I, too, have severe back pain. A few years ago, a office supply store was going out of business. So I went there and bought a very good quality office chair. Even with the chair, it is still very painful to sew. One thing I have learned from my chiropractor is this. Only work for 15-20 minutes at a time and then get up and walk around for a few minutes. I think you can get a good quality chair for less than $600.