In America, Back Pain is Epidemic, Office Chairs and Seating Play a Role

Today’s problem with office chairs some say, is that we have been forced into a “table and chair” culture where many of our daily tasks take place in this right angled and seated position.

This sort of sitting can force the body into a slumped or “c” shaped position putting uneven pressure on the vertebral disks and muscles of the lower back. With time and being seated in your office chair over long periods each day, the spine can become deformed and erode disks, making it hard to retrain to the proper posture for sitting.

In America, back pain is epidemic. Costing us billions each year, aside from the common cold, back pain or injury from workplace conditions or office chairs of some sort keeps more employees away from work than any other single cause.

Evidence from many different cultures shows us that seating and the practice of sitting has been associated with numerous issues. Back pain of all sorts, fatigue, varicose veins, muscle stress, problems with the diaphragm, digestion and body development have all been associated with improper positioning when seated for long periods of time.

People in some third world countries never use chairs but instead sit on the ground or floor. This type of sitting, known as ‘autonomous’ sitting, or sitting upright without back support is not easy. Sitting up straight has to be forced, and is hard to maintain and train the body to habitually remember to do. .

Trying to stay seated correctly in your standard task office chair can be challenging. The solution lies in re-educating your own body to move the way it was designed to move. Simply by using your body properly, the ‘autonomous’ sitting position can be regained and retrained into your memory with little effort. .

Tips for Practicing Good Posture for Your Office Chair

**Practice sitting without back support, start with a few minutes and gradually work up.
**Try to use the furniture in your house and office which allows you to be seated without back support.
**When you feel tired and begin to slump, lay down a few minutes to regain energy.
**Replace sitting when ever possible. Reclining is one of the best positions for reading or speaking on the phone.
**Take a break from sitting at least once an hour.

Amy Pedersen works in the ergonomics and office furniture industry and is an expert in her field. Please visit her ergonomic websites to see more information and details on executive, mesh, leather, task and ergonomic office chairs and furniture to maintain your workstation. Offering a wide variety of executive and task office chairs with an online sales catalog as well as providing ergonomic information on proper chair positioning and seating at the workplace.

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