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2018-09-06
What is a Perfect Chair for Back Pain?

BY DR. ARNAN SISSON

In our practice, I’d have to say our most common type of problem we treat hands down is back pain. And at first glance you would think that we’d be getting folks that had very hard manual labor jobs or people that just bent over the wrong way while lifting something very heavy.

Now don’t get me wrong, we do see scenarios like that. But in 90% of cases, that’s not what caused the back pain. Even worse in most cases folks have no idea where it came from. It snuck up on them over a period of months.

At first it may have been a little annoyance that just distracted them as they worked. But as the weeks went by it became more intense. Gradually it moves down the leg, and they end up with a life that’s completely changed. Their no longer able to go to family cookouts, play with grandchildren, or even tolerate five minutes of Pilates/Yoga.

This is the nature of back pain. It progresses and eventually gets to the point where folks need help to stop it. Not just that, but it seems very random.

I’m here to say though, there is most definitely a cause behind it. In many cases its postural stress over the years through work, family life, or even the hobbies that the person takes up.

One common postural stress that I see behind it very frequently is sitting stress. So, with that said I’m going to cover what makes the “Perfect” chair to help address back pain.

In my mind a perfect chair has three major traits, and each trait helps keep the lower back in a perfect position.

The first thing to look out for with a perfect chair is height. You want to have a tall chair. The lower the chair, the more flexion you have in the hips, and ultimately leads to bent lower back. This bent back position is hands down the largest culprit of back pain over the years.

The next thing you must have with your perfect chair is a sitting surface that isn’t too long. Pay close attention to how long the chair is from your rear end all the way to your knees. If this is too long, and even going past your knee crease then this will have the same effect as the lower chair. It will significantly round your lower back.

The final trait is to have a firm chair. Keeping a firm chair is key, if your chair lacks this your back loses its correct shape and more stress is placed on the joints.

So, when chair shopping for the house keep all three of these things in mind. Or even when you’re going over to a friend’s house, make sure you pick the chair that fits these three criteria the best.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is very true for back pain, and having your perfect chair is a must for anyone that wants to hang onto their active life with no speed bumps along with way.

That’s it for today everyone. Remember knowledge is power!

P.S. If you have back pain and you’re worried it may become worse. Call us today at (804) 493-0002 or click here to receive your free 13 step back pain check list. It’s a great tool to get you one step closer to exercising again, getting a great night’s rest, and even enjoying time with family like you use to.