If your current office chair is doing you more harm than good, you may need a better one. But there are office chair alternatives available that don’t put so much strain on your shoulders and lower back and actually help you feel better rather than worse.
If you have back pain, maybe it’s time to give up on office chairs that cause your body to collapse in on itself and try something a bit more advanced that can actually contribute to your health rather than detract from it.
Many things can contribute to a healthier back — including exercise, losing weight and walking or running — but so can changing your office chair for something else. When you make the right office chair choice, you can end up with a stronger back, a tighter core and better posture, and all those things together along with the pain relief you experience can contribute dramatically to a better life.
Here are three office chair alternatives you may want to consider:
1. A saddle chair.
You’ll probably like the Jobri Saddle Chair, designed to help you best align your back and neck and make sure that your knees remain lower than your hips for overall comfort. It’s also adjustable, something that isn’t the case for all office chair alternatives. You can even use the chair as part of your exercise routine when you follow the provided instructions.
Sure, a saddle chair may seem a bit strange, but it’s actually a lot more comfortable than it looks. And since it creates alignment that results in better comfort and less pain, it’s worth a try. Just keep in mind that some heavier users may not find a saddle chair comfortable.
2. A balance ball chair.
The Gaiam Balance Ball Chair is similar to balance balls that many gym users work out with during their exercise routines. The whole idea of a balance ball chair is to improve the health of your back muscles by strengthening your core. If you have sore legs, nerve pain that causes your arms to hurt or an achy back, this type of office chair alternative might be the right choice for you. Plus, you actually get in your strengthening and back conditioning exercises as you sit at work.
Also, the balance ball can be taken out and used as part of an actual workout. And since an air pump is included, your balance ball chair never needs to go flat. If you’re very tall or very short, however, the ball may not be the right size for you.
3. No chair.
There’s probably no rule at your office that you have to sit down to work. In many workplaces, people are getting rid of chairs altogether — or at least limiting their use — and changing to a standing desk. Models are available that are completely adjustable for all heights and so that you can sit down for a while too and take advantage of another of the office chair alternatives. Simply getting off your backside for a while each day can do wonders to alleviate back pain!
Just make sure you choose a stand-up desk that’s completely stable and large enough to raise your monitor, keyboard and everything you use regularly to standing height for the best possible experience.
It’s absolutely possible to conquer your back pain by changing the way you work. And since these office chair alternatives are affordable, it isn’t worth it give one or more of these options a try?
It’s your life, your comfort and your health that are at stake.
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