3 Types of Office Chair Cushions

When looking at different types of cushions you can add to your office chairs, you’ll have three types of cushions to consider. You can use each type of cushion on models on our best office chair 2016 list, and each type has its strengths and weaknesses.

Back Cushion: Adding a back support cushion to your office chair can help you avoid slouching, as the cushion maintains a convex shape to match your back and support your spine. Most back cushions will attach to the chair through a series of straps, allowing you to raise or lower them to provide the best support for your back. It’s also important to have lumbar support built into the back cushion that you attach to the chair. The lumbar support should be adjustable as well, allowing you to make the back cushion match the contour of your back. Some people may find these back cushions are too thick though, causing too much of a curvature in the back.

Seat Cushion: While you might not think of a seat cushion as providing back support, the right seat cushion can help prevent back pain after a long session sitting in an office chair. A seat cushion should be made of a sturdy material with some firmness to it, as it will be supporting the majority of your weight as you sit. Poorly manufactured seat cushions will compress faster than seat cushions containing higher quality materials. If you end up with a compressed seat cushion, it can’t give your back the proper support, so choose carefully. A proper seat cushion also will ensure that the seat of the office chair is at the right height so your feet touch the floor and result in good support.

Heated Cushion: If you find that your sore back feels better with heat treatment, you may want to seek out a chair pad that has a built-in heating element. Such cushions are large enough to cover both the back and seat of the office chair, but they typically don’t have a lot of padding. Some of these heated cushions provide a massage or vibration element too. And you’ll need to have an outlet near the chair because these heated cushions require an electrical connection and a cord, which will cause problems for those who like to move the chair to different locations in the office.