If there’s one thing office workers dread, it’s back pain! There’s nothing worse than clocking out after a long day at work, only to discover a dreadful ache in your back that keeps you from relaxing and unwinding in the evening.
Back pain is most often caused by inefficient posture. But, maintaining a healthy posture is not easy when you’re saddled with the most uncomfortable of office chairs. A good office chair should be able to support your posture throughout the day, to keep back pain from even rearing its ugly head!
So what are the best kinds of office chairs for back pain? What kinds of features should they boast? And how do you prevent back pain from occurring in the future?
To find out, the Reliant tech experts have put some leading office chairs through their paces. To find out the key features that can help to make back pain a thing of the past!
What Should You Look For In An Office Chair For Back Pain?
If you often suffer from back pain, it might be time to upgrade your desk chair to a more comfortable model. To ensure maximum comfort, there are a few key features you’ll want to look out for.
A Good Seat
There are many guides across the web that can help you to find the perfect desk chair. The problem is many of these guides are focused only on the benefits of good back support. While it is important to make sure your back is sufficiently supported, it’s important to make sure that your hip and pelvis are also supported!
You want to make sure it’s not just your back that is supported by your office chair. You should make sure that your pelvis and your legs are supported by an adequately wide seat!
Towards this end, you should make sure your desk chair has the right seat width. Good seat width ensures that you don’t have to cramp your legs together just to stay seated! Cramping your legs together actually puts a significant strain on your hips, leading to all kinds of long-term pain!
Good Height
Of course, any good desk chair should allow you to easily adjust the height. Finding the right height is crucial for ensuring a comfortable working experience. At a perfect chair height, your feet should be flat against the floor, and your knees should be around level with your hips. When your feet are flat against the floor, it reduces the strain placed on your back.
Make sure your arms are also at a comfortable height. They should sit around 90 degrees from your body. This is also important for your back, as it allows you to loosen your shoulders!
Lumbar Support
Most back pain occurs as a result of inefficient lumbar support. Lumbar support is important because it helps your spine to maintain its natural “S” shape. The lumbar is found at the bottom of the back, where the spine curves inward. Lumbar support helps to support this inward curve.
Supporting the inward curve of the lumbar region is highly important because it actively keeps you from slouching. When you slouch, the lumbar is strained and pushed backwards. This is what causes many lower back issues that might keep you up at night.
The best office chairs on the market come with adjustable lumbar support. Everyone’s lumbar region is different, and adjustable support allows you to make sure it’s just right for yours! Make sure you can adjust its height and depth, to cater precisely to your unique posture.
Specific Size
A good office chair should specifically cater to your unique dimensions. Make sure your chosen chair is suitable for your size, weight, and height. Luckily, many office chairs allow you to adjust various features, to get the perfect experience. However, if you want a truly catered experience, you may need to shop around, to find a chair that suitably supports you.
How Do You Prevent Back Pain?
A good office chair can help to really stave off common symptoms of back pain. But there are also plenty of things you can do in your daily life to keep back pain at bay.
One great way to prevent back pain is to engage in daily stretches. Performing dedicated back stretches every day can keep your back muscles nice and loose. Tight back muscles are a frequent culprit of back pains and injuries. Some simple back stretches every morning can help you to loosen up, and will also help you to feel truly awake!
Make sure to look after your back even when you’re out of the office. Make use of back stretches, and be sure to engage in regular exercise, to keep your back muscles healthy.
It’s also good to get plenty of exercise. Even some basic walking for half an hour every day can help to improve your posture, and lower pressure placed on your back.
Make sure you’re also protecting your back whenever you engage in physical activity. For instance, if you’re ever picking up heavy items from the floor, you should make sure to do it right. Lift with your legs, rather than your back. Lifting with your back is unnecessary, and results in a lot of straining!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should You Look For In An Office Chair For Back Pain?
To prevent future instances of back pain, make sure your office chair is supportive of your posture. Make sure to look out for lumbar support in particular. The lumbar region is found in the lower back, where most back pain tends to occur. Lumbar support helps to preserve the “S” shaped curve of the spine!
Are Hard Or Soft Chairs Better For Your Back?
Softer chairs can definitely be comfortable, but you should make sure your chair isn’t too soft. When a chair is too soft, it won’t be able to provide enough support for your weight. Instead, your muscles will need to work extra hard to support your weight and keep you sitting upright!
