By Sue Shekut, Licensed Massage Therapist, ACSM Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Owner, Working Well Massage
Do you have a great backrest, but your chair or car seat is too hard or you find yourself sliding off the seat? Or is your chair a wire mesh type with a supposedly great ergonomic design but no comfy cushioning in the seat?
Why settle for uncomfortable car seats and office chairs when you can easily upgrade your seating setup with a foam cushion! Pair your backrest with a foam seat cushion.
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. In this post we discuss three different seat cushion options.
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.
Note: Many car seats are smaller and office chairs may be deeper and wider in the seat than some cushions. So when adding a foam seat cushion to your chair or car seat, keep the existing seat dimensions in mind. Amazon customer reviewers make note of this for some of the cushions discussed below.
1. Essential Medical Supply Memory P.F. Sculpture Comfort Seat Cushion
A bargain on Amazon for $28.92!
According to the manufacturer:
• Relieves Pressure
• Seating cushion includes molded, 6 lb. density memory foam
• Comfortable seat for individuals sitting in chairs, riding in cars, scooters, etc.
• Encased in removable and washable luxurious zippered blue velveteen cover.
• The sculpted design is anatomically correct and provides maximum comfort.
• Product Dimensions: 18 x 2.5 x 16 inches
Amazon Reviewers Say:
• The memory foam is dense so it doesn’t collapse into nothingness when you sit on it, and it gives you very good support. It raises the seat about two inches, which can make getting up from the chair a lot easier.
• My only complaint is that it would be nice if it was at least 2 inches wider and 3 inches deeper so it would approximate the seating area of my office chair. At its current dimensions, it only covers the seating area of a traditional dining room chair.
• While it does have a dense foam, it is not memory foam, as I understand the term. It compresses and quickly bounces back like any other foam. Would also have liked it to be a bit bigger, particularly in depth. Really only good for a small chair.
2. Kensington Memory Foam Seat Cushion
According to the manufacturer:
• High-density memory cell foam was originally developed by NASA to relieve G-force strain during lift off.
• Temperature- and pressure-sensitive, it molds to the body’s contour, offering optimal comfort.
• Dissipates pressure while conforming to body contours.
• Leather-like bottom cover reduces movement on chair.
• Product Dimensions: 16.2 x 2.6 x 16.2 inches ; 2.6 pounds
Amazon Reviewers Say:
• No customer reviews on this product as of yet. We purchased one for one of our clients and so far she loves it, but she weighs only about 120 pounds.
Review from the similar Kensington Memory Foam Seat Rest (L82024)
• I ordered this cushion for my rather large desk chair at work- and it works great! The foam is very thick, but conforms to the body to support it well. The cushion is tapered at the front to prevent pressure on the legs. I would highly recommend this to improve posture and support while working at a desk. I am buying a second one to keep at home so when I work at my kitchen table on my laptop I am at the proper height.
• Heavier people may find the cushion smashes quickly, according to Amazon reviewers.
3. Obus Forme Ergonomic Seat Cushion
According to the manufacturer:
• Polyurethane foam construction absorbs compression forces and dissipates the vibration created in moving vehicles, making it ideal for use on the road.
• Can be used on its own or with any Obus Forme Backrest support to create a complete and comfortable ergonomic sitting experience.
• The removable front section is easily unzipped to allow for use with narrow chairs and benches.
Amazon Reviewers Say:
• The seat comes in a handy little plastic tote bag with a handle for carrying, and you can zip off the front segment of the seat to fit shallower chairs.
• This cushion saved my butt on a long car trip! I have periodic flare-ups of sciatica and hip pain, aggravated by riding in the car. Even short trips around town usually have me squirming in my seat. With the ObusForme cushion I can ride or drive pain free for hours at a time. I also brought it to a football game, and was comfortable for over three hours on the bleacher seat.
• However, I purchased the Obus Ultra Forme backrest for added support. I was so happy with the backrest that I decided that adding the seat was called for. It unfortunately turned out to be fairly uncomfortable. The support was pretty good, and the problem might have been that it was too small for my recliner, but I ended up returning it. I’m 6’4″, 200lbs, so maybe I don’t have enough built in padding, but regardless, I was disappointed in the seat after being so happy with the backrest.
• Great firm seat cushion. It stays in place well, and is a good complement to the Obus Forme back support device.
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