Your back is aching, and it’s no wonder! You spend three-quarters of your day either sitting at the office or on a couch watching TV. But you don’t have to just grimace and bear chronic lower back pain. Proper posture, a good office chair and some simple lifestyle changes can bring relief... How much time do you spend sitting? If you’re like most desk jockeys, it’s as much as 40 hours a week at work. So if your office chair just isn’t right, your back health will suffer, leaving you with an achy spine, sore shoulders or stiff neck. “When a chair doesn’t support your spine, your muscles have to work harder, and you’ll feel fatigued at the end of the day,” explains Paul Cooke, M.D., a physiatrist (rehabilitation specialist) at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. After a while, the vertebrae in your lower back, known as your lumbar, won’t be able to maintain spinal alignment. That puts more stress on discs and joints, leading to more pain, he says.
Later, when you settle into your couch to watch TV, you may be worsening back pain. That’s because soft cushions offer even less lumbar back support than office chairs do. But your back health doesn’t have to suffer from long hours behind a desk and on spongy sofas. We asked back doctors and physical therapists for tips to finding the best office chair, relieving pain and even preventing varicose veins. Sit RightLumbar back support: The most important function of an office chair is to maintain proper curvature of your lumbar spine, Dr. Cooke says. Go Chair ShoppingIn the market for a new office chair? Luxury office chairs offer good support, says Dr. Cooke. Some also offer woven mesh seats for better air circulation, which helps keep the skin cool, he says. But you don’t have to buy a top-of-the-line chair to get good lumbar back support. Recline: When working at your computer, you probably sit upright. But if you’re reading, talking on the phone or conducting a meeting, you can lean back.
“A slightly reclined position relieves pressure on the spine,” Dr. Cooke says. Adjustable seatback: For upper-back support, the chair should be high and wide enough for your shoulder blades to rest on, Dr. Cooke says. Protecting Your Back at HomeAvoid the sofa. It’s not the best choice for sitting for long periods of time, says Dr. Cooke. “Most sofas don’t offer much lumbar back support, and there’s a tendency to slouch.” Instead, use a recliner or an easy chair with back support.Resist the urge to slump down in your chair during a “Real Housewives” TV marathon. “Have your feet on the ground,” Dr. Cooke says. “And sit far enough back in the chair so your seat makes contact with your thigh muscles.Yep, that La-Z-Boy is actually good for you. There’s less strain on your lumbar discs when you’re in a reclined position, and having your legs slightly elevated can improve blood flow, Dr. Cooke says. Expensive recliners, advertised as “stressless” or “back-friendly,” are fine, he says, but not necessary.
“Any comfortable recliner is good,” he says – just make sure it supplies some lumbar back support. Use pillows as props. Since most easy chairs don’t have lumbar support for your lower back, “use a pillow or lumbar roll to maintain curvature,” Dr. Cooke says.Sitting on an ergonomic chair can improve your comfort and the health of your back. I am frequently asked, "What is the best ergonomic chair?" There is no single 'best ergonomic chair' that fits all body shapes and sizes and that is comfortable for everyone. However, there are questions you should ask about a chair before you try it to determine how well it has been ergonomically designed for you: Sit on the chair, don't just look at it! The term 'ergonomic design' is like the term 'low calorie'. It describes a minimum set of requirements and not a single, universal product. You can only tell whether an ergonomic chair will work for you if you sit in the chair for some time. Of course, if it's really uncomfortable, then you will know this pretty quickly.
But, sometimes things that seem comfortable after a few minutes use don't work so well in the long term. Is the seat comfortable? The seat shouldn't feel too hard or soft, be uncomfortable under your hips or thighs, and it should not be too long. Use the 1-inch rule: The seat pan should be at least 1-inch wider than your hips and thighs, and there should be at least a 1-inch gap between the front of the seat and the back of your knees when you're sitting back in the chair. Is the back comfortable? When you sit back, do your lower back and shoulder blades feel well-supported? Look for a chair with a height-adjustable lumbar back support to snugly fit the curve of your lower back. Check that the chair still fits your back whether you sit upright or lean back. Make sure the chair back is wide enough for your back, but not so wide that it restricts your arm movements. Avoid chairs with a static back that adjusts and locks to only one position because it will only support you in that one position.
Look for a 'dynamic back' to allow you to easily move and recline in the chair while being supported at all positions. Can you easily use the controls? Avoid chairs with controls that are complicated, poorly designed and inconveniently placed. Look for chairs that have controls that can easily be reached when sitting down and that are easy to use. At a minimum you should be able to control the height of the seat, but you might also be able to control the seat pan depth and tilt. Some chairs provide a tension control for the seat back while other chairs do this automatically based on your body weight. Do you need adjustable armrests? Not all chairs have armrests. Using armrests helps you to get in and out of a chair and helps to protect your knees and back from undue strain. So look for the armrest feature. Check to make sure the chair armrests are strong enough for your weight and will not tip the chair when you push down on them. Armrests are also useful for occasionally resting.
Look for broad, contoured, cushioned and comfortable armrests that you can easily adjust while sitting. At a minimum, you should be able to adjust armrest height. Some chairs also let you adjust armrest angle in and out and forwards or backwards. Look for chairs where you can easily move the arms out of the way when not needed. What about a headrest? A headrest is a useful feature. The chair headrest helps to reduce strain on the neck and shoulders when you recline back in the chair. How stable is the chair? Check the chair to make sure it will not tip when you lean on it. It should have at least a 5 pedestal base with casters that glide freely over the floor surface. Remember, you can't choose an ergonomic chair just by looking at it! You have to sit in it! Ideally, you should 'test drive' the chair at your actual workplace for a day or two. Then you will see how it performs over time. Today there are many excellent chairs to choose from, so use this guide for 'healthy sitting.'