At Posture & Wellness, we often recommend using seat wedges to support your body’s natural alignment and proper posture when seated. These foam wedges (which kind of look like a wedge of cheese) create a downward slope on your seat, which allows your pelvis to tilt slightly forward and support your spine’s natural curvature. In turn, this distributes your weight more evenly and reduces tension throughout the body.
But let’s examine the seat wedge in more detail! What are the exact benefits of this small but mighty tool?
The Benefits of a Seat Wedge
The seat wedge is suitable for almost anyone, even kids. For anyone that sits all day, the seat wedge can provide optimal comfort and pain prevention and relief. Here are the top benefits of using a seat wedge.
1. Prevents Back Pain
Many office workers suffer from low back pain, primarily due to sitting all day long. While breaks are definitely encouraged, improving your office, and chair setup can further help in leaps and bounds. A seat wedge positions your pelvis and spine so that pressure is taken off the low back, reducing this common complaint and making you more comfortable as you work.
2. Improves Posture
Since the seat wedge supports optimal pelvic and spinal alignment, it can also support proper posture. At the same time, it’s entirely your responsibility to sit up straight! A seat wedge won’t necessarily do the work for you, but it will help.
3. Takes Pressures Off Your Organs
When we take on a hunched and forward posture all day, we compress our digestive and respiratory organs. This may mean that we experience bloating or cramps. We may also feel more tired or fatigued due to a lack of oxygen. With a seat wedge, you’re more likely to assume a proper posture, which makes more room for your organs to function as they should. The result? Easier breathing and better digestion!
4. Alleviates Sciatic Pain
Similar to how the seat wedge takes the pressure off the low back, it can also take pressure off the sciatic nerve, reducing pain caused by this condition.
5. Improves Pelvic Support
Overall, the seat wedge supports a more comfortable pelvic position. In turn, this spills over into less stress and pressure on the back and better posture.
How to Use a Seat Wedge
The seat wedge should be angled downward from the back of the chair. You can even purchase a seat wedge in our clinic at your next appointment. These wedges may also prove useful during long drives and when sitting in the office or dining chair. Make sure your bum is sitting right to the back or it may feel as though you’re going to slip off (which we definitely don’t want!).
If you want to learn more about how you can alleviate your back pain or postural discomforts, book your FREE discovery call with your local Finsbury Park chiropractor! BOOK NOW.