For the majority of you who work in office and at desk jobs, you spend a great deal of time sitting down. While sitting for most of the day seems pretty low risk compared to other occupational hazards, sitting in the same position all the time can stress the structures of the spine, and may result in injuries to the back, neck and even the wrist. It is important to find an office chair that is ergonomically designed to support the lower back and promote good posture. An ergonomic chair cannot only prevent injury and pain in the back, but it also maximizes your function at work.

When looking for the right ergonomic chair for you, it is important to find one suited to your needs. With so many ergonomic office chairs on the market, it’s important to research them, since there is no single chair that could be labeled the “best.” There are specific features that should be considered when looking for a desk chair, such as adjustable seat height. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your thighs at a horizontal position, and your arms should be even with the height of the desk. Having an adjustable armrest is also beneficial, since you can rest your arms and relax your shoulders, which can eliminate significant tension while working. You should also look for a chair with a seat that has sufficient width and depth to support you. While working, you should be able to sit with your back resting against the back of the chair. In addition, the back should also be adjustable in its tilt forward and backwards. The best chairs are highly adjustable so they can be set to fit you, rather than you fitting to it.

One big issue about working at a desk all day is that many chairs are not designed to support the lower back. Support for our lumbar spine, or our lower back, is very important. Our spinal curvature has an inward curve in the lumber spine, and sitting for too long without supporting it will lead to slouching and straining the structures of the lower spine. An ergonomic chair must offer lumber support and adjustment, so you can fit the chair to the inward curve of the lower back. When this is not possible, I suggest a separate lumbar support cushion like the ones I have available in the office. I often find the "cheap" ones sold at the discount stores do not use dense enough foam and are too squishy offering little to no support. Before you buy I recommend doing the squeeze test and even trying them out before you purchase.

Additional things to also consider are the seat material: is it comfy? An ergonomic chair with a swivel on the chair can help you reach different areas of your desk without strain.

After researching the properties of the ergonomic chairs on the market, you need to consider your specific job and what functions you need to perform. Consider your priorities and properties you need for your ergonomic chair. Once you’ve decided on the chair for you, explore stores to try the chairs out. See if they’re comfortable and meet your needs. Shop around, both online and off to make sure you get the best price and quality out there. You might also want to consider alternative ergonomic chairs, such as kneeling or saddle chairs and even the exercise ball chair.

If you had to pin me down to name my favorite chair I would recommend the Aeron chair by Herman Miller. Here is a link to my favorite office chair website and the Aeron chair:

http://www.sit4less.com/landing-pages/aeron-chairs/126?gclid=CN28xbf0rK4CFY2b7QodikQrTg

If you ever want to try mine out, be my guest.

References Used:

[1] http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/ergonomics/office-chair-ergonomic-chair-alternatives-traditional-office-chairs Accessed October 2011

[2] http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-an-Ergonomic-Office-Chair Accessed October 2011

[3] http://www.officechairadvice.com/ Accessed October 2011

Fibromyalgia Suffers Choose Chiropractic over Traditional Medicine for Relief of Symptoms

Fibromyalgia is a condition with no known medical cure. It is characterized by chronic and debilitating pain all over the body, and heightened pain under pressure. Its symptoms can cause patients to suffer from widespread pain, poor sleep, chronic tiredness and even depression. The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown. Some theories cite that the patient’s low pain threshold may be attributed to increased sensitivity in the brain to pain signals. [1] Other possible causes could be a genetic predisposition [2]; stress; the disruption of normal dopamine related neurotransmission [3]; abnormal serotonin levels [4] and deficient growth hormone secretion [5]. While there is currently no cure for the condition, its symptoms can be alleviated by chiropractic treatment. 

Fibromyalgia causes numerous, tender points to occur all over the body, including back and neck pain and leg cramps. As a result of these symptoms, sufferers of fibromyalgia have sought treatment from chiropractors. Because the adjustments made during treatment help to restore the posture of the skeletal system, many sufferers find that treatment can help to reduce a significant amount of pain. Some fibromyalgia sufferers experience a condition known as cervical spinal stenosis, which results in compression of the spine’s meninges, which are the coverings of the upper spine. This can result in debilitating pain all over the body. Chiropractic treatments may be able to help with cervical spinal stenosis by adjusting the spine around the head and neck, releasing this compression and eliminating the symptoms attributed to it.[6]

The effectiveness of chiropractic care has been studied in sufferers of fibromyalgia [6], where patients were asked which method of treatment, medical or alternative, helped the best with their condition. The majority voted for chiropractic treatment. In addition, the effectiveness was tested by using spinal manipulation to relieve fibromyalgia symptoms, and after 15 treatments, results concluded that patients had reduced fatigue and pain as well as improved sleep quality.

While fibromyalgia sufferers continue to look for a cure, it is great to know that there are ways to alleviate the symptoms and live a more normal life. If you or someone you know suffers from undiagnosed chronic pain or fibromyalgia, please share this article with them and encourage them to get a consultation.

References Used:

[1] http://edition.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/fibromyalgia/DS00079.html Accessed September 2011

[2] Buskila D, Sarzi-Puttini P (2006). "Biology and therapy of fibromyalgia. Genetic aspects of fibromyalgia syndrome". Arthritis Res Ther. 8 (5): 218. doi:10.1186/ar2005. PMC 1779444. PMID 16887010.

[3] Cervenka S, Pålhagen SE, Comley RA et al. (August 2006). "Support for dopaminergic hypoactivity in restless legs syndrome: a PET study on D2-receptor binding". Brain 129 (Pt 8): 2017–28.doi:10.1093/brain/awl163. PMID 16816393. Retrieved 2008-05-21.

[4] Moldofsky H, Scarisbrick P, England R, Smythe H (1975)."Musculoskeletal symptoms and non-REM sleep disturbance in patients with "fibrositis syndrome" and healthy subjects". Psychosom Med 37(4): 341–51. PMID 169541. Retrieved 2008-05-21.

[5] Anderberg UM, Liu Z, Berglund L, Nyberg F (1999). "Elevated plasma levels of neuropeptide Y in female fibromyalgia patients". Eur J Pain 3 (1): 19–30.

[6] http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_chiropractic.html Accessed September 2011