Recliner Sofas add style and comfort to your room. There is nothing more peaceful than relaxing on your recliner after a long, tiring day at work. However, there are many health problems associated with recliner sofas.
When relaxing, we don’t even think that our cozy recliners can have any bad effects. And after some times, when we suffer from various back issues, we can’t find the reason behind it. The main question is, are recliner sofas good for your back? Let’s find out.
Some recliner sofa designs may trigger knee pain and backaches. They are bad for extended sleeping because prolonged sleeping on recliners may cause knee and hip contractures.
However, a little modification in the design of the recliner can eliminate most of the problems associated with it.
This article deals with many important points such as the effect of recliner sofas on your back, and how buying a recliner sofa may affect your health.
There are many health benefits to buying a recliner sofa. Read on to more about recliner sofas and whether they are good for your back. After reading this article, you will also know how to buy a recliner sofa which won’t hurt your back.
The Impact of Recliner Sofas on Your Back
Recliner Sofas that provide lumbar support are good for your back as they raise your feet above the level of your heart. This position enables your lower body to relax. Some of the recliners provide lower back support while others do not. So, are recliner sofas any good?
The answer lies in the material, structure, and the lumbar support of your recliner sofa. The best way to test the lumbar support is to check whether there is a gap between the lower back and the sofa when you put your legs up. If it has a gap, then the recliner sofa does not have adequate lumbar support.
Buying a recliner sofa that does not have proper lumbar support may cause a severe backache, neck pain, leg ache, and several other complications in the future.
Contrary to popular belief, recliner sofas have numerous health benefits too. You will be delighted to know that reclining sofas can be useful for your back also. How? Your back muscles are always engaged in establishing the balance between our upper body and lower body, but when you use a recliner sofa, it helps your back and nervous system to rest.
Moreover, when you put your feet up in a recliner sofa, it enables the blood to travel to your upper body so that the stress of your lower body can be reduced. It also facilitates the blood flow to the lower body, thus helping the muscles and tendons to heal.
Recliner Sofas also enhance your circulation thus alleviating muscle cramps and body ache. They are useful for people who have arthritis and pregnant women who find it difficult to sleep in a bed. The reclined position eliminates the pain by relaxing the muscles around it. Furthermore, the doctors may recommend the patients of osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis to use recliners for taking rest because of its ability to elevate the head and knees.
Other health impacts of recliner sofas
Sleeping on a recliner sofa has also alleviated problems such as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. The Heart Bypass Patients and the patients of sleep apnea have reported better sleep in a recliner than in bed. Resting on recliners is also good for the people who have undergone shoulder surgery or hip replacement surgery.
Recliner Sofas are also thought to be the primary cause of digestion problems because most people tend to slump or slouch during a meal. They watch television while lying on their recliners and then they eat. This position can make the acid come up, which may lead to inflammation, discomfort, and digestion disorders. It can cause many other health issues such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and even colitis.
How is sleeping in a recliner different from sleeping in a bed?
While sleeping, the spinal cord is in a horizontal position whereas when you are standing or sitting, your spinal cord is in a vertical position. Thus, when you are sleeping, your spinal cord can relax because the fluid can return to your spinal discs.
Sleeping in a recliner while it is in an upright position creates pressure on the spinal cord as it remains vertical. However, if you sleep while reclining the sofa and elevating your feet, you have fewer chances of affecting your spinal cord than in the condition as mentioned above.
Also, the people who sleep on their backs will find recliners extremely comfortable. But the people who sleep on their sides or stomach will find their beds more comfortable than their recliner sofas.
So, are recliner sofas good or bad?
Whether the reclining sofas are good or bad for you depends on factors such as how you are using it, for how long you are sitting on it and your posture. Ideally, you should change your position in 30-60 minutes so that you do not put too much pressure on only one area of the body.
How to buy a recliner sofa which will not hurt your back?
There are certain things that you need to consider while buying a recliner sofa so that it does not hurt your back. Some of them have been given below:
● Body size: Ensure that your recliner sofa is in accordance with your body size. Ensure that your feet touch the floor while you sit on it and that your head fits the headrest. The gap between the recliner sofa and the leg rest should be 5 inches or less.
● Durability: While buying a recliner sofa, the most critical question that you need to ask the salesman is: are recliner sofas durable? Most of the people complain of neck ache and backache as their recliner sofa gets old. So, durability is one of the most critical factors for ensuring that you do not have backaches after using your recliner sofa.
● Material: It is essential to consider the right material for your recliner sofa. While choosing the material for your reclining sofa, ensure that it is comfortable as well as stylish. Do not spend your money on materials that are only aesthetically pleasing.
massage recliner
● Opt for massage recliners: If you have a backache, you can opt for massage recliners. They can heal your muscle pain and spasms. However, massage recliners are not suitable for back injuries.
Different types of recliner sofas are available in the market. They have different sets of advantages as well as disadvantages. So, while you are buying recliner sofas, you should pay close attention to its features. If you are buying it online, then read the reviews of others who have ordered it.
Are power motion recliners useful for a backache?
Is the power recliner sofa good or bad? If you have been continuously wondering about this, then we have certain points for your consideration. Unlike the manual recliners, the power motion recliner sofas allow you a wide range of reclining positions with the touch of a button. The power reclining sofa also works well for back pain. All the parts of the power recliner move independently which means that the footrest can be moved irrespective of the position of the headrest.
Power reclining sofas offer a more extensive variety of reclining positions than the manual recliners. Their parts can be manipulated according to your convenience. Thus, they can be useful for backaches as they allow you to relax according to your comfort. Moreover, power recliners are ideal for persons with disabilities and older people as they do not require the exertion of physical strength to be operated.
recliner sofa for backache
Also, the power recliners are more durable than the manual recliners because they are operated electrically which means that there are less wear and tear of the recliner.
These recliners can be used to alleviate backache and pain in the lower back effectively. Most physicians recommend power recliners to the senior citizens for their backache. Studies show that an angle of 110 to 130 degrees is the best for reclined sitting. So, the older people can easily adjust their reclining chair so that they can maintain a proper posture while reclining.
Using a recliner sofa specially designed for a backache
Nowadays, reclining sofas are specially designed to relieve backaches. Are our recliner sofas any good for your condition? You can consult a medical practitioner to get an answer to your question. These recliner sofas, coupled with physiotherapy can go a long way in healing your backache.
Sitting in a recliner position is far healthier than sitting upright. Sitting upright puts a lot of strain on your back which can increase your chances of experiencing chronic backache. Reclining also puts less stress on the ligaments of the spine than sitting upright. Thus, recliner sofas can be useful for you if you have a backache or if your work demands seated for long periods.
How reclining sofas are useful for people who need to sit for long periods?
While you are standing, the weight of your upper body is absorbed by the pelvis and the lower body, but when you are sitting, your spine absorbs the weight of your upper body.
Therefore, the optimum use of reclining sofas can reduce your backache and deal with many other health issues.
