Office Chair Selection: 9 Ergonomic Tips from Relax The Back

Look for these ergonomic features as you compare office chairs.

1. Height Adjustment

Easily raises or lowers the seat to bring your hips and torso to the correct 90 degree sitting position appropriate for the level of your work area. With both feet flat on the floor and knees bent at a comfortable angle, your lower legs are supported without putting pressure on your thighs.

2. Angle Adjustment

Can be at the back, seat or both, and allows you to change the angle between your torso and thighs. Puts you in the correct neutral position to support and maintain the natural curve of your spine.

3. Seat Pan

The seat pan should be at least once inch wider than your hips and thighs on either side, and should not be too long for your legs. Office Chairs with seat slider adjustments can accommodate users of almost any side. A contour seat office chair is highly recommended for proper distribution of weight over the seat's surface to reduce fatigue and leg pain and allow you to sit for extended periods.

4. Adjustable Tilt and Tension Control

Allows you to regulate the angle support, from locked in place to free floating. Especially useful for multi-tasking, and to help maintain support as you lean into/away from your desk throughout the day.



5. Backrest


Proper support can be achieved by height adjustment to the backrest of your office chair, or the backrest can be adjusted to support the contour of your back as well as your neck and shoulders.


6. Memory Foam


Energy absorbent memory foam conforms to your body's contours providing gentle, virtually pressure-free support, thereby improving posture and reducing stress.


7. Adjustable Armrests


To achieve the proper neutral position for wrists and arms, consider these 3 factors: Height Adjustment helps relieve fatigue in neck and shoulders; Width Adjustment increases support in coordination with your shoulder span and the task at hand; Pivoting/Articulating armrests rotate or swivel, allowing you to maintain a relaxed position despite your movements.

8. Lumbar Support


Provides support to the lower back (lumbar region) which encourages correct sitting posture to reduce strain on the vertebral disks. Improves relaxation and prevents back pain.


9. Cervical Support

Offers support and relieves pressure on your neck and shoulder (cervical region) especially when leaning back. Support is provided by either an attached headrest or high back office chair.

How You Can Prevent Back and Neck Pain
You have a choice!

As the owner of your body, you have as great an influence over your spinal health as your doctor does. Your doctor will help you get out of pain, but it’s up to you to keep the pain from coming back. By making some simple lifestyle choices, you can remove one of the leading causes of recurrent back and neck pain, poor posture. Incorrect posture. Slouching reverses the natural curves of the spine.

In general, the bad influences of age, heredity, or accidents are uncontrollable. Yet, these become small obstacles to long-term back and neck pain solutions when you take control of your posture. Furthermore, not just standing posture, for we sit, sleep, and recline up to 90 percent of each day, 365 days a year.

Posture and spinal healthResearch shows the positions we place our spines in during activity or when at rest, will be either beneficial or create harmful stresses on muscles, ligaments, discs, nerve tissue, and bone.

Prolonged slouching which reverses the natural curves of the lumbar and cervical spine, can cause damage to spinal tissues. Over the years, repetitive poor posture can cause discomfort, pain, and conditions that may lead to the need for surgery.
Sitting and spinal healthOver time, we can damage our backs by hunching over our work at the office and/or sitting slouched in an unsupportive sofa, chair, or recliner at home. Correct sitting posture will help you prevent pain from recurring.
Correct posture.The cervical and lumbar regions are curved inward and properly supported.

To protect your back while sitting:
Maintain your spine’s natural posture by resting your back against a firm backrest with lumbar support.
While at your desk, use inward adjusting armrests to support your body upright to reduce harmful slouching and to take the upper body weight off your wrists to help prevent repetitive stress injuries.
Adjust your chair height and position so you’re close to your work reducing the need to lean forward.
Keep your feet on the floor, or support your feet with a footrest to reduce seated pressure.

Travel Tips For Maximum Comfort and Minimum Back-Pain

Vacation time means more time on the road and in the air- and more opportunity for back problems. Cramped seating arrangements and long periods of inactivity can cause stress, muscle tension, and neck and back pain. Here are some suggestions to make traveling healthier and more comfortable.

FOR THE PLANE

1. Use a pillow. Support your head and neck to prevent waking up with stiffness. Now that the airlines have stopped providing pillows, it’s important to find a pillow that will properly support your head and is compact enough to fit in your carryon. The JetRest Memory Foam pillow by Relax The Back provides flexible upright support to your head and neck. It also fits conveniently in carry-on bags.
2. Support for your lower back. For maximum lumbar support and comfort, invest in a customizable Self Inflating Back Rest, which easily deflates to fit in a purse or briefcase. If you do not have a portable backrest, an airplane pillow or rolled blanket can be a practical, last minute solution.
3. Give yourself room. Keep adequate space under the seat in front of you for your feet. If you have a larger bag, put this in the overhead storage bin. If you have a smaller bag, position this centrally with your feet to either side.
4. Stretch in your seat. Keep your feet in front of you at all times, try to stretch out your legs, and keep your feet and legs moving. This will aid circulation and reduce fatigue, as well as decreasing your chances of suffering a potentially fatal blood clot.
5. Walk around. Stand up and move around the airplane as often as possible. On a long-haul flight, try to walk the aisle at least every 30 minutes. Choosing an aisle seat will help to make this easier because you will not have to disturb fellow passengers.
6. Drink water rather than alcohol, coffee or tea. Flying dehydrates the body because of the very low humidity levels in the pressurized air cabin. Alcohol, tea and coffee are diuretics that also encourage dehydration. Water will re-hydrate the body and help to prevent circulatory problems.


FOR THE CAR

1. Sit upright. Slouching causes undue pressure on the lower back. Sit directly over the tailbone, and keep your back straight. Do not let your shoulders and head slump forward. Back supports help maintain your spine in a healthy seated position. The orthopedically designed Sacroease Auto Back Support combats lower back discomfort, overcomes road vibrations, and has the pressure relieving support of Comfort-Foam memory material.

2. Bend your arms and knees. Adjust your seat to find the distance from the steering wheel that is most comfortable for you. There is no optimal position, but make sure to keep your limbs bent for better circulation.
3. Change your posture. Remember to adjust your posture from time to time. Wait until driving conditions are suitable before wriggling in the seat to alleviate postural fatigue.
4. Take breaks. Driving is tiring work. To avoid driver fatigue and minimize postural discomfort, take rest breaks frequently- stand up and move around. If you have back problems, take a stretching break every hour.

Nighty-Night

Have you found yourself unable to sleep peacefully lately? Do you toss and turn all night and then wake up feeling less than well-rested? Are you suffering discomfort that makes it difficult for you to find a restful position in which to fall asleep? Have you been suffering from lower back pain? If you fall into any of these categories, then a Tempur-Pedic mattress could be your solution to a good night’s sleep. A Tempur-Pedic mattress is made of elastic material developed by NASA and has been shown in studies to deliver a sounder rest than conventional spring mattresses. If you want to wake up revived and ready to face the day, try a Tempur-Pedic mattress.

The Tempur-Pedic mattress is superior because it conforms to your body position. This feature relieves a lot of the tossing and turning that many of us are prone to. Studies on the Tempur-Pedic mattress suggest that it reduces nightly restlessness by up to 83%, so you do not wake up feeling as if you ran a marathon in your sleep! Tempur-Pedic pillows are also available. Tempur-Pedic pillows cradle your head and neck for maximum comfort and support.

A Tempur-Pedic mattress requires less maintenance and fuss than conventional spring mattresses as well. Spring mattresses require seasonal rotation and flipping to optimize their performance and extend their life. With a Tempur-Pedic mattress, there is no maintenance or turning required. You can “test drive” a Tempur-Pedic mattress risk free for 90 days. Each Tempur-Pedic mattress comes with a 20-year performance guarantee that should also help you sleep a little easier!