A lumbar support cushion may help you manage back pain and ease some of your symptoms. Do you have a job that involves lots of sitting? If so you probably have experienced some lower back pain as the day has gone on.There are many different lumbar pillows on the market – plenty of choice for you.  First though, I will explain a little about why a lumbar support can help and highlight some things to think about before you buy one. Many of us have lifestyles and jobs that require us to spend long, concentrated periods of time sitting. Office chairs are very rarely supportive of the lower back and many of us fail to take regular, frequent breaks.  As a result the lower back is subjected to stresses and strains that eventually cause discomfort. The story is hear most often is this: The symptoms may have first started years ago as just a mild irritation but the longer the problem goes on the more uncomfortable it gets. Sometimes you can't even get comfortable in the evenings either.

The reason this happens is to with the stress and strains we are putting through our lumbar spines in these prolonged positions.  If you do not use a lumbar support cushion or if the chair you use has no decent low back support then you will sit in a more flexed position. Your spine is a nice strong solid structure made up of vertebrae separated from one another by spinal discs and supported by large muscles and ligaments. When we are on the move this system is wonderfully strong and supportive. The trouble begins when we start applying prolonged low loads to the system. By sitting in a flexed position for hours you cause the ligaments at the back of the spine to be put on a gentle stretch. They resist this movement for a while but after time they begin to lengthen, the technical term for this is creep, which is a great way to describe it as the pain does creep up on you.  This creep continues causing stresses to the lower back tissues, the muscles fatigue and you start to get pain.

If you move and relieve the tension the ligaments recover a little and that makes it easier to continue. However, in the laboratory, studies have found that it takes about 7 hours for the creep to disappear and the tissues to regain their normal properties. The answer is to use a lumbar support cushion which sits in the small of your back. This physically prevents you from sitting in a slumped position and stops the prolonged flexion stresses. bean bag chair christmas deliveryThis helps reduce ligament creep and can significantly relieve low back pain from sitting .dining table and chairs for sale lincoln There are a variety of different lumbar support products on the market. cheap table and chairs essex

The most common are moulded pillows or cushions which sit in the small of your back – in the curve called the lordosis. The other types are rolls or D shaped supports that do the same thing. This is a type of * lumbar support cushion that sits in the chair and creates a good low back support to prevent sagging. Advantages are they are robust, disadvantages are they are less spongy than rolls and they may not fit all seats, especially seats that have moulded sides such as sports car seats. office chair mesh bottomGood for office chairs and nice and sturdy.cheap barber chair in uk The * Mckenzie Lumbar Roll is the lumbar support of choice for most physiotherapists. bar stool chair slipcoversI own one and have had the same one for nearly 20 years (its very shabby after all that time but I love it). desk chairs on rollers

They come in a variety of degrees of firmness and width. Experiment to try and get the right size. Usually the medium size, medium density is suitable, the most common mistake is buying one that is too fat to be comfortable. More is not always better - it depends on your shape and how deep the curve is in your lower back. *The McKenzie Super Roll is like the roll above but slightly more suitable if you have a chair with some built in support already. antique wingback chair valueThe roll is flat at the back and curved at the front.cheap spa pedicure chairs for sale Do you need an inflatable lumbar support? If you travel a lot or find it uncomfortable sitting when you are out this may be the answer. See the choice of nice light inflatable lumbar supports and rolls on offer. Advertisement - Article Continues Below

When I discuss this problem with my patients I explain that this type of postural back pain is caused by us exposing our lower back to stresses and strains that after a while it cant cope with. I usually approach the problem by first looking to remove some of the stresses by using a lumbar support but I also want them to think about ways they can make their spine better able to cope with the stresses put upon it. 1.  Hedman, T.P. & Fernie, G.R. Mechanical response of the lumbar spine to seated postural loads. Spine 22, 734-743 (1997). 2.  Solomonow, M., Zhou, B., Baratta, R.V. & Burger, E. Biomechanics and electromyography of a cumulative lumbar disorder: response to static flexion. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 18, 890-898 (2003). Lower Back Pain Toolkit Home PageThe Posture Cushion is a pre-inflated disc that works to strengthen core muscles and improve both posture and stability when seated. By de-stabilising the sitting surface your body is required to perform continuous micro-movements in order to stay balanced and upright.

These movements help to strengthen your core muscles, which are essential to providing the support needed to maintain a correct posture. We all know that sitting in one position for prolonged periods of time is bad for our health. The Posture Cushion overcomes this by encouraging active sitting and engaging the postural muscles. Active sitting is essentially about staying in motion - it's this motion that helps to avoid tight muscles by keeping our body dynamic. When sitting on the Posture Cushion our body is forced to readjust itself in order to stay balanced and keep the head level to simplify vision processing. This means that our muscles are constantly being worked throughout the day as they compensate for the shift in weight. By using the Posture Cushion for even just a couple of weeks you will soon begin to see a change in both your posture and core strength. We recommend that the Posture Cushion is initially used for short bursts at a time (approximately 30 minutes).

If used for longer periods there is a greater likelihood to unintentionally support yourself, which will inhibit any benefits that the disc offers. As your body becomes accustomed to your improved and strengthened postural muscles you will no doubt feel better, more confident and healthier. And over time you will also find that you will retain this healthy seated posture, even during periods when not using the cushion. The Posture Cushion can also be used as a training aid to help improve balance and coordination whilst standing. By standing on the Posture Cushion you can effectively work on your core as well as strengthen the muscles and joints in your knees and ankles. There are 6 fantastic cushion cover colours to choose from, all of which are made from a hypoallergenic fabric which is lightweight and breathable. This gives the user an enhanced sitting feel, whilst the breathable fabric ensures that it is airy and comfortable to sit on for prolonged periods. The covers are also a fantastic way of matching your cushion to your rooms decor, or for really standing out with that personal touch.

1. The cushion is already pre-inflated to the correct level and is ready to use. Please note that the Posture Cushion is not designed to be fully inflated. This is to ensure that there is enough instability to encourage active sitting. 2. Place the cushion on a chair. If possible try and use a chair that does not have arms to avoid using these as supports. 3. Sit on the cushion and place your feet flat on the floor. The knees should be slightly lower than the hips, so adjust the height of your seat if necessary. We recommend using the cushion for 30 minute periods throughout the day, allowing your muscles time to relax. 4. With Cushion: The Posture Cushion actively encourages you to sit upright in an improved posture. The pelvis is tilted forward, elongated and aligning the sine. Do not slouch whilst using the cushion as this will inhibit any strengthening of the postural muscles. 4b. Without Cushion: Without the posture cushion it is easy to slump into your chair, the spine curves round, putting pressure on your lower back and shoulder area.

5. The Posture Cushion de-stabilises your sitting surface. Our body therefore required to perform micro-movements in order to balance and keep ourselves upright. 6. It is through these movements that we strengthen the core stability muscles which provide us with the postural support we need when sitting. Our Posture Cushion has been 100% recommended for use by The London Spine Clinic on Harley Street, London. The London Spine Clinic is the number 1 private clinic in the UK specialising in back pain with a private client list including Olympic champions and a whole host of sports professionals. Treating in excess of 10,000 patients a year it is in their expertise that the Posture Cushion is recommended as so to ensure that it corrects posture and provides support to key muscle groups when sitting. We believe that there is no better Posture Cushion on the market that can improve posture and relieve posture related pain. But rather than take our word for it, try the Posture Cushion for 30 days to see for yourself how it can correct your posture and bring relief to your back problem.