Does your chair “got your back”?

Chairs should have a back to them, specifically a curved support for the lower half of your back. At a computer, we spend a lot of time in a static posture so standing, kneeling, or sitting on a chair without a back is not realistic. Studies show that if you spend more than 20 - 30 minutes at a computer without relaxing your back, you are very likely to perch or lean in a poor posture onto the desk or armrests. This leads to poor postures, habits, and body mechanics which make us much more likely to incur an ergonomic injury or illness.

Proper lumbar support

The lumbar spine is the portion of your vertebral column below your rib cage. These five vertebrae are under the constant load of your upper body and you can think of them at the bottom of the dog pile! Also, most folks have seen a picture of the spine and know it’s not a straight line. So, to keep even pressure on the vertebrae, the support needs to have some curve too! So before considering aesthetics or that flashy gaming chair with unique features, make sure to foremost consider the curve of the lumbar support in your chair selection criteria.

Why it matters

A chair promoting poor spine postures can slowly damage the delicate joints, muscles, and nerves. Of the 149.1 million workdays lost annually, 101.8 million (68%) were due to back pain. The study indicated that due to the severity of the issue, even a 1% decrease in overall prevalence might significantly lower morbidity and result in saving billions of dollars. Here is how a chair with sufficient lumbar support can help:  

●      The vertebral column has a slight inward curvature, and proper lumbar support helps maintain this natural posture.

 ●      It lessens the pressure on your lower vertebral column hence preventing disc problems and nerve damage.

●      Proper lumbar support can distribute the strain to your back evenly on intervertebral disks and nerves running from your spine.

 ●      A lumbar spine injury is a leading cause of back pain. If you are experiencing pain, proper lumbar support can help you manage the pain.

The bottom line is that lumbar support should be into serious consideration when selecting a computer chair.