When people think of causes of back pain, they generally think of improper lifting and other types of short-term strain, but did you know that you can develop back problems from sitting? In fact, sitting, and specifically ergonomically incorrect or extended sitting, is one of the most common and most serious sources of back pain.
Sitting is an increasingly large and problematic part of our lives in developed countries. As jobs move away from manufacturing or labor intensive paradigms and more into largely sedentary office work, more and more of our time is being spent sitting. Not only does this mean that many of us aren't getting as much physical activity as we should, but it's also leading to an increase in chronic pain and other health problems that are related directly to the simple act of sitting.
The reason why sitting and back pain are so closely linked is that it is very difficult to maintain correct posture while sitting for prolonged periods in chairs that aren't designed in accordance with proper ergonomics. This is why it's not only possible, but very common, for people to develop back problems from sitting.
There are a few reasons as to why non-ergonomic chairs are largely responsible for back problems from sitting. For one thing, these chairs are not designed to accommodate a wide variety of sitting positions - usually, you can only sit in them one or two ways while still being able to work effectively, and these only for short periods of time. Even if you find a sitting position very comfortable at first, you will eventually need to shift in order to relieve the stress that inevitably builds on some part of your body. However, if your chair doesn't allow you to shift positions comfortably, you are essentially forced to be uncomfortable, and this discomfort is your body's way of telling you that you are placing strain on your body. Strain will eventually lead to chronic pain if repeated often enough.
Conventional chairs may also encourage poor posture, and they certainly do not actively promote good posture. Poor posture can lead to all sorts of problems, from breathing and circulation issues, to back pain, and this is another reason why sitting and back pain are closely linked.
Non-ergonomic chairs, even if they are adjustable in some way, lack the dimensions of adjustability that are provided by ergonomic chairs. In order to ensure comfort and therefore eliminate back problems from sitting, you need to be able to tailor the chair to your needs. It should be able to accommodate your height and other dimensions, as well as your preferred sitting positions, and the type of work you do. Any chair that does not accommodate you in all of these ways will be likely to cause back pain as well as many other possible problems.
The best solution to back problems from sitting is to switch to an ergonomic office chair. Ergonomic chairs prevent the development of back pain, and even relieve existing back pain, by adjusting and conforming to your body type, as well as by allowing you to sit comfortably in different positions and to perform different tasks without difficulty. The connection between sitting and back pain depends on the use of poorly designed chairs, and using an ergonomic chair will allow you to break the cycle.
Tempted to stick with cheap office chairs? Read our article about Cheap Office Chairs and Used Office Chairs for finding cheap office chairs.
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