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Health & Fitness

The Correct Posture & Chair May Help Relieve Your Back Pain

Think about how many hours you spend sitting in chairs. Knowing the proper techniques and suitable chair design can help you improve your back's health.

Think about how many hours you spend sitting in chairs. The number is certainly staggering. To make matters worse, so many people sit in a badly designed chair or are sitting in a way that can cause chronic back pain and unnecessary suffering. Ergonomics is about designing towards our needs and our physiology. Whether you are buying an ergonomic chair to support your back or take steps to improve your posture, knowing the proper techniques and suitable chair design can help you improve your back's health.

First, let’s address your sitting posture. Be sure your back is aligned against the back of the office chair. Avoid slouching or leaning forward, especially for long periods. If you’re sitting for a long time, be sure the chair is ergonomically designed to properly support the back and that it is a custom fit.  When sitting on an office chair at a desk, your arms should be flexed at a 75 to 90 degree angle at the elbows. If this is not the case, adjust the office chair accordingly. Knees should be even with the hips, or slightly higher when sitting in the office chair. Keep both feet flat on the floor. If there's a problem with feet reaching the floor comfortably, a footrest can be used along with the office chair. Sit in the office chair you’re your shoulders straight. Don't sit in one place for too long, even in ergonomic office chairs that have good back support. Get up and walk around and stretch as needed.

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