:
- The seat cushion has built-in air pockets that mold to your body
- The seat has flexible edges to alleviate pressure underneath your thighs
- Users can adjust the firmness and height o lumbar support
- The 3D LiveBack technology mimics and responds to your movements for customized support
- Leap’s Natural Glide system glides forward when you recline to ensure optimal posture
Cons:
- Some people may prefer a mesh back
Check out our guide on the Best Fabric Office Chairs
Herman Miller Aeron – Best Mesh Office Chair for Tailbone Pain
The Herman Miller Aeron is one of the most iconic ergonomic office chairs ever made. It's best-in-class build quality, adjustability, and comfort make it ideal for any home office or gaming setup.
Read our Herman Miller Aeron Review
The Herman Miller Aeron is the gold standard for suspension seating. Mesh material typically gets a bad rap for feeling too rigid. Some mesh chairs are thin, and users can feel the frame of the chair. However, the Aeron uses a unique pellicle elastomeric suspension.
This mesh technology conforms to the human body and absorbs the force-placed while sitting. It’s designed with eight pressure relieving points on the seat to alleviate tension where pressure typically builds up. The mesh is also great for allowing air to pass through and keeping you cool all day.
In addition, the Aeron has its signature PostureSL Fit which are two independent lumbar pads that can be adjusted. Users can adjust them to fit the curve of their spine to support their lumbar.
Pros:
- The Aeron can tilt forward, which shifts body weight away from your tailbone
- PostureSL Fit offers adjustable lumbar pads to reduce back pain and encourage a healthy posture
- Elastomeric suspension alleviates pressure points in your buttocks and tailbone area
- Pellicle mesh keeps users cool throughout the day
- Herman Miller offers a 12-year warranty
Cons:
- Quite expensive compared to other chairs
Steelcase Gesture – Best for Hip and Tailbone Pain
The Steelcase Gesture is the company's top-of-the-line ergonomic office chair. It's a premium chair featuring excellent build quality, adjustability, and comfort.
Read our Steelcase Gesture Review
One of the most common causes of hip pain is sitting in awkward or uncomfortable positions. In addition, a pinched nerve in the lower back can lead to hip pain. The Steelcase Gesture is the perfect office chair for hip pain because it has a firm seat that supports both hips evenly, a seat edge that bends, and a backrest that takes the pressure off of your lower back. Similar to the Leap, the Steelcase Gesture has small air pockets in the cushion’s foam that reduce the load on your body. The edge of the seat bends along the perimeter in a downward motion so that it relieves the pressure points in your hips and under your thighs.
Since hip pain can be caused by lower back pain, it’s important to ensure your posture is upright. The Gesture has the patented 3D LiveBack technology, which mimics and responds to your movements. Also, this chair has plenty of adjustment capabilities such as adjustable seat depth, seat height, 360 degree-adjustable arms, four recline positions, and tilt tension.
Pros:
- The contoured shape of the back aligns with the shape of your spine
- 3D LiveBack technology mimics and adapts to your movement
- Armrests can be rotated 360 degrees for full support
- The seat cushion has air pockets to limit pressure in your coccyx
- The Gesture offers plenty of adjustments for optimal comfort and support
Cons:
- It doesn’t have a back-height adjustment
Check our guide on the Best Office Chairs for Hip Pain
Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair – Best Office Chair for Tailbone Pain Under $300
The Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair is the on the best values in terms of price vs performance on the market offering excellent build quality, adjustability and comfort.
Read our full Duramont Office Chair Review
For those on a budget, the Duramont office chair is the perfect option, especially for tailbone pain. It specifically offers a W-shaped seat cushion design to fit the specific shape of the buttocks. As a result, the pressure is evenly distributed and alleviates a lot of stress that would otherwise be on your tailbone. Over the cushion, there is a lightweight breathable to prevent your seat from getting warm.
Sitting too long can lead to sweaty backs, which makes it difficult to get any work done. The backrest uses a flexible mesh material that allows air to pass through. In addition, the backrest also features lumbar support that is both height and depth adjustable. The height adjustment allows the support to fit into the curve of your spine, while the depth controls how much the support pushes outward.
Pros:
- Very affordable office chair
- Breathable mesh back allows air to circulate through your back and ensures you’re sweat-free
- Duramont has a thick cushion seat to alleviate coccyx pain
- Reclines up to 120 degrees to relieve tension in your lower back and tailbone
- W-shape seat cushion design distributes weight evenly
Cons:
- The backrest doesn’t recline as much as other office chairs
Check out our guide on the Best Office Chairs Under $300
HAG Capisco – Most Ergonomic Office Chair for Tailbone Pain
The HAG Capsico is an innovative ergonomic office chair that features a unique design ideal for people who struggle with poor posture and tend to sit at their desks for long periods of time.
Saddles chairs are another type of ergonomic chair that is helpful for individuals who have tailbone pain. HAG Capisco allows you to turn your chair and sit in multiple positions. Users can sit forward, sideways, or backward. In the forward position, the seat has a pronounced W-shaped curve that opens up your hips and improves your posture. This open position also tilts your weight forward which lessens the weight of your seat. Not to mention, the W-shaped curve contours to the shape of your buttocks so that weight is distributed evenly.
Also, the saddle chairs work perfectly for sit-stand desks. You can adjust the seat height from 22.5 inches to 33 inches. This allows you to use it with a kitchen counter or a standing desk. You can also adjust the seat depth and recline to get the most optimal position for your height and body type.
Pros:
- Pronounced w-shape seat design lifts tailbone and disperses weight evenly to reduce pain
- The seat depth, height, back height, and tilt can be adjusted
- Changing your seat position by sitting backward, sideways, or forward and alleviate stress in your back and coccyx
- Available in polyester, vinyl, or leather upholstery
- Works for sitting and standing desks
Cons:
- Quite pricey
Isokinetics Fitness Ball Chair – Best for Posture Correction
Sitting on a balance ball doesn’t put a lot of pressure on your tailbone area. Fitness balls are a great alternative to back and coccyx pain because it requires active sitting and balancing. This activates the muscles, especially the core, to hold yourself in an upright position. Sitting for too long in a position can cause too much pressure to build up in one area. This leads to pain in that body part.
The Isokinetics Fitness Ball Chair has four adjustable positions for its back and legs so that you can adjust the height and recline position. This allows you to sit in the perfect position, similar to a traditional offer chair. It comes with four-wheel casters, so you can easily roll it around your office.
One of the big advantages of these fitness ball chairs is that they’re much more affordable, and the fitness ball can be used for exercise or yoga. It can serve as a good reminder to get up and do some stretches during your breaks to get the blood circulating throughout your body for those with coccyx pain.
Pros:
- Very inexpensive
- The chair has four back support positions and four height positions
- Supports up to 300 lbs
- The back sits on your lower back to keep it supported at all times
- Available in 9 colors
Cons:
- It may take a little while to get used to sitting on a fitness ball chair
Secretlab Titan – Best Gaming Chair for Tailbone Pain
The Secretlab Titan is a premium gaming chair that offers top-notch build quality, adjustability, comfort, various design options, and multiple size options.
Read our full Secretlab Titan Review
Although most gaming chairs don’t have nearly the ergonomic features that office chairs have, the Secretlab Titan is different. The Titan is designed to keep gamers healthy and comfortable while gaming. For those with coccyx pain, the Titan uses a highly dense cold cure foam mix that helps to alleviate pressure in your buttocks and under your thighs.
In addition, it even comes with optional memory foam pillows for the lumbar region and headrest. We recommend getting the memory foam since it forces you to sit forward with a balanced spine. Not to mention the memory foam is designed to conform to your body’s curves and movement for optimal support. If you choose to use their internal lumbar support, it has a knob that can adjust its height and depth.
Also, the Titan has a much deeper recline than most office chairs. Users can recline up to 165 degrees, which reduces and takes the load off your spine.
Pros:
- Available in PU leather, Softweave fabric, and NAPA leather
- Seat cushions have high-density foam which reduces pressure on the sciatic and coccyx
- Lumbar back support is both height and depth adjustable
- The backrest reclines 165 degrees which take the pressure away from the lower back and buttocks
- The armrests are 4D adjustable
Cons:
- It doesn’t offer a full mesh upholstery
Herman Miller Embody – Best Office Chair for Sciatica & Tailbone Pain
If you're looking for the best of the best, then definitely check out the Herman Miller Embody. It's best-in-class build quality and innovative design make it a top contender to be the best office chair ever made.
Your posture plays a crucial role in your back, hips, and coccyx pain. Specifically, poor posture can place too much pressure on your tailbone, which only exacerbates the pain. The Embody encourages and self-corrects bad posture with their Backfit adjustment feature. This enables you to align the backrest with the curve of your spine to achieve a balanced and neutral posture. As a result, your lumbar will be well-supported, and the pressure of your body will be tilted forward away from the tailbone.
In addition, the Embody has a narrow tapered design to its backrest, which allows users more mobility and freedom to move around. The chair also has pixelated support with four breathable support layers that conform to the shape of your body. This pixelated support bends and flexes to your micro-movements which eliminates any pressure buildup. Overall, the chair feels incredibly smooth and comfortable to sit on.
Pros:
- The narrow back allows freedom of movement for increased blood circulation
- Backfit adjustment allows users to position the backrest to be in line with their spine
- Pixelated support redistributes the weight evenly and conforms to your body, reducing pain in your tailbone and lower back
- It offers plenty of adjustments like seat height, seat depth, armrests, tilt angle, etc.
- Herman Miller offers a 12-year warranty
Cons:
- It doesn’t have a lot of cushioning
Check out our guide on the Best Office Chairs for Sciatica
DRAGONN by VIVO – Best Kneeling Office Chair for Tailbone Pain
The DRAGONN by VIVO is a kneeling ergonomic chair that promotes good posture, making it an excellent option for people who are prone to back pain.
Kneeling chairs can be extremely beneficial to those with tailbone pain. The DRAGONN by VIVO kneeling chair angles the seat cushion downward, so your thighs are about at a 60 to 70 percent angle. With a normal office chair with a 90-degree seat, the weight is distributed among your back and buttocks.
However, the kneeling chair lessens the load on your back and buttocks and distributes it to your knees and shins. Kneeling chairs like the DRAGONN help to shift your weight forward, lessening the load on your tailbone. Shifting your weight forward activates and strengthens your core while also encouraging good posture.
According to VIVO, they have twice the cushion in their seat and knee cushions compared to their competitors. This only adds to the pressure-relieving effect you’ll have and reduces the pain in your tailbone. Also, the seat is height adjustable to ensure you’re sitting at a height level where your head is leveled with your monitor screen.
Pros:
- A kneeling chair tilts your weight forward to reduce pressure on your tailbone
- The chair is height adjustable
- Made with double the amount of cushion for comfort and alleviates tension
- Strengths abdominal and encourages healthy posture
- Durable casters that can roll on hardwood and carpet
Cons:
- Some people prefer having a backrest
Serta AIR Health and Wellness – Best Leather Office Chair for Tailbone Pain
Sitting on a rigid chair can be extremely painful when you have coccyx pain. The Serta AIR has some of the most paddings you’ll find in an office chair. It has multiple layers of padding on the cushion and backrest. Having these extra layers almost feels like you’re sitting on something soft like a mattress. The impact and pressure placed on your spine and tailbone when sitting. Typically, if there isn’t any cushion to soften the blow, all of the weight will add pressure to these areas of your body. However, deep layers of padding can alleviate the tension allowing you to feel comfortable and relaxed.
The Serta AIR offers their unique dynamic AIR lumbar technology, which bends and flexes to your movement. Most leather chairs are rigid and don’t have this type of flexibility. This encourages movement while sitting, which allows increased circulation. In addition, they offer accents of mesh to allow some air to pass through, preventing heat buildup and keeping you cool during the day.
Serta also has the perfect curvatures in its padding. The chair has a thicker layer of padding in areas such as the lumbar, front edge of the seat, and headrest area to ensure optimal support and a healthy posture.
Pros:
- Designed with mesh accents to allow some air to pass through
- Dynamic AIR lumbar will flex as you move for optimal support
- Deep-layers of padding to reduce pressure in your coccyx and lumbar area
- The bonded leather adds a nice touch to any office
- Casters can roll onto any surface
Cons:
- It doesn’t offer a full mesh back
- Armrests aren’t adjustable
Choosing the Best Office Chair for Tailbone Pain – Buyer’s Guide
Having a criterion or knowing what you’re looking for can make the process of choosing the right office chair much easier. Here, we’ve identified and explained the most important features to consider.
Materials and Build Quality
An office chair is an investment that may last you over a decade. Some chairs may last a few years, while others will last much longer. That is dependent on the build quality and materials used. First, the frame of the chair should be made of steel or aluminum. Chairs with any nylon or plastic materials tend to wear down easily. You’ll find that these materials have a higher weight capacity as well.
Secondly, the cushion is another important material used. Foam cushions should be highly dense or highly resilient. Some chairs even use memory foam. These foam types maintain shape for longer than the standard form.
Office chairs should also have a dual-caster with a PU cover for protection or a rubber rollerblade wheel casters. Dual wheel casters tend to last the longest since they have a PU cover and have two wheels put together.
Sitting Position
Depending on the severity, tailbone pain can be very uncomfortable. The best way to sit is to lean slightly forward to lift the weight off of your tailbone. The coccyx is located just under the sacrum, which is the base of the spine. Although you’re leaning forward, your back should still be on the backrest. Make sure you can adjust the seat depth as needed to get an optimal position. Also, your feet should be planted flat on the floor.
To supplement your sitting position, you can also ease the discomfort by placing an ice pack or heating pad on your tailbone. Never hunch over to a C-shape spine curve since that will only put more pressure on your tailbone.
Seat Comfort
Seat comfort is an integral part of the entire posture, but especially your tailbone. A seat that is too soft will cause you to sink in deeply and ruin your posture. In contrast, a chair that is too firm can hurt your buttocks and put excessive stress on your tailbone. The best seat cushion is a happy medium.
Many chairs use a high-density foam cushion to take some of the load and disperse it evenly along with the seat. You may find some chairs with a W-shaped design that matches the shape of the buttocks. Or some chairs even have a waterfall seat edge to increase blood flow circulation under your thighs.
However, chairs that have a mesh seat must use a softer mesh material. For example, the Herman Miller Aeron has a unique elastomeric suspension that is very forgiving. This absorbs the pressure, which makes sitting on it very comfortable and supportive.
Adjustability
Office chairs need adjustments so that you don’t have to sit awkwardly to work at your desk. The most common adjustments in an office chair are seat height, seat depth, backrest height, backrest angle, tilt tension, headrest height and angle, lumbar support, and armrests.
The seat height ensures that you’re sitting at eye level with your monitor and your feet are planted firmly on the floor. Seat depth allows you to get a proper backrest, no matter whether you are tall or short. The armrest is designed to take the load off of your shoulder and neck. In addition, the armrest should be adjusted so that you don’t receive carpal tunnel syndrome from excessively bending your wrists to type on the keyboard.
Back Support
Back support is a key element to finding the right office chair. Most people who sit for long hours tend to throw posture out the window. All office chairs should aid in improving your posture. First, you may consider looking for a backrest height adjustment if the backrest is separate from the seat. This ensures that taller individuals are well-supported as well.
Another main component of the backrest is the lumbar support. Office chairs need to support the natural curve of the human spine. Chairs like the Duramont and the Secretlab Titan have backrests where you can adjust the depth and height of the lumbar support. Controlling the firmness or depth allows you to get just the right support that feels comfortable to you. In contrast, the Herman Miller Embody doesn’t allow you to adjust the lumbar specifically. Instead, you’ll adjust the entire backrest to align it with your curve.
The backrest recline should also have the ability to adjust in angle and tilt tension. By reclining backward, the pressure unloads off of your spine, which reduces back pain. The tilt tension adjusts the amount of tension needed to change positions. This is important because light and heavier people will need different tension levels to adjust their position to make the transition smooth.
Weight Capacity
For those who weigh 250 pounds or more, consider the weight capacity of your chair. On average, standard chairs support up to 250 lbs. If you’re looking for a chair that can withstand more weight, the Steelcase Leap can support up to 400 pounds, and the Herman Miller Aeron supports up to 350 pounds.
Never try to sit on chairs that can’t withstand your weight because that can cause the frame, base, and parts to wear down quickly.
Price
Knowing your budget is an important aspect of selecting your office chair. Luckily, we’ve listed chairs that vary from low-budget to mid-tier to premium chairs. If you’re on a budget, we recommend the Duramont office chair, DRAGONN kneeling chair, or the Isokinetics Fitness Ball Chair. These chairs are minimalist but offer excellent features to manage tailbone pain.
For mid-tier options, we recommend the Secretlab Titan or the Serta AIR office chair. Both offer plenty of cushions to lessen the pressure and make sitting much more comfortable. If you’re willing to invest in the highest quality chairs, we recommend any Herman Miller or Steelcase office chairs. These chairs are the most durable and, specifically, will adapt their supports to your body shape. As a result, you’ll get a chair that relieves any pain and helps correct any bad posture.
Recap of the Best Office Chairs for Tailbone Pain
Best Office Chair for Tailbone Pain | Award |
---|---|
Steelcase Leap | Best Overall |
Herman Miller Aeron | Best Mesh |
Steelcase Gesture | Best for Hip Pain |
Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair | Best Under $300 |
HAG Capisco | Most Ergonomic |
Isokinetics Fitness Ball Chair | Best for Posture Correction |
Secretlab Titan | Best for Gaming |
Herman Miller Embody | Best for Back Pain |
DRAGONN by VIVO | Best Kneeling Office Chair |
Serta AIR Health and Wellness | Best Leather Office Chair |
FAQs
Why does my tailbone hurt when I sit in my office chair?
There can be many factors that cause your tailbone to hurt when sitting. Fracture or trauma to the coccyx can ultimately lead to chronic pain.
The most common causes for tailbone pain are:
- A direct hard impact on the tailbone, such as being hit in contact sports on the tailbone or falling
- Experiencing prolonged stress against your tailbone, such as from cycling, sitting, or rowing.
- Giving birth to a child can lead to intense stress on your tailbone. During delivery, the baby’s head will contact the tailbone and may cause damage to the bone or surrounding structures.
- Other causes include bone spurs, cysts, tumors, nerve root compression, and local infections.
When these causes lead to a bruise or fracture in the tailbone, sitting down or getting up can lead to pain.
How do you sit with a tailbone injury?
If you have a tailbone injury, it usually goes away without any intervention within a few weeks or months. You can limit the amount of pain you feel by leaning forward while you sit. This takes the pressure off of your coccyx and shifts the weight forward. However, make sure to get up frequently to prevent placing too much pressure on your tailbone.
Since your tailbone is the last part of your spine, make sure your back is well-supported. Your back should be against the backrest to place as little pressure as possible on your spine. You may also sit on a wedge (V-shaped) cushion or doughnut-shaped pillow to alleviate pressure on your coccyx.
However, keep in mind that sitting generally increases tailbone pain, while walking helps to relieve it. Therefore, remember to take frequent breaks to ensure that you’re never sitting down for too long.
Are kneeling chairs good for coccyx pain?
Kneeling chairs are quite optimal for people with coccyx pain—the seat pan slopes downward, shifting the weight forward. As a result, it reduces the strain on your lower back and coccyx. The weight tends to shift to your tailbone with a flat seat, especially if you’re sitting back on your chair. A kneeling chair also requires some core strength to hold some of your body weight, which takes some of the burdens that your tailbone would have to carry.
In addition, kneeling chairs tend to have a thick padding cushion to alleviate the pressure on your tailbone and hips. Some even include memory foam, which is designed to conform to your specific body.