Working at a desk all day can put a lot of strain on your body, especially the lower back. Specialized seat cushions are designed to relieve lower back pain and make it more comfortable to sit for longer periods of time. These seat cushions conform to the shape of your body and provide extra support to alleviate pain.
To help you find the right seat cushion, we tested 28 products at home. Our team of editors, who’ve all experienced lower back pain related to sitting, evaluated the seat cushions based on comfort, support, effectiveness, quality, and value. We also asked George Cyril, MD, Assistant Attending Physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in the Department of Physiatry, for his guidance in selecting and testing products.
What Healthcare Providers Want You to Know
- Material: When shopping for a seat cushion, it’s important to consider what kind of pain you’re experiencing and where it’s affecting you. Seat cushions for lower back pain are usually made from memory foam or gel. Both materials are effective because they conform to your body and provide support without being overly soft. Regardless of the material, it’s best to use a firmer cushion to provide the most support, says Srikanth Divi, MD, a spine surgeon at Northwestern Medicine.
- Shape and contour: Seat cushions come in a variety of shapes and contours that mold to and support the body. One benefit of contoured and shaped cushions is that they distribute your weight evenly between both sides of your body, says Zeeshan Sardar, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Sardar says that U-shaped or donut-shaped pillows are helpful for individuals who experience pain around the tailbone.
When to See Healthcare Provider
While a seat cushion for lower back pain can be beneficial, it’s not meant to be a permanent fix. It may be wise to consult a physician if your back pain persists longer than a few weeks. It’s recommended to see a doctor immediately if you’re experiencing any of the following concurrent symptoms:
- No improvement from over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers
- Numbness or tingling
- Weakness or heaviness in your seat or thighs
- Loss of bladder control
- Abdominal pain
- Inability to walk or stand
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Key Specs:
Material: Foam | Dimensions: 13.5 x 13 x 4.5 inches | Shape: Rectangle | Positioning straps: Yes | Washable: Yes
Why We Recommend It
The Vaunn Medical Lumbar Back Support Cushion offers support and comfort while sitting in a chair or in your car. The firm cushion comes with two positioning straps, which allow you to adjust the product on the chair to support any part of the spine, whether that’s your lower or upper back.
After positioning the cushion on our chair, we sunk into the cushion just enough to feel comfortable. Sitting on the cushion helped keep our lower back and hips properly aligned and alleviated pain. As a bonus, the cushion comes with a removable heating and cooling pad you can pop in the microwave or freezer. We found the gel pad retained its heat for more than 20 minutes after microwaving it.
Keep in Mind
If you prefer a softer cushion, this one might feel too firm. A softer option would be the TushGuard Seat Cushion. The memory foam cushion provides supportive comfort while aligning the lower body. It felt durable and well-made despite the lack of positioning straps.
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Key Specs:
Material: Memory foam | Dimensions: 18 x 14 x 3 inches (Cushion); 14 x 13 x 4 inches (Lumbar Pillow) | Shape: Spec | Positioning straps: U-shaped cushion, rectangle pillow | Washable: Yes
Why We Recommend It
Sciatica causes pain, numbness, and tingling that extends from your back down to your legs. We found the Qutool Orthopedic Seat Cushion and Lumbar Support Pillow helped alleviate sciatic pain by eliminating the pressure when sitting. The U-shaped, orthopedic seat cushion supported our legs and hips during testing, while the pillow aligned our spine and minimized pain.
We found that the cushion was comfortable to sit on for long periods and provided long-lasting back pain relief. The pillow and cushion are also easy to clean with machine-washable, removable covers.
Keep in Mind
The zippers didn’t seem durable and might not hold up if you remove and wash the cover frequently.
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Key Specs:
Material: Memory foam, rubber, velour | Dimensions: 17.6 x 13.8 x 2.75 inches | Shape: U-Shaped | Positioning straps: No | Washable: Yes
Why We Recommend It
If you’re prone to hip pain, it’s important to properly align your hips with your pelvis and keep your spine straight. The ComfiLife Gel Enhanced Seat Cushion’s gel-based interior provides the right balance of comfort and support for the legs and hips.
When we used the cushion, we found it provided support to the spine and lower back while aligning our entire body, including the hips. Further, the cushion’s U-shaped design supports the undersides of your legs to keep them aligned.
Keep in Mind
The cushion doesn’t come with positioning straps, but we found that the grippers at the bottom of the cushion secured it to the seat and prevented slippage.
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Key Specs:
Material: Memory foam, polyester, spandex | Dimensions: 18.9 x 16.1 x 5.5 inches | Shape: Curved Rectangle | Positioning straps: Yes | Washable: Yes
Why We Recommend It
Working at the office all day has its hazards, especially if you find yourself hunching over your desk. The Coushy Ergonomic Back Relief Cushion is placed directly behind your body against the back of your seat. When you sit back, the memory foam cushion molds to your body and supports your spine.
Most importantly, during testing the cushion helped us maintain an erect position while working at a desk for long hours. We also found the cushion is a good choice for most body types due to the supportive materials.
Keep in Mind
We had to adjust our sitting position a few times to maintain our posture. It’s also worth noting that the cushion comes with a harness to secure it to your seat, which was difficult to secure the first few times we used it.
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![Coushy Ergonomic Back Relief Cushion strapped to a leather desk chair]()
The Coushy Back Relief Cushion has a strap that helps it attach securely to the back of the user’s chair.
PHOTO: Verywell Health / Brian Sanford
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![Coushy Ergonomic Back Relief Cushion displayed on a desk chair]()
This cushion is made of memory foam, which conforms to the user’s back and comes with a soft, machine-washable cover.
PHOTO: Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson
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Easy to transport
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Lightweight design
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Relieves back tension
Key Specs:
Material: Air-inflatable material | Dimensions: 14 x 9 x 1 inches | Shape: Rectangle | Positioning straps: Yes | Washable: Yes
Why We Recommend It
When you’re traveling it can be hard to transport a seat cushion that will provide maximum support. The BodyRyzm Back Vitalizer Multifunctional Back Support makes on-the-go support easy because it’s inflatable and lightweight.
When testing the cushion, we found it was easy to inflate and secure around the back of our seat. The cushion conforms to your spine to provide support and relieve tension. Once you’re finished, it deflates easily and is lightweight for easy packing or storage.
Keep in Mind
The cushion slipped a lot when we used it in a chair, which is why we recommend it in the car or while traveling. Additionally, the cushion might not provide as much firmness as others when it comes to everyday use.
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Conforms to body
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High-quality memory foam
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Helps improve posture
Key Specs:
Material: Memory foam | Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 2 inches | Shape: Rectangle | Positioning straps: No | Washable: Yes
Why We Recommend It
If you sit in a wheelchair for long periods of time, it’s important to use a firm cushion to provide extra support. The Tempur-Pedic Seat Cushion offers firm support and conforms to the buttocks and legs. This alleviates tailbone and lower back pain while also providing whole-body support.
The cushion made noticeable improvements in our posture as we sat on it, and we didn’t sink far into the seat. After we got off the cushion, the memory foam immediately bounced back to its original shape, which is why we chose it as our top pick for long-term use in a wheelchair.
Keep in Mind
Although the firmness was a bonus for us, it might feel too hard for some people. Additionally, the cushion is on the thicker side and might not work for every type of chair.
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Key Specs:
Material: Memory foam | Dimensions: 18 x 16 x 3 inches | Shape: Square | Positioning straps: No | Washable: Yes
Why We Recommend It
Looking for a firm and supportive seat cushion that’s not too hard? The Milliard Memory Foam Seat Cushion is one to try. The pad’s memory foam material shapes itself around your buttocks and legs when you sit down without causing you to sink too deeply into the cushion. We thought its firm structure provided just the right amount of support to make sitting comfortable for long periods of time.
The cushion maintained its shape even after sitting on it for longer than ten minutes. The cushion’s memory foam interior is encased in a soft and silky mesh material that feels smooth against the skin and keeps you cool even during extended periods of sitting.
Keep in Mind
While the cushion provides support, its design isn’t ergonomic, so it might not alleviate all back or hip pain.
Verywell Health / Jhett Thompson
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Durable gel material
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Includes two handles
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Comfortable
Key Specs:
Material: GelFlex polymer | Dimensions: 17.5 x 15.75 x 2 inches | Shape: Square | Positioning straps: No | Washable: Yes
Why We Recommend It
The Royal Seat Cushion’s GelFlex polymer material made it one of the most comfortable and softest cushions we tried. The honeycomb-shaped gel insert, which is encased in a fabric cover, comes equipped with two handles on the side for easy portability. The handles come in especially handy because the cushion weighs 6 pounds, which is heavier than other cushions we tried.
When testing the cushion, we found that it was comfortable to sit on for long periods and that the material seemed especially durable, making it a great choice for an everyday cushion that gets a lot of use.
Keep in Mind
The square cushion provides minimal posture correction, so we wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who needs to make a lot of adjustments throughout the day.
How We Tested the Best Seat Cushions for Lower Back Pain
To find the best seat cushions, our team of editors who experience lower back and hip pain when sitting put 28 seat cushions to the test. We selected seat cushions that encourage healthy posture and alleviate pain and evaluated each one based on the following criteria:
- Comfort: We placed each cushion on a chair and noted how it fit and whether it stayed secure on the seat, then sat on each cushion for at least 10 minutes, paying attention to comfort and fit. We also noted how long it took to notice a difference in lower back pain and if the cushion stopped working over time. After standing up for a while, we sat on the seat cushions again and made further notes about the comfort level each one provided.
- Support: We paid attention to how supportive each cushion felt and what aches and pains we felt while using it. We also noted whether or not we felt we were sinking into the cushion too much or, on the flip side, if the cushion felt too rigid.
- Quality: We noted how each cushion felt right out of the packaging and whether or not the materials were high quality. We also paid attention to how well each cushion maintained its shape with frequent use.
- Value: After our testing was complete, we noted whether we felt the price stacked up to the effectiveness and quality of each seat cushion.
What to Look for in a Seat Cushion for Lower Back Pain
- Firmness and Support: Select a cushion that’s firm enough to support your body without being too hard, Sardar says. The cushion should feel supportive enough that you don’t experience pain in areas you normally do when sitting. If you sink into the cushion too much, you won’t receive enough support to prevent pain.
- Positioning Straps: If you prefer a cushion that stays in place, we suggest selecting one that includes positioning straps. Straps also allow you to adjust the cushion against your chair wherever support is needed.
Our Experts
We spoke to experts to better understand what factors to consider when selecting a seat cushion for back pain. Experts we spoke to include:
- George Cyril, MD, Assistant Attending Physiatrist at Hospital for Special Surgery
- Srikanth Divi, MD, Spine Surgeon at Northwestern Medicine
- Zeeshan Sardar, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Why Trust Verywell Health
Danielle Zoellner is a longtime health and wellness reporter who is based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Given her sedentary job as a writer and student, Danielle often finds herself researching and testing products on the market that assist with back and hip pain she experiences while sitting. You can find her byline in Health.com, The Independent, DailyMail.com, Vox Magazine, and other publications. Danielle received her BA in Journalism and English from the University of Missouri, and she is currently pursuing her JD at Boston College Law School where she hopes to address healthcare inequities with her legal degree.
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