Recliners are a comfortable place to put your feet up at the end of the day. But this might come with a downside. Is this chair going to end up hurting your back? Here are the facts about how a recliner impacts your back.
Amount Of Lumbar Support
There are plenty of ways that will determine how a chair affects your spine. But one of the most important elements is the amount of lumbar support that it will be providing. This refers to the way that the chair affects the spine and the muscles responsible for helping you maintain a healthy posture.
If you find yourself slouching in a chair, it doesn’t offer enough lumbar support. This is why you might find that you are feeling sore after you have been sitting down for an extended period. Spending too much time in chairs like this could start to damage your back. You can use these tips to help you improve your posture.
Recliners do indeed increase the risk that you will slouch. When you are reclining, it can sometimes create a gap. This might cause your lower back to slip out of alignment. However, this won’t be the case with every recliner. You just need to make sure that you aren’t picking one that has a deep gap that your body can sink into.
If you notice that this is the problem with your current recliner, there is an easy fix. All you need to do is roll up a towel and place it against your lower back. Alternatively, you can use a pillow. This will allow you to get more lumbar support, stopping you from slouching. This will keep your spine in the correct alignment. If you do this, you shouldn’t feel any pain from sitting in a recliner.
Finding The Right Recliner Fit For Your Body
The key to making sure that you aren’t slouching in your chair is picking one that will fit you properly. There are a few steps that you need to follow to find the recliner that best fits your body.
The first thing you need to do is measure how tall you are. Many brands will sort their recliners into heights. As you sit in the chair, your knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle. When you are reclining, you don’t want your feet to be dangling off the edge of the recliner.
It’s a good idea to try a recliner before you decide to buy it. If you are purchasing online, look at the returns policy. You should be able to send it back if it isn’t right for your body. When you are sitting in it, you should get plenty of lumbar support. It should support your back, helping you maintain the right posture.
Once you’ve found a recliner that fits you, it’s time to start thinking about the style. It should fit with the rest of your home. You’ll also have to think about the type of functions it offers. Some will be manual, while others will allow you to recline automatically. This list of modern recliners will give you a better idea of some of the things you should be looking for.
Sitting For Extended Periods
Another common health concern about recliners is that they can leave you sitting in the same position for an extended period. Because it’s so comfortable, it can be tempting to spend hours in the recliner. While this is OK every once in a while, it shouldn’t become a daily occurrence.
A more sedentary lifestyle has been linked to a range of serious health problems. Most concerningly is weight gain. Higher Body Mass Index (BMI) can cause or contribute to a range of conditions. It might raise your chances of stroke, heart attack, and some types of cancers. As this study shows, it can also increase the likelihood of developing back pain.
This aspect of back pain has nothing to do with your recliner and is based on the way that you are using it. It’s best to use the chair for a short break, rather than as an excuse to sit for extended periods.
Recliners Helping To Manage Pain
While many people think that recliners cause back pain, this is a misconception. As we’ve seen, there are a few ways to make sure that this doesn’t happen. Interestingly, many people use recliners to help them manage back pain. This is most common after having surgery on the shoulder or back.
At this time, sleeping straight on a bed will be too painful. Because of this, it’s recommended that they turn to a recliner. The angled position doesn’t put as much strain on the back, helping to relieve pain. Depending on the type of surgery, they might need to sleep on a recliner for five to six weeks.
This will give their body enough time to recover, allowing the pain to diminish. This article gives a few other tips to help those recovering from surgery.
Furthermore, some people use their chairs to deal with the pain caused by sciatica. This is caused by damage to the sciatic nerve in the spine. This can cause pain in the lower back and will often affect one or both legs. Using a recliner can allow the to get into a more comfortable position. This can relieve the pain.
Sleeping In A Recliner
For most people, recliners are a good chance to sit back and relax during their favorite television shows. But some people might want to consider sleeping in a recliner. This can provide some relief from medical ailments.
Sleeping in an inclined position might help those who experience bad heartburn. This will make it harder for the acid to come up the esophagus. People who get sleep apnea might also want to try sleeping in a recliner. This can help them relax their airwaves, helping them stay open.
If you are going to spend the whole night in the recliner, there are a few things that you can do. First, you might want to put some pillows behind your head. This will ensure that your neck is getting the right support. It will also make it more comfortable for you to sleep on the recliner. It’s also a good idea to wear compression socks.
This will stop the blood from pooling in your legs, which can lead to some health problems. This article goes into more detail about the pros and cons of sleeping in a recliner.
Other Health Benefits Of A Recliner
There are a few other health benefits that are associated with using a recliner. Let’s briefly look at some of these.
First, it will be able to help you improve your mental health. A recliner will allow you to relax after a busy day of work. You must be able to take the time to de-stress. This will ensure that you aren’t keeping negative emotions pent-up. This will protect you from serious mental health diseases, like depression and anxiety.
Stress can also start to have a physical effect on your body. It has been linked to higher blood pressure. This can increase your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. High-stress levels can also increase your chance of developing a migraine. It can even speed up the aging process.
Secondly, these chairs are ideal for those who are experiencing mobility problems. Some chairs might feature a power lift function. This makes it easier for you to get to your feet. This will ensure that elderly people don’t have a fall when they are standing up. This can help them regain their independence.
Thirdly, these chairs can help you improve your circulation. When you are raising your legs off the ground. This is ideal for people who spend a lot of time sitting or standing at work. This will give your legs a rest.
Fourth, this type of chair can be a good option for pregnant women. Sometimes, they can start to experience back pain due to excess weight. Recliners can help with this sensation. They will be able to help them redistribute the weight. Because of this, some pregnant women might want to sleep in the recliner.
Finally, the recliners are some of the most comfortable chairs that you can buy. Some might even come with the zero-gravity function. This will allow you to lean back and take all the pressure off your joints, experiencing weightlessness.
Conclusion
Recliners have gotten a reputation for being bad for the back. This is misleading. If you don’t get the right fit, it won’t be offering enough lumbar support. This is the reason why you are slumping in the chair. However, you can prevent this by getting a recliner that is the right fit for you or you can use a pillow.
People use recliners to help them recover from back and shoulder after surgery. So, now you can relax in your recliner without worrying about hurting your spine.