The Right Chair To Prevent Back Pain

[EricS]

Proper sitting posture is a must for people who spend a long time sitting down at work, and the right office chair goes a long way to ensure just that.

Poor posture is a very common reason behind low back pain. The natural shape of the spine is like an "S", with the lower back portion thrown slightly forward. But most of us slouch over the work desk like a "C". Such postures, if held for long spells, put an immense amount of stress on the spine area - on ligaments, muscles and particularly the spinal discs. This stress ultimately leads to chronic lower back pain.

A good, ergonomically designed office chair Will

# provide strong upper back and neck support
# provide lumbar back support
# have proper armrest
# will be totally adjustable to adapt to the body proportions of the individual and the height of the work desk
# have soft but firm cushioning
# have damped swivel control features so you can sit back comfortably
# encourage blood flow in the legs by having a slightly sloping seat.

One more thing.
No matter how well designed your office chair might be, stretching and taking a walk around every half an hour or so is the best bet to keep your back in good shape.

[lumbarjack]

Ergonomic chairs are wonderful but they can be expensive. Using a lumbar pillow on an ordinary chair is a great alternative.

[Paula]

This is my personal favorite type of office chair:
http://www11.kinnarps.com/Documents/...s_6_8_0804.pdf

Yes they are expensive, but when you consider how many hours you sit in it, it's a very important item to have. I've had mine since 2003 and it's still going strong. The headrest and gel arms are a must too!

It's a lot more robust than the normal office retailers' high-end luxury chairs. Kinnarps (pronounced Shinnarps) is a Swedish company and supply huge business call centers, and their chairs are built to last.

But great advice, and it is very important to move around regularly. I walk the dog 3 times a day and stretch, so that forces me to get away from the computer every few hours.

[Richard]

Good advice! I am also using pillow that will settle in my lower lumbar area. It helps me in preventing back pain while working. In addition, I do some walking to relax my muscles. It works!