Is your chair a pain in the back?

Think about all the hours in a day spent sitting, at home and at work. For most people, that adds up to a lot of time, and lower back pain is inevitable if they are spent sitting in a chair that doesn’t properly support you, reports Sade Oguntola.

Consider how much time is probably spent sitting each day, especially when at work in an office environment. Even when planning to use a chair at home, what type of chair do you sit on? Choosing a chair that is carefully designed with your back in mind can make all the difference to sitting comfortably.

Poor posture is a common cause of chronic back pain, and this is true not only in regards to standing but also to sitting. The chair and time spent sitting also holds the key to avoiding potentially debilitating back pain.

“If we pick the appropriate chair and use them properly, we may be able to reduce chances of coming down with general musculoskeletal stress, not only a low back pain, but also pains in other parts of the body,” said Dr Olusola Ayanniyi, a Physiotherapist and senior lecturer, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Ibadan.

Dr Ayanniyi stated “by and large, a lot of things can lead to low back pain in our daily activities because most of these activities are done in bending. Bending regularly may also contribute to developing low back pain and sitting is a form of bending.”

Slouching or sitting in an uncomfortable position at work, for instance, Dr Ayanniyi said can also tell on other parts of the body causing such things as neck pain, eye strain and tension headaches.

Which chair gives relief from back pain

“A good chair is one that gives adequate support to the lower part of the back whether when sitting upright or leaning back. Any chair that lacks an angulations around the waistline is not good,” he stated.

Moreover, sitting up straight or choosing a chair that causes to sit up straight at a 90-degree angle can actually cause chronic back problems.

“Asking to sit up straight is used as a rough guide. But sitting up straight without the lower back supported puts the back under tension and this is a problem,” he declared.

Sitting up straight is not best for back

In a study, researchers from the University of Alberta Hospital in Canada used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to review spine health during different sitting postures — either 90 degrees or slightly reclined at 135 degrees — they found the 90-degree angle caused the most strain and the most prominent movement of the spinal disks.

A 135-degree body-thigh sitting posture, the study demonstrated to be the best biomechanical sitting position, as opposed to a 90-degree posture, which most people consider normal.

Nevertheless, Dr Ayanniyi said in preventing back pain teaching people to maintain correct posture when sitting is very important. “Even if the chair is appropriate, the problem may arise if it is not properly used,” he added.

All office chairs are not created equal

There are countless models of office chairs in the market, but most fail miserably when it comes to what really matters, which is keeping comfortable and pain-free.

A feeling of fatigue or rock-hard on the neck and shoulders or a stiff and achy along the back or spine at the end of the day may indicate a good chance that this office chair is not providing adequate support to the back.

There is no single ‘best ergonomic chair’ that fits all body shapes and sizes and that is comfortable for everyone. The seat and the back rest should be comfortable. For instance, the seat shouldn’t feel too hard or soft, be uncomfortable under the hips or thighs, and it should not be too long.

Armrests are also useful for occasional resting. Broad, contoured, cushioned and comfortable armrests that can easily adjust while sitting are the best.

Stay active to reduce back pain

Taking periodic breaks from sitting no matter how good the chair is, he also stressed as preventive against low back pain.

“Maximally, we say whenever, you are seated for 30 minutes, take a micro pulse for say one to two minutes from what you are doing and change your posture; move around,” he said.

Human body is not meant to stay in one position for long periods of time, which is why experts recommend getting up and stretch at least every 20 minutes or so after been seated.

But, most people do not do this. They are engrossed in their work, are on a phone call or in a meeting and basically cannot get out of the chair for a little while.

Dr Adeleke Ifesanya, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, warned that if sitting on a particular chair is not suitable, then it is probably not the best for the back.

Good posture helps reduce back pain

An appropriate chair for use, especially at the office where long periods of sitting will be required, he said would also require a head rest, adding that height-adjustable chairs with back support are the best.

According to Dr Ifesanya, “The back rest actually moves to conform to the shape of the back, that is what ergonomic chairs are meant for. Also, some other add-ons people can fix such as cushions can help to also provide extra support, especially at the lower half of the back.

“These fixtures easily change shape to conform to the contour of the back. If one is not sitting comfortably, one might end up with low back pain.

“If you have something that aligns to the shape of the back, one will be able to sit for a longer period and without stress.”

Dr Ifesanya emphasised using appropriate chairs for one’s office table. “This reduces the chances of slouching forward and back pain, neck pain and so on eventually resulting,” he added.

Most people are not disciplined enough to keep their back bone in its proper alignment; if the chair allows for slouching, there’s a good chance this occurs, especially after prolonged sitting, say for four or five hours at a stretch.

He said, often complaints of back pain at the hospital were traced to poor posture, adding “the incidence of back pain is higher in people above 40 years.”

The back has bones and in between these bones are soft tissues which act like shock absorbers. As people grow old, there are changes, not just in the bones, but also in the discs and the ligaments of the back. That is why as people grow older, they begin to develop prolapsed disc.

However, “if you have a habit of poor posture, it will need some years for that to eventually result in poor muscle balance and then changes associated with ageing which will then predispose to having symptoms, including back pain.”