A sitting 9 to 5 job is what most people are in, and it does come with its perks, but over time, one might start experiencing back pain and muscle fatigue. A sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity vis-à-vis a body posture that keeps you stationed in a certain fashion for an extended duration can increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries such as back pain.
Ergonomic furniture and ergonomic chairs can play a tremendous role in reducing related ailments because they are specially designed to help you sit comfortably for a longer period of time. Certain features such as adjustability and custom posturing are hallmarks of these chairs, resulting in increased productivity and enhanced job satisfaction. So request your boss or organization to get one for you today.
Here are five reasons why ergonomic chairs can help alleviate back pain and related symptoms:
Seating Comfort
The best Ergonomic office chairs have designed seat cushions and back cushions that are contoured to improve seating comfort and also come with additional lumbar support. People with shorter legs can lower the chair and shorten the seat depth or raise the armrest to support elbows with a long torso. The key is to accommodate various body types, shapes and sizes.
Improvement of Posture
Ergonomic chairs help maintain one’s natural posture and effectively reduce stress on the body. It is vitally important that the back of the chair extends full length, starting from the shoulders to the seat. This is defined as lumbar support, where the chair’s lower back must curve slightly forward to match the natural lumbar spine.
Ergonomic chairs also come with adjustable armrests to support one’s elbow and forearms. This facilitates using a keyboard & mouse and reduces muscle fatigue in the shoulders and arms. Other features such as adjustable seat height that can move forward and backward help individuals sit with flat feet on the floor. This also prevents the front edge of the chair from cutting into the back of the knees.
Shoulder Alignment
Ergonomic chairs can tremendously reduce abnormal strains on the body caused by improper alignment of the shoulders. Ergonomic chairs come with more support for the upper spine and shoulders. This alleviates stress on the neck muscles and scapula region on the shoulders so that the shoulders are always in proper alignment. The extensive adjustability as compared to standard chairs uniquely qualifies it to be a better choice.
Correct Alignment of Hip and Pelvis
Improper hips and pelvis alignment can lead to lower back pain. In a correct sitting position, bony structures on the pelvic bones known in medical terminology ASIS and PSIS are aligned. They are located in the front and back of the pelvis bone and should be relatively level with each other.
When they are level, one’s low back should have a slight arch with the convex part facing forward. Let us understand this by taking an example of a bowl of water. When the ASIS and PSIS are level, water in the bowl is level, but when ASIS and PSIS are not level, water will spill over.
Slouching can be damaging
A posterior pelvic tilt (sacral-sitting) necessitates lumbar spine flexes and the shoulders to roll forward, creating a slouched posture. As such, shoulder blades slide away from the thoracic spine, and the head moves into a forward or protracted position. If one continues to work in this position, like looking up at the computer monitor for a long time, muscle guarding, pain, and headaches exacerbate.
Slouching can cause limited hip flexion range of motion, tight hamstrings, obesity, and weak trunk (core) muscles, which may cause the inability to hold the spine upright against gravity. Ergonomic chairs are specifically designed to correct these factors.
Finding the best ergonomic chair online can be tricky. Choosing the right chair is an important decision as continually long seating durations can have a heavy toll on your back, spine, shoulders and neck. An ergonomic chair is significant and can immensely help improve muscle fatigue and back pain. Let us move towards ergonomic furniture India!
