Thank you for supporting this site with purchases made through links in this article. Plus I'll send you a free copy of "Your Simply Healthy Handbook." It's your #1 resource to make healthy living easy.Did you know that back pain is the second most common reason for medical visits? According to Dr. Michael Roizen, about 65 million Americans suffer from back pain. He points out that “the way the odds play out, you’re likely to have about one serious episode of back pain for every 15 years of your life.” The reasons for back pain are many: Lack of core strength, improper poster or alignment, poor habits when lifting or doing other hard labor, sedentary lifestyles. You know, the usual stuff. The problem is that I often hear of people experiencing back pain who are otherwise very fit people—the kind of people who try to “sit up tall” and understand the importance of exercise and movement. Another culprit of back pain: Your chair A couple of months ago my husband came home from work with his nice big office chair.

The company he works for was moving into a new building and getting all new chairs. The employees were told they could take home their old chair if they wanted it. Tom thought I might want it, seeing how my current office chair is an old simple wooden chair that he picked up at the thrift store before we were married. The chair he brought home was nice. It had a cushioned seat and back, lumbar support, arm rests… it could be adjusted for various heights as well as spin and roll around. Next to my old scratched up chair it looked like quite the upgrade. I moved it in front of my desk and basked in its comfy glory. While everything on the surface seemed handy-dandy, little by little I started to notice increasing intense pain and tension in my shoulders and neck. “It must be from carrying Little C, my not-so-much-like-a-baby-but-more-like-a-toddler,” I thought. Besides, I’m a movement therapist, an “expert” in all things posture related, right? Clearly I couldn’t be sitting improperly.

I sat on that chair for probably 2 – 3 weeks and each night I found myself begging my husband for a neck massage (the deep, deep tissue kind that make you cry as you beg for more.) table chair rental vancouverI had these knots the size of Texas. single chair bed cubeAnd they just got worse each day.  cheap floral armchairsI didn’t know what was wrong.prices of office chairs in nigeria But that’s the thing, I knew exactly what was wrong.buy velvet armchair (I just didn’t want to admit it.)best ergonomic chair for hip pain

Finally one morning, I walked into the office and moved Big Ole’ Comfy into the corner and put Good Ole’ Scratchy back in its place. As I sat down on my old, hard chair I felt a sensation that immediately reminded me of something I’ve known for a long time (I just allowed the sweet seduction of a cushiony, sleeker chair to make me believe otherwise):lift chair rental new york city Why is this an important fact, and what does it have to do with back pain? outdoor wicker lounge chairOur bodies, by nature, want to feel secure. hammock chair stand woodJust like a teenager in a group of peers, our body wants to feel comfortable and like it can trust its surroundings. Despite that fact that the fancy chair has all sorts of “ergonomic” features to help shape itself to my body, it’s softness is one of the biggest hazards to pain-free sitting.

It does its job too well. (Not to mention the fact that the chair tends to promote slouching–another major factor in back pain). Its cushions create an unstable surface. This surface often signals our brain to “hold on” just in case there isn’t the support we need. And before you know it, subconsciously you are tensing your muscles more than you otherwise would. You begin to literally “hold yourself up” instead of releasing down into gravity’s help. This is why our shoulders and neck seem to get the brunt of it. They are trying to protect the body. A soft chair doesn’t allow the body’s structure to connect to the spatial relationship between gravity and the tensile forces of our muscular-skeletal system. Yep, once again the “man-made” version has got in the way of back to basics living. Our bodies were designed to release into the pull of gravity. As we allow gravity to “do it’s thang,” our skeleton works in opposition (think of Newton’s third law of motion) to bring an easy aliveness to our posture.

Standing or sitting tall doesn’t become a chore or something we need to remember to do. It’s built into the system… that is, until we put a big soft cushion under our bottom. Of course, in order to take advantage of that hard surface, you do need to consider your alignment and how you are sitting in it. (Want to know more, check out this post.) So I said “goodbye” to the sleek, comfy chair (like this one) and “hello” to my old friend (like this one). We have a more trusting, comfortable relationship. I know that Good Ole’ Scratchy has got my back (or my butt). What do you look for in a chair? Do you struggle with back pain? Does your chair cause back pain? Want to learn more about posture, movement, and how both can lead toward a pain-free life? Make sure to check out my book  Live Pain Free . Get 4 FREE classes delivered straight your inbox to try for yourself.Anyone who works a typical 9-to-5 job knows that sitting is the bane of their existence.

Our spines aren’t made to withstand hours sitting at a desk, but labor in the age of computers often demands just that. Opting for the proper office chair, one designed to cradle you as you work and provide you with the ample comfort, is a practical and well-advised solution. The best chairs go beyond what you’d expect. Many offer resounding ergonomic benefits, breathable mesh backing, and excellent lumbar support, while simultaneously granting you a swath of customization options spanning everything from colors to contours. None of them are going to be a cure-all for your workday woes — at least, not in the way a standing desk might be — but customized suspension and the appropriate aesthetics go far in the long haul. So, what is it about the Embody we so revere? It’s a fair question, sure, especially considering the Embody’s lofty price tag and accompanying shipping costs. Well, for starters, the chair offers a dynamic matrix of “pixels” that allow the seat and back to automatically conform to your body’s every movement, while the chair’s central spine and flexible ribs work to maintain proper posture, regardless if you’re leaning forward or reclining.

Said movement capabilities help promote better blood and oxygen flow, and if that wasn’t enough, the advanced tilt mechanism helps combat unwanted hip, neck, and lumbar strain. The chair even sizes to fit your body perfectly, comes in a range of colors, and features a skin-like covering for increased airflow. Buy one now from: While many office chairs use a series of buttons and levers for greater comfort control, the Acuity intuitively adjusts to your body and shifting posture. The chair automatically modifies lumbar support, as well as angular recline, by adapting to pressure and weight distribution. The large mesh openings also create optimal breathability for better ventilation. For greater flexibility around the office, owners have the option of outfitting the back of the chair with a slip-on leather jacket. This gives the Acuity a more sophisticated look, one better suited for conference rooms and private offices. The Steelcase Gesture remains one of the sleeker office chairs on the market. 

A deep, flexible contour in the back of the chair supports the natural shape of the spine and helps minimize tension in the lower back. The arms also pivot to host a range of body types and better ergonomic positioning while typing. A semi-matte finish along the back and a polished-metal wheelbase complement the chair’s modern design.  Steelcase tested the Gesture for a maximum of 400 pounds, too, which means weight shouldn’t be an issue. The Steelcase Leap has long stood as the company’s flagship — and for good reason. It’s one of the more popular office chairs in existence, one which owes much of its merit to years of painstaking research and subsequent development. The result is a chair that caters to the individual and remains reliant on the company’s LiveBack system, which lets you conveniently and independently adjust the seat and back of the chair for enhanced support. The back mimics the natural shape of your spine throughout the day, while the chair’s innovative glide system allows you to recline without having to orient yourself away from your workload (heaven forbid).