Best Chairs for Neck Pain

Neck pain is incredibly common. It’s thought that 80% of people will experience neck pain in their lifetime. For some, this might only last for a day or two, while for other people, neck pain is a condition that may have a lasting effect.

Neck pain can be caused by various different factors, from medical conditions to sitting for prolonged periods in furniture that doesn’t support your posture.

HSL offers ergonomic chairs that are designed with customisable support, to ensure you have postural alignment when sitting. This can help to relieve neck pain, and enhance your overall wellbeing. Keep reading to find out more about what to look out for in a chair to alleviate neck pain and discomfort.

The Aysgarth Armchair is one of our best-selling chairs, with extra support for added comfort. It comes with deeply padded back cushions and waterfall back that follow the contours of your spine to help maintain good posture, while keeping your upper back and neck supported. You can also choose to add a wood arm,  knuckle detail to make standing and sitting easier.

Getting the best size of chair is also important to help prevent poor posture when sitting down. This chair comes in a choice of three sizes (Petite, Standard and Grande), so you can get the perfect fit. By using our Exclusive Chair Fitting, our Comfort Specialists will advise you on which size chair best suits you and your posture.

This armchair offers the perfect blend of classic and contemporary style – while offering plenty of comfort thanks to its high back, generous padding and soft arms. The sculpted back cushion contours to your spine to offer maximum comfort and support, while the full-width padded seat offers relaxed comfort. And with a high back, your neck will be well supported, whether you’re knitting, reading or watching TV.

Choose from two different sizes, Compact or Standard, and a wealth of different fabrics. Whatever your personal style, you can choose from luxurious fabrics, colours and patterns to fit in with your home decor.

This stylish armchair has a two-tiered back cushion. This means that the Ascot helps support your posture while you relax, with a comfortable back cushion to support your head, neck and shoulders. It’s also made with gently curved arms to make it easier to get in and out of your chair, while keeping you supported while you’re sitting down. 

The Ascot comes in two sizes, Compact and Standard, to help ensure you get a chair that properly supports your neck and back. You can choose from various fabrics, from luxurious leather to fabric in a colour that matches your style.

This classic armchair has a two-tier back cushion that aligns with the natural contours of your spine to provide personalised support. The high back offers plenty of support for your neck, back and shoulders, to ensure you’re more comfortable, whether you’re sitting down for a few minutes or a couple of hours.

It also comes with scrolled arms that add to its classic feel  while providing extra grip to help you get out of your chair more easily. With a choice of three sizes (Petite, Standard and Grande), you can get the perfect fit for your height and your individual posture.

Neck pain is common – and it can be caused by many different things. One of the most common causes of neck pain is poor posture, particularly when sitting. Many people spend long periods of time hunched over a desk, or looking down at their phone or tablet. This can strain the neck muscles and put pressure on your cervical spine, which can lead to pain and discomfort. 

Many people also experience neck pain due to their sleeping position. If your sleeping position is off or your mattress isn’t as supportive as it needs to be, this can cause pain upon waking up – although this type of pain is usually short-lived.

For others, neck pain can be a result of pinched nerves or conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Stress and anxiety can also cause neck pain, as we tend to hunch our shoulders and tighten our neck muscles when we’re stressed. 

Ergonomic chairs are made with the natural curves of the human body in mind – in particular, the spine. They offer proper lumbar support to reduce pain and pressure on your neck and spine, particularly when sitting for long periods. Rather than hunching over, they’ll ensure you sit with proper posture, helping to maintain the spine's natural curvature. This in turn reduces stress on the neck, lower back, and hips – and for most people, it can help to reduce pain in these areas.

When it comes to alleviating neck pain, it’s crucial to prioritise spine support. Look for ergonomic chairs that support the natural curve of your spine, from your sacrum at the bottom of the spine all the way up to your neck. 

It’s important that your lumbar spine (your lower back) is well-supported, as ensuring back support all the way along your spine will minimise the strain on your neck muscles.

Our Chair Fitting service will ensure you get the perfect fit for your individual needs. We have a wide range of chairs to choose from, to keep you comfortable and well supported, whatever activity you’re doing. Our chairs are occupational therapist-approved. That means they’ve been thoroughly tested and evaluated by an independent health expert with your wellbeing in mind.

If you have neck pain, sitting in a high-back, chair with armrests is important. These features will help to reduce your neck pain by providing essential support to your neck, head and shoulders. We offer a range of armchairs specifically designed with your comfort and wellbeing in mind, to ensure you have proper spinal alignment when sitting down, helping to alleviate pain.

Once you’ve chosen your high-back chair, you should try to sit upright with proper posture, rather than hunching over or leaning forward. These positions can put strain on your neck muscles, leading to pain. Instead, try to keep your back supported against the chair’s backrest, while resting your elbows on the armrest. This helps to keep your shoulders relaxed, reducing the amount of tension in your neck, shoulders and upper back.

If you want to read a book or take a look at your phone, it’s better to bring these up to your face, rather than hunching over to look at them.

And when you want to stand up, ensure you have your feet on the floor and slowly rise  until you are stood. This helps to reduce the strain on your neck and back while standing, and ensures that your leg muscles are engaged. Choosing a chair with armrests can also help you to stand more easily, as can riser recliner chairs, which help to guide you to your feet at the touch of a button.

Our armchairs are designed with your comfort and support in mind, whether you have neck pain, need arthritis relief, or are simply looking for an option with plenty of support.

One of the key features across our range of chairs is an elevated seat. This means you can sit with improved posture, while also supporting you to get up from your chair. With a higher seat, less strength is needed to get up from a sitting position, reducing the impact on your hips and knees. So your back, spine and neck will be supported while you’re sitting down and you’ll have less pain when standing.

Padded backrests and cushions that support the natural contour of your spine mean you can sit comfortably with better posture. These features also reduce the need for movement, so you’re more likely to stay seated with good alignment.

Additionally, our armchairs come with padded arms for an extra layer of comfort. Not only do they help to support your spine while sitting down, they also make it easier for you to rise out of your seat.

For more tips and tricks, take a look at our armchair buying guide to ensure you get the perfect chair for your needs.

When shopping for a chair to alleviate your neck pain, there are a few things you should consider.

Firstly, think about the purpose of your chair. If you have neck pain, you’ll want to look out for a chair with a high backrest to support your neck. But what other features do you need? Will you also need sturdy armrests to help you sit down and stand up?

Size is another crucial factor. Make sure that the armchair is the right size for you. You should be able to sit comfortably with your feet on the ground or on a foot rest, while giving you plenty of space to lounge comfortably. Think about how comfortable the chair is. Does it offer adequate cushioning and back support? Is it made of high-quality materials that will feel great, while lasting for a long time?

Finally – the look of your chair is important. Think about what style you want, including the fabric and colour. Do you prefer leather or fabric? Are you looking for a bright and bold colour, or a neutral shade that will go with anything? 

By keeping these questions in mind, you’ll be able to find the perfect armchair for your needs. And if you need a helping hand, take a look at our Chair Finder to get you started in your search for the ideal chair.

Independent Occupational Therapist at HSL, Julie Jennings, commented: "When sitting, avoid slouching and ensure that you sit in an upwards position, with your head, neck and shoulders relaxed but supported, and feet flat on the ground. Secondly, practise good walking posture. To do this, ensure that your pelvis is aligned with your head, shoulders and knees when walking and focus on keeping your spine elongated and core engaged. Finally, keep moving! It’s important to keep as active as possible, remaining stationary for long periods of time may negatively impact your posture. Consider taking a walk or do some gentle stretches at home, this will loosen up the muscles whilst also improving flexibility and range of motion. Making small changes can reap huge rewards in your general health and well-being.”