How much time do you spend sitting? If you\u2019re like most desk jockeys, it\u2019s as much as 40 hours a week at work. So if your office chair just isn\u2019t right, your back health will suffer, leaving you with an achy spine, sore shoulders or stiff neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a chair doesn\u2019t support your spine, your muscles have to work harder, and you\u2019ll feel fatigued at the end of the day,\u201d explains Paul Cooke, M.D., a physiatrist (rehabilitation specialist) at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.<\/p>\n
After a while, the vertebrae in your lower back, known as your lumbar, won\u2019t be able to maintain spinal alignment. That puts more stress on discs and joints, leading to more pain, he says.<\/p>\n
Later, when you settle into your couch to watch TV, you may be worsening back pain. That\u2019s because soft cushions offer even less lumbar back support than office chairs do.<\/p>\n
But your back health doesn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Sit Right
Lumbar back support: \u201cIn an office, none of the other adjustments you make \u2013 to your keyboard, mouse or desk \u2013 is as important as your chair,\u201d says Marc Turina, a Pittsburgh physical therapist and ergonomics specialist who helps businesses provide body-friendly workplaces. \u201cIt sets the foundation for how you\u2019re positioned at work.\u201d<\/p>\n
The most important function of an office chair is to maintain proper curvature of your lumbar spine, Cooke says.<\/p>\n
For this to happen, your pelvis needs to tilt slightly forward, adds Mary Ann Wilmarth, a Boston ergonomics specialist, physical therapist and spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your lower back isn\u2019t properly supported, it\u2019s almost impossible to put your upper back in a good position,\u201d Wilmarth says. If your chair isn\u2019t supportive, attach a small lumbar roll where the chair meets your lower back, she advises.<\/p>\n
Posture perfect: While sitting in your chair, ask someone to observe your posture or take a cell phone picture so you can evaluate it yourself, Wilmarth says.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour ear, shoulder and hips should be in a vertical straight line.\u201d<\/p>\n
To avoid wrist and back problems, \u201celbows should be at 90\u00b0-100\u00b0 angles, and wrists should be straight out,\u201d Turina says. You should be able to adjust the height of your chair to make that happen in relation to your desk.<\/p>\n
Feel the floor: Feet should rest on the ground with hips and knees at a 90\u00b0 angle, Turina says.<\/p>\n
If your seat is so high that your feet can\u2019t feel the floor, use a footrest or pillow.<\/p>\n
No knee pressure: Make sure the seat doesn\u2019t press against the back of your knees, says chiropractor Scott Bautch, D.C., an occupational health specialist and spokesman for the American Chiropractic Association.<\/p>\n
\u201cPressure behind your legs will cause poor circulation, varicose veins and spider veins,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n
If your knees press against the edge of the seat, prop a pillow behind your back so you\u2019re sitting farther forward \u2013 but make sure it\u2019s still supporting your lower back. Better yet, buy a chair that fits your body better.<\/p>\n
Go Chair Shopping
In the market for a new office chair?<\/p>\n
Find one that\u2019s easy to adjust, says Turina. \u201cThe best office chairs have just 2-3 levers you can reach with just your right hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luxury office chairs offer good support, says Cooke. Some also offer woven mesh seats for better air circulation, which helps keep the skin cool, he says.<\/p>\n
But you don\u2019t have to buy a top-of-the-line chair to get good lumbar back support.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo research supports one specific chair over another,\u201d Turina says. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter how much money you spend. What\u2019s important is that you\u2019re comfortable in it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Look for the following features:<\/p>\n
Lumbar back support: This slight cushioning in the back of the chair needs to rest in the proper place.<\/p>\n
How to know? \u201cPut your hand behind your back at about waist level. That should be the apex of the curve,\u201d Wilmarth says. \u201cIf it doesn\u2019t hit you in the right place, it doesn\u2019t help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Look for lumbar back support that can be adjusted up or down so you can move it into the proper location, she says.<\/p>\n
Seat height: Look for a seat that you can adjust. If it\u2019s too low, you\u2019ll tend to slouch, Wilmarth says. If it\u2019s too high, you won\u2019t have proper leg support.<\/p>\n
Recline: When working at your computer, you probably sit upright. But if you\u2019re reading, talking on the phone or conducting a meeting, you can lean back.<\/p>\n
\u201cA slightly reclined position relieves pressure on the spine,\u201d Cooke says.<\/p>\n
Armrests: These aren\u2019t necessary in an office chair. But if you prefer them, look for \u201chalf rests, so you can push your chair up to your desk,\u201d Wilmarth says.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the rests are too long, you\u2019ll need to push your chair too far out, forcing you to slouch or lean forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wheels: If your chair doesn\u2019t have wheels, you\u2019ll need to twist your back when you turn around, says Wilmarth. You want to be able to move the chair instead of yourself.<\/p>\n
Adjustable seatback: For upper-back support, the chair should be high and wide enough for your shoulder blades to rest on, Cooke says.<\/p>\n
Keep Moving
Sitting in any one position too long strains your back and other muscles, Wilmarth says. So it\u2019s important to move every half hour or so.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust stand up and stretch, then take a walk around the room \u2013 even if it\u2019s just for 30 seconds,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Frequent stretching can also help, says chiropractor Steven Conway, D.C., another occupational health specialist and spokesman for the American Chiropractic Association. He recommends taking \u201cmicro-breaks\u201d every 15 minutes in which you stretch your hands, neck and back while sitting in your chair.<\/p>\n
Bending forward over your desk also strains your shoulders and neck, notes Cooke. To reset your upper body in a more neutral position, pinch your shoulder blades together, he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cHold for five seconds and relax. This activates your upper back muscles to support your shoulders and neck.\u201d<\/p>\n
Protecting Your Back at Home
Avoid the sofa. It\u2019s not the best choice for sitting for long periods of time, says Cooke.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost sofas don\u2019t offer much lumbar back support, and there\u2019s a tendency to slouch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead, use a recliner or an easy chair with back support.<\/p>\n
Check your posture. Resist the urge to slump down in your chair during a \u201cReal Housewives\u201d TV marathon.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave your feet on the ground,\u201d Cooke says. \u201cAnd sit far enough back in the chair so your seat makes contact with your thigh muscles.<\/p>\n
Recline. Yep, that La-Z-Boy is actually good for you. There\u2019s less strain on your lumbar discs when you\u2019re in a reclined position, and having your legs slightly elevated can improve blood flow, Cooke says.<\/p>\n
Expensive recliners, advertised as \u201cstressless\u201d or \u201cback-friendly,\u201d are fine, he says, but not necessary. \u201cAny comfortable recliner is good,\u201d he says \u2013 just make sure it supplies some lumbar back support.<\/p>\n
Use pillows as props. Since most easy chairs don\u2019t have lumbar support for your lower back, \u201cuse a pillow or lumbar roll to maintain curvature,\u201d Cooke says.<\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t have one handy, use a rolled-up towel, adds Wilmarth.<\/p>\n
If your feet aren\u2019t resting on the ground, use a pillow or footrest, so knees don\u2019t dangle.<\/p>\n
Bend your knees. If you like to relax with feet up on a coffee table or ottoman, keep a slight bend in knees and hips.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your legs are straight out, it strains your low back and sciatic nerve [the nerve fiber running from your lower back through your buttocks],\u201d Wilmarth says. For optimum support, place a small pillow under your knees to keep them in a slightly bent position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
Visit site:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your back is aching, and it\u2019s no wonder! You spend three-quarters of your day either sitting at the office or on a couch watching TV. But you don\u2019t have to just grimace and bear chronic lower back pain. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-423280","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"yoast_head":"\n