Which chair to choose for your back?
30 September 2014
Read by 3528 persons
Chair, seat, armchair: what to choose for your office to be well seated and protect your back?
From the physiotherapist's point of view, it's a chair that allows you to keep your back straight.
Your spine retains its natural curves. The lumbar, the lower back, are therefore slightly hollowed (natural lordosis).
You will find practical advice to keep you upright here.
1/ DOES THE PERFECT SEAT FOR THE BACK EXIST?
A perfect chair? An ergonomic armchair salesman will tell you yes! But a health professional will necessarily be less categorical. You have surely already read or heard that certain seats were the must. We can mention 4 types of seats frequently reputed as "good for the back":
The large ergonomic office armchair
The "kneeling" chair
The "swopper" chair
The saddle chair
The seat that best promotes a good position of the back (and neck) seems to be the "saddle" seat. It resembles a horse saddle, the thighs descending on the sides.
For those who wish to delve deeper into the subject, here is a study (in English) published in the European Spine Journal in 2012 which researched which chair allows an optimal position of the spine.
2/ DO YOU NEED A BACKREST ON YOUR OFFICE CHAIR?
Does the backrest of your office chair influence your sitting position?
Our body is not made to stay immobile, in the same position, for a long time. Patients with lumbago (with lower back pain) often note that their pain increases when they have to stand or sit for a long time.
In the office, this is also valid. Le Coin Forme advises you to get up from your armchair and move a little, at least every 45 minutes.
The backrest of your office chair can therefore allow you to change position and take a break by resting on it.
2 scenarios therefore:
You are sitting most of the time (for example in front of a screen): having a backrest will allow you to relax and change the position of your spine from time to time.
You are sitting but very active (you often have to move, get up): a backrest is not essential since you are already moving a lot.
3/ WHICH CHAIR TO CHOOSE FOR YOUR BACK?
A saddle chair with a backrest would surely be the trend of Coin Forme. But the answer will surely be different for everyone!
Here are some points to check before buying an armchair, a chair or a seat:
The chair must be compatible with your work environment. Think in particular about the height of the desk, the width of the passages if you have to roll and also think about the aesthetic aspect sometimes important (depending on your work).
Always try a seat for several minutes before buying it. The most important thing is to feel comfortable and not to have any particular pain. For example, saddle chairs will not suit everyone.
"The armchair does not make the monk." Remember to hold yourself correctly. You can consult the link at the beginning of the article.
Yann Couderc.
Huffingtonpost.fr
Published on September 24, 2014.
Posted online on September 30.
From the physiotherapist's point of view, it's a chair that allows you to keep your back straight.
Your spine retains its natural curves. The lumbar, the lower back, are therefore slightly hollowed (natural lordosis).
You will find practical advice to keep you upright here.
1/ DOES THE PERFECT SEAT FOR THE BACK EXIST?
A perfect chair? An ergonomic armchair salesman will tell you yes! But a health professional will necessarily be less categorical. You have surely already read or heard that certain seats were the must. We can mention 4 types of seats frequently reputed as "good for the back":
The large ergonomic office armchair
The "kneeling" chair
The "swopper" chair
The saddle chair
The seat that best promotes a good position of the back (and neck) seems to be the "saddle" seat. It resembles a horse saddle, the thighs descending on the sides.
For those who wish to delve deeper into the subject, here is a study (in English) published in the European Spine Journal in 2012 which researched which chair allows an optimal position of the spine.
2/ DO YOU NEED A BACKREST ON YOUR OFFICE CHAIR?
Does the backrest of your office chair influence your sitting position?
Our body is not made to stay immobile, in the same position, for a long time. Patients with lumbago (with lower back pain) often note that their pain increases when they have to stand or sit for a long time.
In the office, this is also valid. Le Coin Forme advises you to get up from your armchair and move a little, at least every 45 minutes.
The backrest of your office chair can therefore allow you to change position and take a break by resting on it.
2 scenarios therefore:
You are sitting most of the time (for example in front of a screen): having a backrest will allow you to relax and change the position of your spine from time to time.
You are sitting but very active (you often have to move, get up): a backrest is not essential since you are already moving a lot.
3/ WHICH CHAIR TO CHOOSE FOR YOUR BACK?
A saddle chair with a backrest would surely be the trend of Coin Forme. But the answer will surely be different for everyone!
Here are some points to check before buying an armchair, a chair or a seat:
The chair must be compatible with your work environment. Think in particular about the height of the desk, the width of the passages if you have to roll and also think about the aesthetic aspect sometimes important (depending on your work).
Always try a seat for several minutes before buying it. The most important thing is to feel comfortable and not to have any particular pain. For example, saddle chairs will not suit everyone.
"The armchair does not make the monk." Remember to hold yourself correctly. You can consult the link at the beginning of the article.
Yann Couderc.
Huffingtonpost.fr
Published on September 24, 2014.
Posted online on September 30.
