News

Mar 28, 2013

 

Back App chair use shown to ‘siginficantly’ reduce lower back pain.
In difficult economic times, the last thing UK businesses need is staff absent or underperforming because of back pain.

According  to NHS research, back pain is the most common reason for people to miss work and when at work, it can also affect concentration and productivity.

Most people will suffer from back pain at some point in their life. It is triggered by several factors but one of the most common is sitting badly or awkwardly, or slouching in chairs.

Mike Dilke, owner of Back App UK says:
“A study carried out by physiotherapists at Limerick University compared the use of the Back App with the widespread,  ‘standard’ office chair with an adjustable back and arm rests.

Twenty-one people did a one hour typing exercise with a laptop and mouse at a typical office desk, and their experience was recorded. What scientists found was that using the Back App significantly reduced lower back pain but there was increased lower back pain on the standard chair.

Overall, the trend was for more general body discomfort on the standard chair and a lot less when using Back App.”

 

About the Back App Chairs:
Back App is a ‘saddle’ seated chair without a back rest, which moves around to various degrees via a ball at the base. The movement varies from slight (‘green’ zone) to dynamic (‘red’ zone).

Unlike the standard chair, which is stable and sets your hips at a 90 degree angle, the Back App seat sets the hips at a larger angle. This means there is less muscle effort to hold the body upright, as the spine’s position is similar to when you are standing and this has the same, less stressful effect on the back muscles.

Scientists also recommend that movement helps with back pain and the saddle is constantly moving.

Mike added that another advantage of using the Back App is that it can also increases alertness and productivity at work – something most of us could do with from time to time:

“Using the Back App is all about prevention as well as treatment. It can help reduce lower back pain in those already suffering from it, but it can also prevent its development over time, which is something many of us will have to deal with at some point in our lives…”