Bearing in mind that artists along with many people spend most of their working hours sitting down, it is not a surprise that a large number of them flock to doctors' offices with various back complications. Luckily,
the best office chair under $200 can be of immense benefit in managing back pain and reducing tension. But how exactly can an office chair help with back pain?
First things first, back pain is avoidable, and it is curable too. As for the past, people had to attend chiropractic sessions or other forms of therapies that aim at subsiding backache, the present just calls for an ergonomic office chair. Provided that it suits your size, occupation, and work environment, an ergonomic office chair can be a godsend.
These amazing seating configurations are much more supportive, adjustable, and accommodative than regular chairs. From height to reclining angles, armrest and backrest- almost everything is adjustable for ultimate comfort. Not to mention that an ergonomic office chair evokes powerful physical and emotional attachments than most of the other office furniture.
Thus its essential to invest in a quality office chair. Below are some of the ways in which office chairs can help deal with back pain:
Improved Posture and Comfort
A
quality ergonomic office chair under $300 comes with vital features such as backrest and headrest to support your sitting position, especially for
long sitting with scoliosis. It also allows for adjustments for, where you can achieve straight back and recline sitting position. For instance, you can customize the height with your feet on the floor to attain a right-angled degree configuration, thus correcting and improving your overall posture.
There are many office chairs out there that are designed to promote good sitting posture by offering a straight 90 degrees backrest, with some such as yoga balls and kneeling chairs featuring a backless design. Nonetheless, numerous studies affirm reclining office chairs to be the best for persons suffering from lower back pain.
Enhanced Comfort
Comfort and back pain relief are two things that never part. Ergonomic office chairs are far more comfortable compared to traditional chairs. They are user-friendly and will allow you to adjust the features to match your partialities. Once you are in a relaxed position, it will be much easier to manage most of the musculoskeletal issues.
For people with back pain, particularly lower back pain,
Cornell Universitys research shows that even a more reclined sitting angle can help alleviate the pressure, stress and other complications exerted on the discs, all of which will only exacerbate the already existing condition.
Minimized pressure on the hips
Regular chairs are generally associated with hard surfaces, where sitting on them tend to exert impact within the hip area. Such influence often results in numbness in the hips due to constant discomfort. On that note, ergonomic office chairs are meant to provide adequate support to your hip bones and buttocks, thus eliminating numbness and exhaustion even after extended sitting periods while in office.
High Back and Lower Back
There isnt ground-breaking research on the backrest height on an office chair, in relation to back pain relief. However, its not hard to draw some prolific details based on logical conclusions. Considering that a reclined backrest is ideal for back pain, its safe to say that a high back chair with ample headrest can provide more comfort and support at that angle.
Under this particular aspect, an ergonomic office chair will provide support to your upper back, lower back, and even neck. This is contrary to most classical chairs that leave your neck dangling, putting more stress on your head whenever you recline.
Lumbar Support
"Theres a wide spectrum of anecdotal evidence showing that lumbar support, particularly the adjustable ones, can help in relieving strain and enhancing back pain relief", says
Vertos Medical, experts in lumbar spinal stenosis treatment. Optimal pressure distribution in an office chair should be within the thoracic and lumbar areas.
As such, a chair with adaptable lumbar support that conforms to the user's lower back can be helpful for sustainable comfort, especially at a reclined position for those suffering from sciatica or lower back pain. According to Mayo Clinic, persons suffering from sciatica (lower back and thigh pain usually due to irritation of sciatica nerves) can also benefit from office chairs with proper lumbar support.
We recommend choosing chairs that feature adjustable lumbar support, where location and firmness can be adjusted. This is because everyone's body type is different, and being jammed with immovable lumbar support can even aggravate the condition.
Seat Edge Design
Seat edge design is yet another significant aspect of ergonomic office chairs that can be very beneficial where back pain, especially lower back, is the primary concern. For most back pain sufferers, the pain is not solely confined to the back region; it can spread to the thighs and, to some extent, even lower legs.
For instance, consider a person suffering from sciatica, a condition caused by strained and compressed spinal nerves. These people often experience shooting pain that involves the path of the whole sciatic nerve system, from the lower back to thighs and sometimes even legs.
Luckily, where back pain extends to thighs and legs, a good office chair with a flexible edge or waterfall can help significantly in reducing pressure and stimulating blood circulation in your lower back as you sit. This will result in less pain and numbness in even your lower limbs.
Bottom Line
Finally, try to avoid static posture when sitting in office chairs. Remember that irrespective of how comfortable you feel in your chair, prolonged and inactive posture can raise adverse effects on your back.
Instead, try to stay active by standing, stretching, and walking for a couple of minutes after every half an hour. This will help to keep your joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons loose, thereby ensuring comfort and relaxation.
A twenty-minute walk can help even more by promoting a healthy blood flow allowing nutrients to access all of the spinal structures. In other words, simple movements and stretches on a regular basis can contribute to a more effective pain relief, which in turn promotes the overall ability to focus productively.