Blog

You Sit More Than You Sleep

Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between sitting for long periods of time and lower back pain.

You Sit More than you sleep primary

Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between sitting for long periods of time and lower back pain. In the U.S. alone, about 96 million individuals suffer from chronic to mild back pain. While in turn, 79% of the United States work force sits for 8 hours each day.

What does this mean in the grand scheme? This quick, animated TED Ed video helps explain. The office is an incubator for lower back pain and back problems. Thus by manipulating ergonomics and creating an office chair that supports the lower back (sacral-pelvic region) properly we can work toward eliminating lower back problems caused by excessive sitting and inactivity while working.

You sit more than you sleep body spine

In 2000, Herman Miller's PostureFit, an important, patented ergonomic feature, was developed. With a goal of supporting the lower back through comfort, working with the body for natural movement and lumbar control, Herman Miller's engineers teamed with Dr. Brock Walker (a back care specialist with patents in ergonomics and biomechanics) and Bill Stumpf (a co-designer of the Aeron chair). With Stumpf's expertise in design, Dr. Walker's knowledge in back care and pelvic alignment and Herman Miller's knowledgeable engineers, the team set out to implement an ergonomic feature that aligned the pelvis with the spine and supported the lower back. The design of the Aeron Chair with PostureFit was the result.

When Herman Miller's Aeron Chair hit the market, it demanded attention. It was unlike the bulky, foam padded office chairs seen on the market. The Aeron chair was sleek, contoured, sophisticated and enhanced ergonomically. To this day the Aeron Chair is the best selling Office Chair on the market.

You Sit more than you sleep body chair

When Herman Miller's Aeron Chair hit the market, it demanded attention. It was unlike the bulky, foam padded office chairs seen on the market. The Aeron chair was sleek, contoured, sophisticated and enhanced ergonomically. To this day the Aeron Chair is the best selling Office Chair on the market.

PostureFit technologies can be found within every Herman Miller Task Chair including the Aeron, Mirra 2, Celle, Embody and SAYL chairs. Through sleek contours and curvature, these Task chairs work to promote natural spinal alignment and muscle balance even when the user is in upright or forward leaning positions.

Did you know that back pain is the number one reason people miss work and will be the number one cause for permanent disability for more than 80 million baby boomers in the next two decades? Investing in lumbar support, natural spine alignment and overall comfort can help us to avoid the high costs of back pain down the road.

Experience Herman Miller's ergonomic PostureFit feature for yourself through the Try-A-Chair program. It makes it easy for you to test out a new Herman Miller office chair for not just a few minutes, but for a week, month or longer to familiarize yourself with the chair and see how it fits your body, your work, and your space. A quick visit to Intereum's showroom can help you get started!