Lower Back Pain Relief - Therapeutic Chair Positions

What is the best type of office chair to have? What is the best type of couch to have? How long should I remain seated while I am at work? What is the proper way to sit in my chair? These are some of the most important questions to have answered especially if you have lower back pain. Sitting is not inherently bad, but we tend to abuse the time that we sit in our chairs, especially at work and at home. Some people claim to sit for up to 4 hours at a time without even taking a bathroom break. That is really tough on the body, especially the back and legs. The longer you stay in a seated position on your chair or couch, the more your body conforms to the surface on which you are sitting. The result is disproportionate muscle tension. In a nutshell, what that means is that your body is out of balance and will cause undue stress at certain pressure points. For example, extended sitting causes hamstrings and hip flexors to be placed in positions that exacerbate tightness in the lower extremities. That is why when you get up from a low surfaced couch or chair after sitting for 30 minutes or more, you find it very difficult to stand up straight. It can take you 30-60 seconds before your body feels like it can stand up straight again. Has this ever happened to you? Unfortunately there is no perfect answer with regards to purchasing or using the best office chair, couch or seat. Rather, there are certain components of a chair that you should consider that set up the appropriate ergonomic position conducive to a healthy back. The reason why we cannot recommend the perfect chair is because we all have different body types. As such, we all have different needs. The key components to a good chair or couch are those that allow you the following functions/capabilities:rn1. The chair seat should have a “tilt” mechanism to allow you to raise your buttocks slightly higher than your knees rn2. The ability to raise the chair up and down for height rn3. Firmness or a slight bulge in the lumbar section where your lower back meets the chair The “tilt” function is important because it allows you to change the angle of the seat so that your gluts are in a favorable position compared to your knees. It is essential that you place your knees in the appropriate position to acquire the appropriate angle. Ideally you want slightly more than 90 degrees bend in your knees. Should you be in the wrong position where your knees are higher than your gluts, it will cause increased tightness in your hip flexors which will reduce the natural lordotic curve in your lower back. This causes increased disproportionate muscle tension and causes additional lower back pain. The ability to raise the chair up and down seems rudimentary, but don’t underestimate its importance. It is essential that you have the appropriate height in order to acquire the proper angle mentioned above, as well as being able to place your feet firmly on the ground or foot stool. You should make every effort to ensure that you do not dangle your feet while sitting in a chair. This may sound silly, but everyday there are many people who site this way. When your legs dangle, it creates a distraction force through your lower leg which can eventually irritate the lower back, hips and knees. Last, firmness or a slight bulge where the lower part of the chair where meets your back will ensure lower lumbar support so you can maintain the natural curve of your spine. In addition it will maintain the adequate support needed to maintain a healthy back from extended hours sitting. If you sit in a chair daily as part of your work environment, hobbies, or others, and you find that you continue to have chronic lower back pain issue, evaluate these items out and make the appropriate adjustments. By doing this, you will put yourself in a winning set up for finally stopping your back pain. Thank you.