If you’re now working from or just spending an increased amount of your free time at home, you probably need a better chair. When you’re spending long hours sitting, having the right chair for back pain is essential.
Whether you currently live with back pain or not, spending long periods of time sitting in unsupportive chairs will damage your physical health in the long run. Research has also proven that poor posture can cause backaches, headaches, fatigue, and reduces your concentration. Good posture that supports your spine’s natural alignment makes you more comfortable and can improve your concentration, which makes having the right chair necessary.
Why is Having an Ergonomic Chair Important?
Ergonomics is defined as “the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment.” This is put into action in the workplace by transforming your desk or work area to fit your body in order to reduce physical stress or discomfort. Maintaining poor posture when sitting, whether it’s for work or not, puts a significant amount of stress on your shoulders, back, and neck. Along with the side effects listed above, this poor posture can cause carpal tunnel, tendonitis, lower back pain, neck strain, and other conditions.
When you’re looking for the right chair for back pain relief, you should also keep in mind that the key factors for proper posture when sitting are lumbar and pelvic support. Now we’ll dive deeper into why it’s important to make the effort to find the best chair for back pain.
Support for Proper Sitting Posture
Chairs that are designed to be ergonomic will keep your spine in natural alignment while you sit, reducing the stress placed on your spine. There are many ways in which the right chair for back pain will encourage proper posture.
It should have a full length back that covers the area from your shoulders to the seat. The chair back should also match the natural curve of your lumbar spine with a section that curves forward slightly for support. This curve is what is referred to as lumbar support.
Ergonomic chairs also include adjustable armrests that will provide support for your elbows and forearms so your arms can hang naturally. This avoids muscle fatigue when using your keyboard and mouse.
The chair’s seat height should also be adjustable so you can sit with your feet flat on the floor while your hips and knees are at 90-degree angles.
An adjustable seat back is also important in order to avoid adjust the depth and avoid having the front edge of your seat cut into the backs of your knees.
Prevention of Slouching and Forward Head Posture
Sitting in a chair that doesn’t provide support for your pelvis causes posterior pelvic tilt. This leads to slouching by forcing your lower back to flex and your shoulders to roll forward. When slouching, your shoulder blades also move away from your thoracic spine and your head leans forward. If you have to look up to see your computer monitor, this can also force your neck into extension, worsening your forward head posture. This posture may cause muscle pain and headaches when held for long periods of time.
In order to avoid this, you need to find a chair with adjustable seat depth, seat back, and armrests. Having a chair with these adjustable features will provide support for your lumbar spine, preventing slouching and forward head posture.
Reduction of Repetitive Trunk Flexion
Sitting with poor posture often leads to an uncommon side effect: repetitive trunk flexion. This is because slouching often limits your ability to reach things around you without having to lean forward with your trunk. As you work, you’ll likely have to do this several times throughout your day, causing lower back pain. Sitting in a more erect position as a result of having a chair with proper support will make it easier for you to reach anything you may need without having to strain your lower back.
Reduction of Hip Pressure
When maintaining the weight of your body while sitting, your hips usually take on the most strain. This pressure is reduced when you sit in an ergonomic chair that provides support for your pelvis. By allowing you to adjust the depth of your seat, the right chair for back pain will reduce hip pressure and low back pain.
Adjustability
Standard chairs aren’t adjustable the way ergonomic chairs are. This makes them inflexible and unable to provide your body with the support that it needs. As we’ve mentioned, it’s important to be able to adjust seat depth, the tilt of your seat back, the height of your armrests, and the height of your seat. Your posture is important to your physical health, so you need a chair that can adjust to your needs.
Better Blood Circulation
According to a 2010 study, sitting for even just an hour can increase your risk of depression, heart disease, poor blood circulation, and back pain. It’s important to vary your position every 30 to 45 minutes when sitting, and the only to do this is with an adjustable, ergonomic chair for back pain.
Choosing the Best Chair for Back Pain
It’s important to be careful when choosing the right chair for back pain. Chairs are often marketed as “ergonomic” even if they aren’t actually designed with ergonomics in mind. This is why understanding what makes an ergonomic chair is important.
The main difference you should look for is adjustability. Regular chairs often have fixed armrests and seat heights, while ergonomic chairs allow for plenty of flexibility. If the chair can’t move to the contours of your body, it isn’t truly ergonomic.
How to Determine if a Chair is Right For You
Adjustability is important, of course, but there are other factors that important to consider when looking for the best chair for back pain as well.
Seat cushioning. The padding of the chair’s backrest and seat should be made of a material that’s breathable but also thick enough to let you sit comfortably for long periods of time.
Adjustability. Any chair you plan to sit in for long periods of time should be fully adjustable. This includes seat tilt, lumbar support, headrest, and height.
Seat edge design. Chairs with a waterfall or flexible edge can provide comfort for someone living with back pain. This is particularly helpful if the condition you live with is sciatica because it will reduce the pressure on the back of your legs and promote blood circulation.
Best Chairs
Finally, we have a list of some of the best chairs and accessories to help you find what you need to ease or prevent back pain.
Chairs
- NOUHAUS Ergo3D Office Chair
- Oak Hollow Aloria
- Best Reclining: Hbada Office Task Desk Chair
- Best High-Back: Zenith High Back Mesh Office Chair
Accessories
- Best Cushion: LoveHome Memory Foam Back Cushion
- Gaiam Balance Disc Wobble Cushion
- Easy Posture Lumbar Back Support
The Discseel® Procedure
An ergonomic chair is great for reducing and managing your back pain, but sometimes that just isn’t enough.
If you’re living with chronic low back pain, degenerative disc disease, a herniated disc, or sciatica and are searching for a treatment option that will actually provide you with relief, the Discseel® Procedure could be the right option for you.
This procedure is non-surgical, minimally invasive, and is designed to address annular tears, the cause of most spine issues.
If you’re ready to get relief from your back or neck pain with a treatment that won’t limit your mobility, apply for the Discseel® Procedure today and find out if you’re a candidate for this procedure that has helped so many people get back to living without pain.