The past two years have witnessed a majority of the workforce working from home or remotely. According to a report, roughly 70% of professionals will work remotely at least five days a month by 2025.
A majority of respondents revealed that they had never worked remotely before 2020. But due to the extended nature of the pandemic, most of them identify as remote workers now.
A study by the US National Library of Medicine has revealed that the ongoing pandemic has led to the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle in young adults. It results in serious health concerns, like loss of flexibility, metabolic disorders, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
Additionally, spending long hours in front of the computer has taken a toll on people’s backs. The good thing is that there are specialized lower back massagers and full-body massage chairs, which can relieve the stress and pressure on your back.
A 10-15 min massage session with a massager, and your back will thank you. You can head to Wonder Massage Chairs to check out advanced massage chairs as well as standalone massagers.
From premium zero-gravity massage chairs to dedicated foot or portable back massagers, you’ll find something suitable for your requirement. For maximum relief, you can use some accessories that will ease the pressure on your back and complement the benefits of a massage chair.
There are some underrated accessories that don’t cost as much and offer immediate pain relief. In case you can’t buy a massage chair immediately, take a look at the accessories mentioned below.
Foam Roller
It is probably the most underrated accessory as many don’t realize how much comfort a foam roller can offer. However, a word of caution, if you have lower back pain due to a fracture or superficial injury, stay away from the foam roller. If you have an injury, the foam roller will further aggravate it.
On the contrary, if you have muscular pain in your back, foam rollers are a blessing in disguise. They are especially effective if the pain is in your upper back. In case of lower back pain, use the roller on hips and thighs to ease the soft tissues and muscles tugging on the lower spine.
Knee Pillow
You must have heard that sleeping on your stomach is bad for back pain, especially lower back pain. That is because of the added pressure on the spine. Experts advise people with back pain to either sleep on their side or back. It helps reduce the pressure on the back.
However, sleeping on your side can still tug your lower back forward. To avoid discomfort and pain while sleeping on the side, ensure that your entire body touches the mattress and place a knee pillow between your knees. The pillow will improve the alignment of your spine, hip, and pelvis.
Lumbar Support
As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest causes of back pain is spending extended hours in front of a monitor in a chair or bed in bad posture. The lower portion of your spine, right above the buttocks, has a lordotic curve. That means it naturally curves inward towards your belly.
Most people have a natural tendency to lean forward or slouch when sitting for a longer duration. The posture results in the lower back being pushed out, and turning the inward curve into an outward curve. That can stress your spine, and cause serious back pain over a prolonged time.
Good lumbar support or a recliner back support cushion is designed to help improve your posture and not stress the lordotic curve. If you’re using a normal office chair, simply roll a towel and use it. It will help you avoid pain by maintaining the inward arch of your lower spine.
Standing Desk
A standing desk is a perfect solution to avoid the sedentary lifestyle that you have been maintaining for a couple of years now. According to Web MD, standing desks help you burn calories (88 calories per hour to be precise).
Sitting for long hours tends to tighten the muscles and cause back pain, especially for those who have a bad posture already. Standing desks are designed to help ease back pain. However, there’s no report on how many hours you should work standing up to reap the benefits.
Shoehorn
Last but not the least, the humble shoehorn. If you have terrible back pain, bending down to put your shoes on will be a herculean task. With age and bad posture, something as simple as slipping into your sneakers can be painstaking. That is where the shoehorn comes in.
With a long shoehorn, you can put on your shoes without having to bend or sit down. Choose a shoehorn longer than 2 feet in length so that you can use it either standing up or sitting down.
These are some of the accessories that help people with back pain. While you must still invest in a good massage chair for long-term pain relief, these accessories will ensure your pain doesn’t worsen.