By Sue Shekut, Licensed Massage Therapist, ACSM Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Owner, Working Well Massage
Do you get neck and shoulder pain when you drive for long periods? Or do you find that your office chair does not provide enough lumbar and/or upper back support?
Why settle for uncomfortable car seats and office chairs when you can easily upgrade your seating setup with a foam cushion and backrest!
For about $100-$150 you can put together your own “ergo” seating. We’ve reviewed many products out there and found the best prices and reviews on Amazon. You may be able to find the same or similar products elsewhere, but you will pay about 10-30% more from other vendors.
To save you time, we pasted the links and pictures of the products in a few separate posts about backrests and seat cushions. Find the situation that describes your issue (you are taller than average, shorter than average, of wider girth than average, etc.) and read the associated post to find out about the product we think may help you best.
We also included pertinent tips from the Amazon customer reviews so you don’t have to wade through them yourself. However, if you want to read all the reviews yourself, simply go to the link and check out the customer reviews.
One thing to keep in mind when fitting your chair with lumbar and other support, is that you need to make sure your upper back is still in contact with the seat back. According to our ergonomic experts, with a small pillow or half cushion in your lumbar region, you may actually be putting too much of a curve into your low back and forcing your upper back to hunch forward.
First off, a top-rated seat cushion for back support that extends beyond a simple lumbar cushion is the:
Obus Ultra Forme Backrest
According to the manufacturer:
• Clinically proved to reduce lower back pain by 50%
• Designed for back pain sufferers, including those with chronic an severe back pain
• Encourages proper alignment between pelvis and spine
• Improves circulation and reduces pressure on the back
• Patented “S” shaped frame of backrest helps prevent & relieve back pain
• Small, medium and large sizes available
Amazon Reviewers Say:
• These are easy to use and really improve your posture, keeping your back pain free, especially on those long road trips.
• This seat works to put your whole spine in an optimum curve. It is not just a lumbar support.
• This product does force you to sit up straight, which in turn prevents you from slouching your shoulders. This may be somewhat uncomfortable at first, but it sure beats the back pain that I get from leaning back or slouching over in my chair too long.
• It’s not like a super comfort back cushion, but it serves to straight your position and gives you relief. I don’t ever feel back pain when I have this on my chair and my co-workers complain alot about their pain.
• It’s not a cushion, it really a nice back support. It’s like the way I described, a board with foam on it and it can be very comforting. I recommend this product for anyone who works in an office all day. Its a must have and it has straps for you to strap to your chair.
• Long torso people may need the large size versus the medium.
• Another reviewer gave the actual dimensions to make product ordering easier:
Obus Forme Ultra Backrest Dimensions:
Approx. (H X L X W and Weight)
Small Obus Ultra Forme Backrest – 25 x 12.5 x 3.25 — 2.8 lbs
Medium Obus Ultra Forme Backrest – 26 x 12.5 x 3.5 — 3 lbs
LargeObus Ultra Forme Backrest – 28.5 x 12.5 x 3.75 — 3.2 lbs
Obus Forme Ultra Backrest Recommendations:
Ultra Forme Backrest Size Chart:
SMALL Backrest – Under 5’2″
MEDIUM Backrest – 5’2″ – 6’2″
LARGE Backrest – Over 6’2″
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