As any pregnant woman could tell you, your body changes constantly when you are expecting. In the workplace, the aches and pains associated with a growing belly and aching back can be an added distraction. Since anything that reduces productivity is a serious concern to an employer, finding ways to support and empower a pregnant employee is vital. That’s why ergonomic seating options provided by Concept Seating make so much sense. Your employees need powerful ergonomic solutions — from ergonomic chairs to smart in-office stretching exercises — for proper support during the taxing months of pregnancy. The more physically comfortable a pregnant woman feels in the workplace, the freer she is to do her job. Whether you are an employer interested in better ergonomics in the office or a pregnant woman looking for the right ergonomic desk chair, we can help. Here are some top ergonomic solutions for pregnant workers. The Importance of Lumbar Back Rests The lower back is among the body areas hit hardest by pregnancy.
As a woman gains weight, her hips, knees and lumbar area bear the brunt of the stress. Couple this with the fact that many office workers already experience back and neck stress from their long hours on the job each day, and you have a recipe for major lower back pain. That’s where lumbar back support comes into play. Through an adjustable ergonomic chair with lumbar support, a pregnant worker gains extra support where she needs it most. From keeping a footrest beneath your desk to adjusting your chair height, there are many ways to increase ergonomics in the office. Here are a few useful seating options: Circulation tends to suffer during pregnancy. For many women, this means swollen ankles and increased risk of blood clots. At the office, one thing you can do is take frequent breaks. Instead of sitting for hours, take quick walks around the office and do a minute or two of stretching every hour. Getting your blood moving and avoiding being completely sedentary can help you improve some pregnancy-related symptoms.
What You Can Expect From Concept Seating Proud makers of the 24/7 chairs — which can support workers around the clock — Concept Seating is your resource for the best in office and dispatch chairs for all employees, not just those who are pregnant. All of our products are made in the United States and offer unbeatable durability and comfort in a wide range of settings. Browse around our site to learn more — or get in touch with us today!Even if you love your job, you won’t always love being there when you’re expecting. There will inevitably be days when your feet are swollen, your legs ache, you’re too hot, you’re too nauseated, or you simply want to be in your sweats lying on the sofa. Take heart and fight back with these soothing strategies.Take a load off. You may find great relief simply by elevating them for a little while. If you can’t prop them on your desk (bad protocol in most places), find a box, wastebasket, or other sturdy object on which to rest your weary gams.
Ask your office manager if there are any footrests available (these come in many sizes — you can sometimes set the angle just the way you like). If possible, remove your shoes (and don’t even think of wearing high heels these next nine months!).When you gotta go, you gotta go — but don’t let it get that far. Plan to pee every hour or so, whether you need to or not. You’ll relieve the pressure on your bladder (which is getting increasingly squeezed by your uterus) and feel better overall if you avoid getting to the bursting point. (Now’s not the time to have to sprint to the bathroom!)Your desk chair probably used to be comfortable enough, right? As your body expands (belly and butt!), your seat can become a formidable enemy (especially when you’re trying to squeeze into it!). So seize the opportunity to adjust and customize it to suit your symptoms. Slip on a lumbar cushion for extra support. Slide a soft pillow onto your seat. If your chair reclines, consider setting it back a few notches to create more (and more!) space between your belly and your desk.
Get off your tush. Now that you’re nice and comfortable in your seat, get up! Sitting still for prolonged periods can cause your legs to ache, compromise your circulation, and actually make you feel more tired than you do already. Be sure to stand every hour or so — find reasons to walk about (getting to and from the ladies’ room for your hourly visit counts; so does walking down to the watercooler to refill your water bottle).Always on your feet? Now’s the time to fit periods of sitting into your day. Look for opportunities to give your legs a rest. Can any part of your job be done in a seated position? If all else fails, lean against a wall or piece of furniture when one is available to you, stretch as often as possible, wear sturdy (yet forgiving) shoes, and talk to your employer about seated alternatives.At least once (or even twice) every hour, do this 30-second stretch: Raise your arms above your head, clasp your fingers palms ups, and reach up. Next, place your hands on a desk or table, step back a bit, and stretch out your back.
Sit down and rotate your feet in both directions. If you can bend over and touch your toes — even from a seated position — go for it to release the tension in your neck and shoulders.No matter the climate in your city (or your office) — when you’re pregnant your body temperature can fluctuate tremendously. Sweating one minute and chilly the next, you’ll want to have a layer for every possible condition. Don’t make the mistake of wearing a wool turtleneck to work, even if it’s 12 degrees outside, unless you’ve got a lightweight layer underneath when that inevitable heat wave (driven by hormones) strikes with a vengeance. And even if you’re usually toasty in just a T-shirt, stash a sweater in your drawer or locker. Your body temp goes both ways these days!Other Solutions THE PREGNANCY BACK PAIN PERSPECTIVEPregnancy pain solutions are about ensuring that the pain that is usually associated with the condition is minimised or controlled without harming the developing baby.
The pain and health of the mother will need to be managed for the period post conception to when the baby is deliveredOne of the most common type of pain usually associated with pregnancy is back pain. It is not unusual for the expectant mother to begin experiencing pregnancy back pain during the start of the second stage of pregnancy. This could well be attributed to the fact that your baby is growing. The precise location being at the junction where the pelvis meets the spine and is better connoted as the sacroiliac joint in medical terminology.THE CAUSE – MECHANICAL AND CONDUCTIVE PAINStatistics indicate that during pregnancy the woman invariably gains 25 to 35 pounds of weight which is predominantly due to the weight of the growing baby. The growing baby and the uterus exert pressure on the spine and thus lead to onset of pains in pregnancy such as pregnancy back pain.On the contrary there is more to pregnancy back pain than mere mechanical pressure considering that the growing baby and the uterus also exert pressure on the nerves and blood vessels which in turn affect the pelvic region.
Experts are of the opinion that a specific hormone secreted during pregnancy can lead to lax or loose ligaments in the pelvic region so as to facilitate childbirth. This hormone is better known as Relaxing and continues to be one of the important triggers for pelvic pain pregnancy induced per se.Pregnancy can alter the shape and movement of your back. The lumbar region of the spine (lower back) may flatten slightly, or it may arch further, if you had an arched lower back before pregnancy. Your back muscles, pelvic floor and stomach are designed to support and move the joints of your back and pelvis. But as your uterus (womb) grows, it can become harder for them to do their job, and this can cause irritation and pain. The flattening of your back, and the hormonal changes that happen in pregnancy, can cause the joints of your back and pelvis to move more. Your baby protects your back, acting as an internal support, but this also makes you less flexible. Your back will feel stiff and leaning forward and twisting from the waist will be harder to do as your baby grows.
Your pelvis moves more and isn’t protected in the same way. The pregnancy hormones oestrogen and relaxin affect the pelvis and these make the tough, pliable tissues that connect your bones (ligaments) more stretchy. This makes pelvic pain quite common during pregnancy, even more common than back pain.HOW DO I PROTECT MY BACK AND PELVIS IN PREGNANCY?Get into a good sitting position Make sure that your back is well supported when you’re sitting down. You must ensure that the chair you use has sufficient lumbar support to take encourage the curve in your lower spine and take the weight of the back. Ensure you are Ideally, your back should be slightly arched, with your breasts pointing straight ahead, rather than down towards your bump. Part your legs slightly, to allow for your bump. Using a kneeling chair encourages good posture by rotating the pelvis and returning the spine to its neutral position . Sitting upright in a dining chair will help your back more than lounging in a soft chair or sofa.
If you have to sit for long periods at work, try to get up and walk around every 20 minutes.Stand as if someone is attached a string to the top of your head and is making you taller by pulling it upwards. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, and your stomach muscles will help to support your back. Pelvic tilting eases back strain caused by standing or more likely sitting for long periods. When sitting, move your pelvis slowly back and forth rhythmically, without moving your shoulders, this will help return the arch to your back. If you have pelvic pain, focus on the forward tilt, where you stick your chest and bottom out. Due to pregnancy often causing a flattening of the lumbar spine (lower back) this is why so many pregnant women develop pelvic pain. Try to bend backwards regularly, particularly when you sit or bending forward for a long time.Avoid heavy lifting If possible do no lifting at all, especially nothing heavy, if you must make sure to hold what you’re carrying close to your body.
Bend your knees, not your back, and try not to twist. If you already have children, you have to resist the urge to pick them up if climbing on to a chair or sofa. If you have older children teach them to climb into their high chairs or car seats themselves. When shopping, use a back pack, this will distribute the weight evenly. If you have to carry shopping bags, carry a bag in each hand. The even weight distribution will spread the weight across the muscles and reduces back strain.Exercise regularly Don’t overdo it, but keeping fit and supple through gentle exercise is good for you, and can help to prevent back and pelvic pain. When exercising while pregnant when it hurts, never push through the pain, as it could cause injury. Good exercises while pregnant include swimming, cycling on an exercise bike walking, pilates or yoga.WHAT IS THE BEST CHAIRS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN?The solutions for pregnancy back pain may range from pregnancy seating strategies to even provision of specific chairs for pregnant women.
Slouching during pregnancy is one of the most common causes of pregnancy back pain is best prevented by using some very specific chairs.Pregnancy seating is scientific as well as art and needs to be approached with caution. Although sitting jobs are safer then manual work or even carrying trays in a café, this is not always true when the job entails prolonged sitting. Some of the cautions that one would need to exercise during sitting when pregnant may well include ensuring that the back is kept straight at all time and the shoulders are drawn back. Concurrently the lower back should rest securely in contact with the lumbar support. When the chair is a swivel chair it is critical that you turn your entire body rather than twisting at the waist. One of the more common mistakes is sitting cross – leg and this is not surprising that when one sits in this position it exerts unnecessary pressure on the lower pelvis and could be dangerous for the growing baby and may even result in pregnancy back pain or even pelvic pain.
When it comes to chairs for pregnant women they need to be adjustable and most importantly should have a lumbar support. This would help ease the pressure on the pelvic region and the lower back thus minimizing the probability of contracting pains in pregnancy.HM 380 – Incorporates great adjustability that can be adapted to suit the growing shape of the pregnant body. It is considered the best back care chair available, as it gives great support and postural variation, both crucial to keep the spine healthy and prevent back pain and back aches. Why the HM 380 is considered the best chair for pregnant women is because all of the above but also because of the . This takes the pressure point of the pelvis and roExtend M: The Extend M is designed to offer support and a number of different safe working positions that maintain good posture for users. The level of adjustability is much greater than most chair which enables it to adapt to the changing shape of the pregnant body.Variable Balans Kneelers – Midwife and researcher Jean Sutton recommends using a special kneeler-rocker chair for the last few weeks of pregnancy, specifically the Variable balans, especially if your baby is persistently posterior.