The Best Lumbar Support Cushion For Home, Work, And Travel

A lumbar support pillow or cushion can add much needed support to the chairs you use, helping you to maintain a healthy posture and relieving the pressure of sitting.

My Top Pick​ Coop Home Goods Lumbar Support Cushion The Best Overall Lumbar Support Cushion for People With back pain This is a firm and breathable memory foam lumbar support cushion that will keep you cool and sitting in a healthy posture in the office or when driving. Click Here To View The Lumbar Support Cushion At Coop Home Goods

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You may have heard the phrase 'sitting is the new smoking' in the news over the past couple of years. This is because new research claims that prolonged periods of sitting can be just as harmful for our health as smoking is. Now I wouldn't go as far as that personally. But there's no doubt that sitting for long periods of time each day can play havoc with your body. And especially your back. There are three main reasons for this:

When you sit down your vertebrae become compressed and can't take in the nutrients and oxygen they need to stay healthy, which weakens your spinal discs.

Sitting down for too long weakens the muscles that support your spine such as your hips, core muscles, abs, and hamstrings.

People tend to sit with a poor posture which puts more pressure and strain on their spine.

All of these things make your spine less flexible and supported, and lead to your lower back taking on more of the load and strain throughout the day. ​So the answer is simple right? Just don't sit down as much! Unfortunately for many of us this just isn't an option, as we are forced to sit down far too much in our jobs. And even outside work, we can all be guilty of unwinding on the couch with a Netflix marathon from time to time. But there are measures you can take to minimise the damage of all this sitting down such as:

You can stay active and keep your muscles stretched and strong when not sitting.

You can take 5 minute microbreaks every hour where you get up stretch and mobilise your body.





You can invest in an ergonomic office chair which has good lumbar support.

Or you can buy a lumbar support cushion to help you maintain a healthy posture as you sit.

All of these things are helpful, but for this article I'm going to focus on the last one. So read on and find out just how a lumbar support cushion can help you at home, at work, and when on the move.

How Using A Lumbar Support Cushion Helps Your Back

It's all too easy when sitting to fall into bad habits and end up slouching all the time. And when your lower back flattens against the back of the chair in this way it creates a 'C' curve in your spine. Which throws your spine and neck out of alignment, while also increasing the strain and pressure on your back as you sit. So, what you need to aim for instead is to maintain a natural 'S' curve in your spine as you sit. And this is what a lumbar support cushion can help you to achieve. Because by placing the lumbar support cushion between the back of the chair and the small of your lower back you can stop your spine from flattening out. And not only will this lower the pressure and strain on your lower back. It also allows your back muscles to rest and relax, rather than being under constant strain. And the benefits for your back of using a lumbar support cushion have been backed up in scientific studies. For instance, research has found that people with lower back pain that used a lumbar support cushion felt more comfortable and sat with a healthier curve in their spine. And using a lumbar support cushion is also commonly recommended by physicians and chiropractors. So they can be an affordable way of minimising back pain from prolonged periods of sitting.

The Best Lumbar Support Cushion For Your Office Chair

If you work in an office and have to sit in a desk chair for the whole of your working day then you have it tough. As even just a couple of hours at a time can take it's toll on your body and make your back pain a hell of a lot worse. So what can you do about it?​ The first thing I'd always recommend is buying yourself an ergonomic office chair. As these have built in lumbar support, great pressure relieving qualities, and can be fully adjusted to fit your exact body shape. And this helps you to sit with a good posture throughout the day, taking the strain off your back, neck, and shoulders. However while these chairs are a great investment, they are also an expensive one. So, if you want to save money and add good lumbar support to your current office chair instead, then buying a lumbar support cushion is a great option. As this will also encourage you to sit with a healthy posture and relieve some of the pressure of sitting. And a good one for office chairs is the Coop Home Goods Lumbar Support Cushion. This is good because it contains a firmer memory foam and an orthopedic design which stops your back from flattening out and gives you good support. And the memory foam is ventilated and infused with bamboo charcoal, which keeps it cool throughout the day so it won't feel hot and sweaty against your back. It also comes with an adjustable strap to keep it in the right place against your chair. So, it's a solid option to improve the health of your back at work.

The Best Lumbar Support Cushion For Your Sofa

Having an active and outdoor lifestyle is a wonderful thing, especially for your back. I spent a year in Australia in my younger years and I absolutely loved the lifestyle over there. Clocking off from work then heading to the beach for a swim, barbecue, and to hang out with friends was an amazing and surreal experience for a boy from London. And the weekends were spent outside too, going on hikes, taking trips, playing football, the works.​ It was so healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally, and I never heard a peep from my back. But lets's face it, you need the climate and location to make that kind of lifestyle work. And unfortunately for 95% of us, the climate where we live makes it almost impossible to get out and about this much. So instead you are forced to spend time indoors, and I'm guessing most of us end up sat on our couches for hours on end every night. Now I'm as guilty of a Netflix binge or watching 3 football matches back-to-back as the next person. But too much time on your couch can destroy your back. This is because most couches are built for comfort rather than support. So we end up sinking in to them and sitting or laying down in ways that throw our spines completely out of alignment.​ Now using a lumbar support cushion won't magically turn your sofa into an oasis for your back. But it can help you to sit with a better posture and minimise the damage of those TV marathons. And a good cushion to get to use at home is the LoveHome Memory Foam Lumbar Support Cushion. As this is soft, super comfortable, and will relieve pressure by keeping your spine in a nice shape as you sit. But for the sake of your back you should still try and limit the time you spend sitting on your couch. Rather than using your lumbar support cushion as a reason to spend more time sitting on it!

The Best Lumbar Support Cushion For Driving

People that have to drive for a living have it even worse than office workers. This is because on top of the extended periods of sitting down, they are also exposed to whole body vibrations from the vehicles they drive. And these vibrations get absorbed by your body, placing extra pressure on your already compressed spinal discs. In fact, people exposed to whole body vibrations have been found to be four times more likely to develop lower back pain. And these vibrations are even worse if you drive bigger vehicles such as trucks or buses. Another problem with driving is that most cars, vans, and trucks don't have seats with the right amount of lumbar support. And because of this they can force you into an uncomfortable posture as you drive, which increases the pressure on your lower back. So this is where a good lumbar support cushion can help. As by placing it between the small of your back and the car seat as you drive, it will help you to keep the healthy 'S' curve in your spine. And one I'd recommend for drivers is the Coop Home Goods Lumbar Support Cushion. As this one comes with an adjustable strap that holds it in place while your vehicle is moving (and vibrating!). It's also made from a bamboo charcoal memory foam that is comfortable on long drives, but also provides the right amount of support. And the memory foam is ventilated too, so it's breathable which will ensure you don't get too hot behind the wheel either. So, all in all it's a good choice for any long drive.

The Best Lumbar Support Cushion For Flying

Air travel can be a nightmare at the best of times, especially for people that suffer from back pain. As being cramped in uncomfortable airplane chairs for hours on end, wedged in uncomfortably close to the people next to you, is far from ideal. And it can make sitting with a healthy posture really difficult to achieve. But using a lumbar support cushion for your flight can really help to reduce the amount of discomfort and back pain you feel. As it can stop your back flattening against your chair, relieving some of the pressure on your lower and upper back. Now carrying a regular lumbar support cushion onto a flight is probably not a good idea, as they are too big and bulky. And you need that space in your hand luggage for other things. So a good way to get around this is to buy an inflatable lumbar support cushion instead.​ As not only are they easier to pack and carry, they also provide a similar level of support once inflated. And one I'd recommend is the Relax The Back self-inflatable lumbar pillow. As it's self-inflating and you can adjust it easily so it gives you the right level of support. Also, once deflated it can be rolled and stored easily in your travel bag. So, it's perfect for people on the move. And you can also use it for train and coach journeys as well as flights, and even on trips to the theater and movies too. So, it's a great choice to help you to sit with more comfort wherever you are.

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