Healthy Back, Healthy Mind: Choosing The Right Chair For You

Almost everyone will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, and most will recover fairly quickly.

The groups of muscles in the back are designed to keep us upright and mobile, and can easily become weakened by long or frequent periods of inactivity.

This is why office workers tend to be the group that complain most of problems in this area.

Activity

Taking short breaks from sitting as often as possible, ideally not less than five minutes in the hour, can greatly reduce the chances of back problems.

Just getting up and stretching or walking around gets the circulation going and makes muscles active.

The fact is, though, that anyone with a desk job will spend long hours in a seated position, so there are steps that must be taken to ensure as little strain as possible is placed on the back.

Ergonomics

The study of human engineering, and ergonomic chair design is now a big industry.

Governments, employers and individuals are all beginning to realise the perils of bad posture, and office chairs are being manufactured to help prevent this.

There are many different designs on the market, so how do you choose the right one for you?

Firstly, before you even begin to experience any pain, you should select a chair that fits your height and forces you to sit correctly yet still comfortably.

All office chairs must be adjustable, so you can alter the seat height, back rest height and back rest tilt to suit.

Lumbar Support

Choosing one with lumbar support can save you many hours of discomfort.

Our spines have a natural curve, or arch, in the lower region, and if we do not support the arch as we sit it begins to flatten, causing slouching which leads to aches and pains.

If your office does not have chairs with this feature, you could purchase a lumbar support cushion. This fits into the natural arch of the spine and lets you sit in comfort for longer.

Innovative Designs

Many other designs have sprung up on the market for office chairs UK, including the kneeling chair. This chair is specifically designed so you can kneel rather than sit.

It supports the back, but allows you to take some of the weight on your shins as well, relieving the pressure on the core muscles.

Another innovative idea is to use a large exercise ball as your chair. These have a slight bounce, and are all about keeping you moving slightly.

This prevents muscles from staying immobile for long, and keeps the circulation going as well.

The NHS often recommend these for people who are suffering with chronic back pain, but that’s not to say they can’t be used as a preventative measure also.