How chairs can help relieve lower back pain?

If your work or lifestyle involves you sitting for a long period of time, then a good chair with proper back support is a must. A poor posture while sitting can lead to many side effects. It can lead to a big impact on the body especially your back.

People who have a sitting job complain about back pain most often. Sitting on a chair for long, make people slouch down on it. It can lead to stretching of the spinal ligament and strain the disc and the surrounding structures, which if continued for long can lead to damage to the spinal structure and worsen the pain.

Other than back pain an incorrect chair at work can lead to various other bad effects such as,

• Decreased performance at work
• Increased stress levels
• Negative effects on mood and
• Varicose veins

All these are related with the discomfort caused by an incorrect seating, which if considered, can be rectified. Choosing an appropriate chair and making an adjustment to it to fit yourself, is the first thing you can do to relieve the back pain.

What features to look for while buying a chair?

Getting the appropriate chair can prove to be of great help to bid good bye to the back pain. Few features you should obviously look for in a chair are,

Chair base

Always look for a strong five-legged base, to reduce the chances of tipping over. If the base is on casters it will prevent muscle strain and fatigue which comes while pushing, reaching, and bending.

Backrest

Good backrest is always a big help to avoid lower back pain. Always look for a backrest with a height-adjusting feature and an outward curve. The backrest can be moved up and down until the small of the back fits into the lumbar support. This will support the back and help reduce back pain. You can also adjust the backrest forward or backward for the maximum lumbar support.

Seat pan

The seat pan should be cushioned but not too soft. The height of the pan should be adjustable. You can raise or lower down the seat pan to make your feet touch the ground. The back of the knee should be slightly in front of the seat edge. It helps in preventing blood circulation issues.

Armrests

The armrests should be at least two inches wide and should be able to provide proper support. It should be made of soft material to avoid any irritation. Armrests are of great importance as they take away the strain on the upper spine and shoulders. They should be close enough to provide support in such a way that lower arms rest on it and the upper arms are close to the body.

The key to lower the back pain is to maintain a proper posture while sitting and a good choice of the chair can help you achieve it. The chair should have various adjustment features, especially a forward tilting seat and a seat depth adjuster which will improve your posture and enable you to correctly fit the chair.