14 DAY TRIAL // Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re at your desk at work. You and millions of other people spend more than eight hours a day in front of a computer – to these, other two or three hours are added at night, in front of the TV. With us doing so much sitting and increasingly less physical activity, it’s no wonder that our backs are killing us, doctors say, which is why we should move as much as we can while we’re sitting to prevent the pain from kicking in. The best way to do this is by buying an unstable chair.
Speaking with the Daily Mail, leading chiropractor Dr. Richard Hollis puts to rest all those myths about whether the chair we use matters when it comes to back pain. It doesn’t so much matter whether it has a high back or not, as neither does whether we have lower back support or not. What we should focus on when purchasing office furniture is the flexibility of the chair, because a rigid one will only cause us problems in the long run, he says.
“Contrary to popular belief, most back injuries happen due to inactivity, rather than excessive activity. The discs between each vertebra in your back have no blood supply of their own, but rely on movement to maintain their health. Each minute movement of the body allows them to suck in fluid and secrete waste products.” Dr. Hollis explains. So, whereas a rigid chair discourages any type of movement, those with springs, wheels or flexible backs force us to balance on them, thus moving constantly, even if we’re unaware of it most of the time.
“If your back, neck or shoulders ache after sitting too long in one position, this is due to a build-up of lactic acid. Lactic acid is a waste product released into the muscles, which can cause them to ache. Muscles are designed to contract and expand. Inactivity is bad for them.” Dr. Hollis adds. This applies not only to the time we spend behind the desk at work, but also to those idle moments in front of the TV on the sofa or in an armchair. If we don’t want to change all our furniture, but still seek to avoid back pains, it’s best to move around (fidget, if you will) as often as we can.
Another tip that Dr. Hollis offers us is to get up from the chair every half an hour – even if it’s just to get a glass of water.