When people are working in the office or at home, they spend most of their time sitting down. Although sitting over a long time is not recommended, work and schedules demand that. Sitting down comes with discomfort, including pain, especially when sitting on uncomfortable surfaces. Fortunately, there are ways in which you can reduce or completely keep the problem away while sitting. Here, we will dive into some tips to help you become pain-free while seated.
1. Use Orthopedic Seat Cushions
You need to have some comfortable seat cushions that will help you while seated. Quality and healthy cushion seats will keep your butt and back satisfied and can be used anywhere, including indoors, in the vehicle, and restaurants. Other than the seat cushions, you can have sit-up pillows to support your entire back too. According to https://www.sleepycenter.net/best-sit-up-pillows/, the best sit up pillows prevent back pains and discomfort when working or relaxing while sitting. Seat cushions are best for lower back pain and go with any desk, car set up, or any other workplace. They have washable seat covers and can be carried conveniently from one place to another.
2. Adjust Seats
When working at home or when driving, you can improve your seating comfort by adjusting the seat. Some seats come with adjustable components, including the backrest and the height of the chair. All modern vehicle seats have these features too. If you find your seat not comfortable, try to adjust it and check its effect. You can also change the chair’s position, either front or back, to have the best position in your vehicle or the working table. When you make the adjustments, you might come up with the right posture that doesn’t cause pain or discomfort while sitting. It would help if you did this before choosing to purchase a new seat.
3. Use Lumbar and Neck Support
Especially when driving, lumbar and neck support helps a lot when it comes to sitting for a long time. Most car seats come with head support. To increase comfort, it is recommended to include neck support. More lumbar and neck support helps significantly to reduce back and neck pain, especially for long-distance travelers. However, such is not recommended for drivers since they need to be alert on the road. Use what gets approved for each vehicle. You can also use lumbar and neck support at home, especially when reading something from your computer to increase comfort. One caution, though, you should avoid overdoing it as sometimes being more comfortable on the neck and head might cause back pain. Adjust your head and neck to the limited levels.
4. Avoid Keeping Items in your Back Pocket while Seated
This idea goes out to men and anyone who stores their items in their trousers’ back pockets. Your back pockets get in touch with the chair. Placing bulky items such as purses or documents may create discomfort and pain while sitting. If you work in the office or spend your day seated, ensure you wear trousers without back pockets or avoid putting heavy items in the pockets. When making cloth purchases, you can purchase trousers with thin pockets to prevent pain in the butt while seated. If you have been suffering from such, avoid such clothes altogether.
5. Sit at Intervals
Unless there is no alternative, you shouldn’t sit for straight hours from morning to evening. You can take periodic breaks; let’s say after one hour to stretch. You can work for one hour, stretch for about 10 minutes before continuing with your tasks. If you drive long distances, it’s recommended to make stops at intervals, get out of the vehicle, and stretch before continuing with your journey. These small exercises will help blood circulation in your lower body and ease the pain caused by too much seating. It also prevents muscle pains since your muscles will be activated once in a while.
6. Have a Correct Sitting Posture
Sit properly. Maintaining your muscles and spine in good health, you need to practice proper sitting position. At the office, most people get lazy, ending up stretching their seats too much, stretching their hands while working. Slumping back or slouching forward causes strain to the muscle, discs, ligaments, and other components at the back. It can also cause pain to the arms, shoulders, and legs. Sit close to the desk, have arms parallel to the spine, and put hands at 90 degrees to the working surface.
While we spend most of our time sitting due to office work and working on our gadgets, it’s advisable to have proper seating positions and comfortable sitting areas. If tips on this article get taken seriously, you’ll end up with pain-free sitting and a productive day ahead. Practice the information to maintain your body healthily.