Padded office chair for full-time wfh plus chronic pain

[WheelyMom]

Hi all, looking for some office chair recommendations for ft wfh please...I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with pain concentrated in my lower half. I’m looking for an office chair suitably padded to cushion my ‘seat’ area and back of legs. It will probably need to be adjustable as I’m very short (5ft). In an ideal world it would have the comfort and support of an arm chair...any ideas please? Ideally under £200.

I suggest you find a local supplier - buying a chair is a very person purchase and one persons eden is another person's hell. John Lewis have a reasonable selection but I'm sure you can find others local to yourself.

Are you employed? If so your employer can arrange a workstation assessment and recommend a suitable chair for your needs.

Please don't just buy a chair, locally or otherwise. As PP said, your employer should arrange an assessment for you. If you are self employed, you should arrange an assessment as the assessors will be able to advise what you need (and there may be things other than chairs that you need)

There's a shop called Back in Action that I would recommend, not cheap but the best office chairs ever, and fitted to you

Thank you all for advice. I am employed but I have been resistant to getting properly assessed through work. It’s my own issue that I need to work on but I have problems asking for help and showing ‘disability’ at work. I will reflect on this though as I can see the benefits.

I will avoid blind buying though, which I was tempted to do via Amazon prime as it’s just so convenient!

I will try some out in some office supply stores, or John Lewis/Back in Action etc. I’ve asked hubby to take me to try some today and go from there.

I understand your reluctance and that of course is up to you. You have the right to confidentiality if you were to confide in your manager and ask for reasonable adjustments to make your working life more comfortable and at their expense if special furniture is required - or anything else that would help you. Might be worth thinking about?

I would refer yourself to access to work OP. My chair and other equipment was fully funded but would have cost me thousands. It makes working easier to continue.

@kerosene20

I would refer yourself to access to work OP. My chair and other equipment was fully funded but would have cost me thousands. It makes working easier to continue.

You were lucky your employer could afford thousands, for many employers thousands would not have been considered reasonable.

We went to Back in Action in London - tbh I was quite disappointed, we had an appointment but we got very little advice.
I choose a a mesh seat as opposed to a padded one - really comfortable.
The HumanScale Diffrient World with adjustable arm-rests was our choice, such a comfortable, supportive chair - John Lewis sell them (where you can try them out) - they retail new for about £500 but you can buy them secondhand on Ebay and other second hand office furniture shops online.

Your height could be your saviour in getting work to pay for it AND because they HAVE to make reasonable adjustments for your disability.

That includes a suitable chair!!

You have to have 2" gap behind your knees to the front of the seat whilst sitting on it properly.

At 5' no standard office chair will do this. I have to have a HAG 04 from back in action for this to be achieved.

Have you declared your disability of MS to work?

This is mine but no arm rest else it doesn't tuck under the desk far enough and no headrest part either.

www.backinaction.co.uk/h04

Umm ... @TeenWars, her boss won't have to pay thousands, it's covered by Access to Work. My own adapted furniture was recently paid in full by Access to Work. The real problem is that Op will likely be directed to Posturite who currently have the monopoly on all work furniture that is agreed upon by an assessor on behalf of AtW and Posturite are absolutely awful.

Under Access to Work your employer can ask your case worker to buy from elsewhere.

@RicherThanYew

Umm ... *@TeenWars*, her boss won't have to pay thousands, it's covered by Access to Work. My own adapted furniture was recently paid in full by Access to Work. The real problem is that Op will likely be directed to Posturite who currently have the monopoly on all work furniture that is agreed upon by an assessor on behalf of AtW and Posturite are absolutely awful.

As long as you have been in work for less than 6 weeks. Otherwise "Depending on the size of your employer, Access to Work could refund up to 80% of approved costs under £10,000. It will normally pay any balance over £10,000, up to £62,900 a year."

20% of £10,000 is still "thousands"

I use one of these to help make my standard chair comfier - could be an option as an interim measure?

iamcomfi Coccyx Cushion - Orthopedic Memory Foam Support Cushion for Sciatica, Tailbone and Hip Pain - Pressure Relief on the Back and Coccyx in your Car Seat, Office Chair or Wheelchair www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B078SBJ2V3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_E0QY1BKR4W5M740WQHGN?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I started working for a local authority about 2 months ago and I have been very open about my MS, including the symptoms causing my pain. I was assessed over the phone, and then zoom, and was happy at the time to use my own desk chair, which I had used for a previous part-time job. It’s not standing up to full time hours and only now starting to bother me.

I’ve got one of those Coccyx cushions already on the go @anonymouslyusing. It’s not enough unfortunately but that’s where I need the ‘softness’, I have what could loosely be described as a deep muscular pain/burning all the way down my lower half to the soles of my feet? My back is one area where I’m not having a problem with pain, luckily!

Hope you get something decent sorted soon!

They will have a budget for work station adjustments etc honestly don't worry about asking.

Following this as I am in a similar situation - also nerve pain from
Ms

100% of my costs were funded by access to work as I have a small employer. Local authority will get some funding I’m sure and you need this equipment.

It's ok to ask for a reassessment because circumstances have changed (your current equipment isn't suitable any longer). Please don't be in pain on account of your employer - public sector employers generally take their responsibilities to make reasonable adjustments seriously.

But I'd echo getting a full assessment and a chair specifically fitted. I'm a couple of inches taller than you but the adjustable seat pan of my Mira chair has revolutionised sitting at work!

Thank you all for your advice! On the back of the encouraging words I braved it and asked for an assessment, so it’s going through the proper channels at work! Hopefully I will get something sorted in the next few weeks, fingers crossed and thanks again!