Credits: Social Media
Study finds link between sitting in the wrong size chair and bad heart health
From working at a desk to watching TV and eating dinner, we spend most of our lives sitting in chairs, and a new study has highlighted the importance of choosing the right one.
It found that sitting in the wrong size chair can have a disastrous impact on your health, especially when it comes to your heart.
Wrong size chair and bad heart health
HSL Chairs teamed up with the University of Leeds on the Spring 2023 study, which researched the health effects of sitting in the wrong size chair.
Researchers asked a wide range of participants to spend equal amounts of time sitting in three different sizes of the brand’s Burrows Relax chair and found that the correct size reduces your blood pressure by 10%, lowers your heart rate by 6% and increases tissue oxygenation by more than 2%.
Reducing blood pressure, lowering your heart rate and increasing tissue oxygenation all have great health benefits.
- MORE HEART HEALTH: Heart surgeon says two people could benefit from taking a low dose of aspirin daily
Having high blood pressure causes the heart to work harder, which can lead to serious health problems including heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney failure, MedlinePlus explains. Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.
A heart that beats too fast, known as tachycardia, is also a cause for concern, says Cleveland Clinic. A heart rate over 100 beats per minute when you are at rest could mean your heart can’t supply your cells with the blood and oxygen they need.
Tissue oxygenation is the process that occurs when oxygen molecules enter our tissue, Redox Biology explains. Increasing it�can help maintain healthy muscles by bringing a continuous supply of�oxygen�to our cells.
“Even sitting involves physical effort and if the chair is the right size the physical effort is reduced. This results in a number of physiological benefits and ultimately a restful sit and reduction in fatigue,” said lead researcher Dr Andrea Utley, from the University of Leeds.
How to choose the right size chair
Occupational therapist Julie Jennings (Dip, COT, HCPC) explains that there are four stages to choosing the right size chair.
1. Neck support
The chair should keep your head in a neutral and stationary position which doesn’t tilt or strain your neck muscles. Select one with a high, padded back that keeps your head fully supported. Your eye line should be level and shoulders relaxed, reducing tension in the upper body and encouraging proper neck and shoulder alignment.
2. Back support
It needs to provide ample support to your back too, with cushioning that prevents slouching and straining the lower back. Make sure the chair supports the natural curvature of your spine to stop you from hunching over or realigning your posture, which should be avoided even when sitting for a short amount of time.
3. Hip support
Your bottom should fit snugly into the base of the chair to support your hips, with your lower back pushing up against the back of the seat. Make sure there is enough cushioning and your knees are aligned with your hips to reduce any pressure in your lumbar region, which consists of five bones in your lower back.
4. Adjustability
Finally, everybody is different, so the chair must be adjustable to suit your own body shape and provide the most possible comfort. In an office environment, choose an ergonomic chair which has many different heights and adjustments, while recliners are a great idea if you are at home relaxing or watching TV.
- PROTECT YOUR HEART: Drinking three cups of coffee per day lowers heart disease risk, study finds
