It seems that recliners are not just a comfortable place in which to relax and unwind – they could actually help reduce back pain and stiffness.
Reclining is helpful for back-pain sufferers because of the full body support offered in a reclining chair or sofa – from the head and neck, the upper back, lumbar region, right down to your legs and feet.
Theo van der Hoven from La-Z-Boy says that according to a survey of 300 primary care physicians across the United States, which was conducted by the LCWA Research Group, a new form of relief for individuals who suffer from back pain is the recliner. In the latest research, 7 out of 10 primary care physicians in the US agree that sitting in a reclined position at home can help to minimise back pain and discomfort.
According to this research, the types of back pain that may be most alleviated by sitting in a reclining position are those that suffer from back pain associated with muscle strain (77 percent), degenerative changes (61 percent), and pregnancy-associated back pain (60 percent). It is no wonder then, that according to the survey, 3 out of 5 doctors in the US own reclining furniture at home themselves.
How do recliners help?
Van der Hoven explains that reclining is helpful for back-pain sufferers because of the full body support offered in a reclining chair or sofa – from the head and neck, the upper back, lumbar region, right down to your legs and feet. "Simply put – when you recline, you reduce the strain and pressure in your back, which helps to relax surrounding muscles and ultimately takes the tension away from the pain-ridden area.”
He says that according to the research, the key to getting relief is elevating your legs. “The research notes that 80% of US doctors recommend that patients with back pain sit with their legs elevated up high and their back either partially or fully reclined." La-Z-Boy recliners offer effective total body and lumbar support, that they have been fully endorsed for by the American Chiropractic Association, van der Hoven says.
Any good quality recliner should suit your individual body shape, height and weight for optimum support. The level of comfort of any recliner is directly associated to the user’s measurements and weight.
He says that not all recliners are made equal, and all you have to do is to test the recliner in question to see for yourself. He suggests buyers see how the recliner fits the contours of their body and assess how comfortable it is. Any quality recliner should be easy to operate and smooth in movement and should offer various sitting positions for optimum comfort and utilisation.
Any good quality recliner should suit your individual body shape, height and weight for optimum support. “The level of comfort of any recliner is directly associated to the user’s measurements and weight," van der Hoven says. The patented La-Z-Boy mechanism for example, provides a smooth reclining motion and allows you to adjust the reclining tensions so that you can customise the amount of effort needed to operate the recliner, based on your individual body type.
Good quality reclining furniture helps to reduce back pain because it allows your entire body to relax with support for your head and neck, down to the lumbar region, your knees and your feet. So, it seems that when it comes to relieving your back pain – you need to follow doctor’s orders and recline.
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