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Posts Tagged ‘Ergonomics’

Backrest for Short and Medium Height People

Posted in Massage Therapy, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , , on October 3, 2009| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Licensed Massage Therapist, ACSM Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Owner, Working Well Massage

Are you shorter than average or do you simply want a better back support than your current chair or car seat offers? Do you have lumbar back pain or a back disorder that requires extra support for your back?

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 of the 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. This post describes backrests for people of shorter or medium height, about 5′ to 5′-6″.

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 Amazon product link and check out the customer reviews.

For medium height to shorter people that want a simple backrest with lumbar support:

Orthopedic Lowback Backrest Support By Obus Forme

On Amazon for $68.39

Orbus Lowback Backrest

According to the manufacturer:

• Patented, polycarbonate S-shaped frame that promotes correct spinal alignment and proper posture; guaranteed for life. Includes a patented, removable and adjustable lumbar pad that provides additional support to your lower back by filling in your lumbar curve.

• Portable and lightweight, turns any chair into an ergonomic seating system; use it in your home, office, vehicle, or anywhere else you sit.

• Polyurethane foam protects the frame.

• Hypoallergenic, brushed nylon cover can be removed and sponge washed.

Amazon Reviewers Say:

• Sounds cliché, but this backrest is worth its weight in gold to me. My back used to get so sore sitting in an office chair all day. Now that I have the backrest my back actually feels BETTER after having sat in my office chair for a while. It’s always good to get up and stretch now and then though. If the seat cushion of your chair is not firm enough, I recommend purchasing this backrest along with the Obus Forme seat cushion that helps to keep you in the proper position.

• If you’re a big person, you may want to consider the wide backrest version. I’m less than 125 pounds, and this particular (smaller) model is fine for me.

• It comes with a detachable pillow that can be placed wherever it’s most comfortable for lumbar support. It attaches with Velcro and could probably eventually fray the seat cover if it’s moved around a lot.

• It’s high back allows for complete back support.

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Backrest For the Above Average in Height That Need Head and Neck Support

Posted in Massage Therapy, Uncategorized, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 3, 2009| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Licensed Massage Therapist, ACSM Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Owner, Working Well Massage

Are you taller than average or have a long torso and find that standard office chairs don’t offer you enough back support?

Why settle for uncomfortable office chairs when you can easily upgrade your seating setup with a easy to use backrest!

For about $100-$150 you can put together your own “ergo” seating to accommodate your height requirements. We’ve reviewed many of the 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. This post covers the need for back support for those that are either taller than average height or have long torsos.

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 Amazon product link below and check out the customer reviews.

If you are above average height, or if you simply want extra head and neck support for your chair, try the:

Obus Forme High-back Backrest

On Amazon for $79.95

Orbus Forme High-back Backrest

According to the manufacturer:
• Enhances overall posture and provides relief from pain from poor posture
• 8 inches taller for head and neck rest
• S-shaped frame
• Portable and lightweight
• Black

Amazon Reviewers Say:
• It has a lumbar support that is moveable and it is high enough to support my head comfortably.

• I have used this product before and this was to replace one, which I had worn out. I have 3 at the moment – 1 for my easy chair, 1 at my office at work and 1 in my car. At various times I have lent one of these to friends and the biggest problem is to get them to return them.

• This is not a magic cure for all back problems but it is magic if it helps your back problem and since it is high back it does seem to help many people.

• The height of the product works well with my long torso.

• The calzone-sized pillow attaches with Velcro. Depending on preference, it can be discarded or placed at the lumbar spine or head.

• The product is sturdy but not immortal. After a couple of years of steady use, the joints attaching the top third of the piece to the lower part are prone to break.

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Save Your Back with a Backrest for Car and Office

Posted in Massage Therapy, Uncategorized, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , on October 3, 2009|

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

On Amazon for $59.99

Orbus 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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Extreme Workstation Makeover!

Posted in Workplace Wellness, tagged , , on August 18, 2009| Leave a Comment »

As part of our efforts to help build healthier workplaces, we’ve decided to “make over”  10 local Chicago office workers’ workstations. We have the aid of an ergonomics expert, a licensed massage therapist and personal trainer, and a compact video camera to capture our efforts on video for your viewing pleasure!  We may be coming to your office soon.

How It Works: Be one of the first 10 people to email us (at info@workingwellmassage.com) and request we “makeover” your workstation. Describe your  problem or questions in detail. For example, let us know if you have chronic pain between the shoulder blades, or sore neck muscles,  that you think is caused by your work station or how you sit.

What We Do: We will set up an appointment to come to your office, video camera and expert advice on hand, to evaluate your work space and any chronic tension patterns in your body.

How We Handle It: We’ll give your some tips on how to better situate your work tools (keyboard, monitor, chair, document stands, etc.), some product suggestions for making your workspace more comfortable, as well as show you some stretches and how to best sit and work. We video our interview with you, including your “before” and “after” workspace, to share the results with our other loyal blog readers.

What You Get: Expert advice to help you work more comfortably, reduce the risk of repetitive use injuries. Also you get your amazingly cool self  in a video and on our blog!

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