Lounging Around

When buying a couch, style and design is important, but finding one that will also help keep your back and spine protected is even more vital.

While your soft, low, modern sofa might look beautiful and feel amazing to sink into, it may actually be bad for your health. 

So, what should you look for in the structure of a couch to determine if it is right for your back? The key thing is whether it will support your lower back adequately to prevent you from slouching. Sitting in a slouched position, for as little as 10 minutes can result in increased stretching of the spinal ligaments, muscles and spinal discs as well as inciting muscle spasm. This can lead to micro-damage or strain to these soft tissues without you being aware of it. 

And, while we already know that spending too long sitting down is no good for us in the long-term, how we sit can be just as bad. When you sit on the couch, your knees should bend to a 90o angle and most of your thighs should be supported by the seat. 

If you curl up with your knees to one side and your spine curved in an S shape; or you slouch, where you sit so far back that your spine is slumped and your feet barely touch the floor you are creating problems for your body. Sitting in either position, over time, builds up the pressure on your discs, muscles and ligaments, increasing the chances of back, neck, hip, knee, shoulder and sciatic pain. It can even lead to digestive problems due to slumping during or straight after a meal causing stomach acid to flow upwards, creating inflammation and discomfort. 

You don’t have to give up style and fashion in order to get a couch that is also great for your back. Just make sure you shop around and select one that not only looks good, but provides the support that your body needs. 

Photo From ACA campaign