Win A Free ...

At the Healthy Back Store we love a good contest and we love giving away prizes. This month we are giving away a Healthy Back SleepSystem 10" Queen Set + 2 Healthy Back Neck Pillows (valued at $1500). But you've got to hurry - the deadline for entries is 9/15/2011.

The Healthy Back SleepSystem™ is a mattress designed by back specialists for back pain sufferers. The Lyocell fabric cover contains a moisture absorbing Tricot layer designed to help wick heat and moisture away from the body allowing the user's body to regulate naturally to resting temperature. This mattress adds an additional two inches of our advanced Zero-Pressure™ foam to our 8 inch model to provide you with an even more plush and luxurious feel with double the support, creating the perfect combination of soft and firm. While the Zero-Pressure™ foam cushions your body in a state of comfort and pressure-relief, the eight-inch layer of supportive base memory foam will support your back and keep your spine aligned. The Healthy Back SleepSystem™10 is the perfect option for couples who just can't decide between a soft mattress or a firm mattress.

Features Include:

• 2" layer of comfort Zero-Pressure™ memory foam
• 8" layer of supportive base memory foam
• Removable and washable velour cover made of Lyocell fabric with inner moisture absorbing Tricot layer
• No flip, rotate, or turn mattress

Check out what one customer had to say about this Healthy Back exclusive. "This mattress is amazing! You want to spend more money on a Tempur-pedic? Go ahead! I'll keep my Healthy Back 10" Mattress, knowing that I am getting the best sleep I've ever had, and a lot of money left over for other things." - Kelemihnl, CA.

Best thing to do ... sign up before it's too late!
Healthy Back SleepSystem Contest

 

Stretch goals at the office

Stretching is the process of putting particular parts of the body into a position that will lengthen or elongate the muscles and associated tissues. The Healthy Back Store recognizes the importance of stretching as it relates to one’s health and fitness, especially in our increasingly sedentary lives. Sitting at a desk and in front of computer monitors for long hours each day can affect one’s health and has a serious impact on the body’s flexibility, even for individuals who exercise regularly.

By undertaking a regular stretching regimen a number of changes begin to occur within the body and specifically within the muscles themselves. A regular stretching routine can produce the following benefits:

• Reduced muscle tension (stress relief)
• Increased range of movement in the joints
• Enhanced muscular coordination
• Increased circulation of the blood to various parts of the body
• Increased energy levels (resulting from increased circulation)

There are a number of stretches that you can do while at your desk including:

• Touch the Sky: Reach your arms up to the sky and as far back as you can safely go. You can try grasping like you’re trying to reach the stars.
• Side Stretch: While standing, reach your one arm over head and to the opposite side. You can keep the other hand on your hip or in the air.
• Touch Your Toes: Take off your shoes if you can. Wiggle your toes. Bend at the hip and reach for your toes. Bending your knees is OK.
• Shoulder Opener: Lean your palms against the wall above your head and bending at the hip to stretch out your shoulders and back.

While stretching can be done at the desk, the Healthy Back Store also suggests incorporating ergonomic furniture or accessories into the office to help alleviate many of the pains associated with sitting all day. At the Healthy Back Store you’ll find executive chairs with built in lumbar support to maintain proper spinal alignment and task chairs with recline action, contoured cushions, responsive backrests. These chairs provide ergonomic support while promoting movement, allowing you to stretch comfortably. Even something as small as a footrest reminds you to sit all the way back in your chair, allowing the chair to take some of the strain and stress off of your back.

Men Can Get Osteoporosis Too

by Bobby Bennett

Most people don't think that men develop osteoporosis. This disease, in which bone becomes thin and fragile and can fracture easily, is mostly associated with women. Doctors don't often discuss the issue with their male patients. But men can get the hip and other bone fractures that come with osteoporosis, too, and it's no less painful or debilitating for them than it is for women.

Men are usually diagnosed with osteoporosis only when they have fractured a bone. Men don't generally experience the rapid bone loss in their 50's that women do, but by age 65 or 70, they are losing bone mass at the same rate as women. Hip fractures occur at older ages in men, which might explain why men who break a hip are more likely to die of complications than women. More than half of all men who suffer a hip fracture go from the hospital to a nursing home, and 79 percent of those who survive for one year still live in nursing homes or intermediate care facilities.

Scientists are trying to learn more about the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of osteoporosis and its related fractures in men as well as in women. In 1999, NIH's National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and two other NIH components, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), launched a seven-year study that is following 5,700 men, age 65 or older. "Mr. OS," as it is called, aims to determine the extent to which the risk of fractures in men is related to bone mass and other factors such as their bone structure, lifestyle and tendency to fall.

In the NCI component of "Mr. OS," scientists are trying to answer the question of whether having a high bone mass is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. In women, if you have a high bone mass, you have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. Both types of cancers are thought to be associated with your whole lifetime exposure to the sex hormones your own body makes.

NIH's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is also supporting a part of "Mr. OS" that is looking at the role of sleep in the health of older men.

Men are more likely than women to have a high risk of fracture due to secondary causes, like a specific disease (such as celiac disease, in which a person's intolerance to a protein found in wheat and other grains interferes with their intestinal absorption of calcium) or taking medications that can affect bone mass (like the steroids used to treat asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases). Knowledge of the diseases and conditions that can affect bone mass can help to prevent men as well as women from reaching the point of fracture before diagnosis.

Getting enough calcium is very important for preventing osteoporosis. Adults 19 - 50 years old need 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium every day; those over 50 need 1,200 mg. The best way to get enough calcium is through your diet. Buy fortified orange juice and cereals, and eat lots of green leafy vegetables and low-fat dairy products like cheese, milk, ice cream and yogurt.

You should also get enough vitamin D. If you spend 15 minutes outside in the sun each day, your body should make enough on its own. If you have limited sun exposure, scientists currently recommend 200 to 400 international units (IU) if you are under age 70 and 600 if you are over.

It's also important to do regular weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, tennis, weight training and dancing. These exercises may strengthen your bones and may also help with your balance. That will reduce your risk of falling and thus reduce your chances of breaking a bone.

If you already have osteoporosis, doctors are prescribing most of the same medications that they are giving to women. Alendronate (brand name Fosamax) and risedronate (brand name Actonel) both now come in a once-a-week pill. But they can cause problems with your stomach or esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth with the stomach) if not taken exactly as directed. The Food and Drug Administration has approved teriparatide (brand name Forteo) only for those who are at high risk of fracture; the drug must be injected daily for no longer than two years. Be sure to talk with your doctor about your options.

When should I replace my mattress?

The easiest way to know whether it is time to replace your mattress is to ask yourself how you slept last night. Although the Better Sleep Council recommends you replace your mattress every five to seven years, many people sleep on a mattress that isn't worn out but that should be replaced because it doesn't fit them correctly.

There are several reasons why a mattress might not fit you correctly anymore. The most important is the mattress doesn't provide proper support for the body's spinal alignment which causes you to wake up with discomfort, pain, or the need to wake and stretch out kinks and stiffness. Secondly, the mattress doesn't have the right type or number of pressure relief layers on top of the support layer which can create pressure points causing you to toss and turn, interrupting sleep and leaving you feeling un-refreshed in the morning.

Dealing with chronic pain

A large number of people in the United States suffer from chronic pain, pain that just won't go away. Chronic back and neck pain will last beyond the expected healing time and often interfere with daily life. Whatever the cause of chronic pain, feelings of frustration, anger and fear can make it more intense. Aside from physical treatments, there are a number of psychological methods of paint management, such as relaxation, biofeedback, and imagery that may provide relief and should be discussed with your health care professional.

Relaxation is one of the simplest, but rarely followed, methods of relieving bodily pain. Concentration and slow, deep breathing can release tension from muscles and relieve pain. The Healthy Back Store offers a wide selection of relaxation products including our massage chair inventory featuring brands like Inada and Human Touch. These highly sought after personal massage chairs can be assigned to target the parts of your body that need the most attention, while sending your entire body into a state of pure relaxation.

Other techniques like biofeedback can be taught by a health care professional who uses special machines to help you learn to control your mind and body, such as heart rate and muscle tension. As you begin to release muscle tension, the machine immediately indicates appropriately. Once the technique is mastered, it can be practiced without the use of the machine and help of the professional.

Muscle tension is more commonly relieved using inversion tables and inversion therapy. By using an inversion table, available at the Healthy Back Store, for just five minutes a day, you will align your body with the downward force of gravity, which will increase the space between your vertebrae, relieving pressure on the areas in your back that are in pain such as the discs, ligaments, and nerve roots.

There are also a number of distraction techniques that will help you focus your attention away from the pain and towards more pleasant subjects. This can be as simple as watching television, reading a book, or listening to music, but can also be practiced through imagery or hypnosis. Imagery involves concentrating on mental pictures of pleasant scenes or events to reduce pain. Hypnosis can be practiced through the use of a therapist or by learning the methods of self-hypnosis which can be utilized when pain interrupts.

Individual, group, or family therapy may be useful for those whose pain has not responded to physical methods. People who suffer from chronic pain often experience emotional stress and depression. Therapy can help you cope with these feelings, making it easier to manage your pain.

All these psychological methods of pain-relief are an excellent complimentary tool to physical Healthy Back products. Be sure to take a look at our selection of back- and neck-care products to find the perfect option for you.

What is Sciatica?

Image via WikipediaSciatica is a symptom of a problem with the sciatic nerve, a large nerve that runs from the lower back down the back of each leg. It controls muscles in the back of your knee and lower leg and provides feeling to the back of your thigh, part of your lower leg and the sole of your foot. When you have sciatica, you have pain, weakness, numbness or tingling. It can start in the lower back and extend down your leg to your calf, foot, or even your toes. It's usually on only one side of your body.

Sciatica may be due to a ruptured intervertebral disk, narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerve called spinal stenosis, or an injury such as a pelvic fracture. In many cases no cause can be found.

Sometimes sciatica goes away on its own. Treatment, if needed, depends on the cause of the problem. It may include exercises, medicines, and surgery.

Acute versus chronic back pain

Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years. Chronic pain is measured by duration, pain that persists for more than 3 months is considered chronic. There may have been an initial mishap – sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain – arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.

Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States; only the headache is more common. Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days, but others can take much longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions.

Back pain is generally categorized as Acute or Chronic. Acute or short-term back pain typically lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is mechanical in nature and is the result of a trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues. While acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different.

Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years. Chronic pain is measured by duration, pain that persists for more than 3 months is considered chronic. There may have been an initial mishap – sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain – arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.

Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States; only the headache is more common. Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days, but others can take much longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions. Back pain is generally categorized as Acute or Chronic. Acute or short-term back pain typically lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is mechanical in nature and is the result of a trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues. While acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different.

Tips for better sleep

Do you have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep? Do you wake up tired and feel like you have to nap during the day? Even with a top-of-the-line memory foam or latex mattress, sleep can still be difficult for a number of reasons such as stress and poor day-to-day habits. Whatever it is, bad sleep does more than just make you tired; it aversely affects your health and cognitive capacity.

Fortunately, there are numerous methods to improve your sleep that are simple, easy, and do not involve a prescription.

Try out these suggestions and start experiencing a deeper, more fulfilling nights sleep.

• Try to keep a regular sleep pattern by habitually going to bed and waking at the same time every day‚ even on weekends and vacations. After some time, your body will naturally get accustomed to your sleep cycle and it will become easier to have a good nights rest.
• Avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening. Coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and medications that contain caffeine stimulate your body and mind and can keep you from falling asleep and sleeping soundly. Even though alcohol can make you feel sleepy, drinking around bedtime can also disturb sleep.
• Regular daytime exercise can improve nighttime sleep, but since it too can be stimulating and keep you up, avoid exercising within 3 hours of bedtime.
• Avoid daytime naps, which can skew your body’s notion of sleep and thus interfere with nighttime sleep. If you feel you cannot get by without a nap, set an alarm for 1 hour or less and get up immediately when it goes off.
• Reserve your bed for sleeping. Your body and mind need to associate your bed with healthy sleep, and watching late news, reading a suspense novel, or working on your laptop in bed can keep you up later than expected and stimulate your mind, making it hard to fall asleep. If you want to perform late night activities in bed, try utilizing a backrest or leg rest to put your body in an optimal position for comfort and health.
• Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. There are specialized mattresses available, such as our Healthy Back Pure Latex line, which are designed to cool your body a crucial few degrees if you get too hot during the night.
• Sleep with a ‘Hot Water Bottle’. This method, popular in the United Kingdom and Europe, provides comfort and warmth in your bed, and can help alleviate sore joints and muscles. The Hotties Micro Hottie is the market leader for hot water bottle type products, and is available at the Healthy Back Store.
• Avoid liquids and spicy meals before bed. Heartburn and late night trips to the bathroom are not conducive to good sleep.
• Instead of working right up to bedtime, try performing relaxing activities such as listening to soft music or taking a warm bath to get you ready to sleep. These processes help your body and mind wind down from a hectic day, and a warm bath also may soothe aching muscles.

Yoga may reduce lower back pain

According to a recent study reported by HealthDay News, people who practiced yoga experienced a decrease in chronic lower back pain marked by less discomfort and feelings of depression in just six months.

In the study led by Kimberly Williams, a research assistant professor in the department of community medicine at West Virginia University, researchers divided 90 people, aged 23 to 66 and who had mild to moderate functional disability as a result of chronic lower back pain into two groups. One group did 90-minute sessions of Iyengar yoga twice a week for six months. The other group continued their normal routine of medical therapy or treatment.

Iyengar yoga, a form of hatha yoga that is becoming very popular in the United States, builds strength, flexibility and body alignment through a series of specific poses aided by props. These props help minimize the likelihood of injury or strain, and allow disabled and elderly participants to achieve beneficial positions that would be difficult on their own.

The study found that at the three-month and six-month marks, a greater proportion of those who had participated in yoga reported improvements in their pain and functionality than those who had not.

“I have found yoga and Pilates are great for chronic lower back pain,” Dr. Todd J. Albert, chairman of the department of orthopedics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, said. “There is so much concentration on core strengthening, which is critical for people who have been de-conditioned. Lower back pain can cause people to stop exercising because of discomfort or fear of causing further injury to their back. The lack of activity can cause the back muscles to become ‘de-conditioned’ or weakened, setting up conditions for even more chronic pain.”

“Exercises such as yoga help reverse muscle weakness by strengthening the mid-section, including the back extensors, abdominals and gluteus, which are key for stabilizing the trunk and decreasing the load on the spine. Strengthening those muscles is like creating a brace around your torso,” Albert explained.

Perhaps the most surprising finding of the study was that the yoga participants also reported fewer symptoms of depression. “There is so much data excitingly pointing to the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual benefits of yoga,” said Mary Lou Galantino, a professor of physical therapy at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. “ I also believe there’s a social aspect to yoga. It can foster a sense of community and overarching well-being”. According to Galantino, the “holistic approach to one’s well being” through “proper breathing, postures, and meditation” is what alleviates depression for many people who are and are not experiencing chronic pain or a disability.

Galantino’s one worry is that “if we westernize it and make it solely an athletic program, then you may not receive all of the benefits.” According to Williams’ research, this worry can be hushed at least for now, as her participants who practiced yoga consistently felt better both physically and mentally in a matter of months.

There are many alternative ways to treat lower back pain, which represents between 20% and 25% of medical claims and exceeds $34 billion in annual direct medical costs, other than yoga, and even participants who do practice the ancient exercise should supplement it with other types treatment. Fortunately, there are numerous easy methods to help with nagging back pain all day including ergonomic office chairs, on-the-go Lumbar Supports, and state-of-the-art home massage chairs. However, if you are looking for real treatment of lower back pain instead of just alleviating it, a spine-straightening inversion table is what you need. All of these products, including an assortment of exercise products from mats to props for Iyengar yoga, are available at HealthyBack.com. Take your first step towards a painless, healthier, and perhaps even happier future.

Rock your office like a BOSS

Find comfort in your office... like a BOSS. Classic tall back executive style and presence never felt so good! Imposing height, ergonomic comfort - perfect for directing your minions. We bring you : The Presider, learn more here. or buy it here.

Chill(ow) out!

Beat the heat and cool down your aches and pains with the Chillow. Be the first to write a review on the product page then post on our Facebook wall and we'll send you an extra one as a thank you!

The best latex bed collection for back relief

Over the years buying a mattress has become a major investment. There is the cost associated with a new bed purchase, but also the important personal cost of selecting the right mattress for each individuals needs. And when considering that most mattresses last upwards of 10 years, selecting a bed that fulfills these ever-changing needs is crucial. The challenge becomes- finding the world’s best bed!

The Healthy Back Bliss Pristine Pure Latex is the top-of-the-line mattress and they are certain there is nothing in the world quite like it. Composed of Natural Talalay Latex, the finest and most durable latex material in the world and proudly produced in the United States, the Pristine is made of an unprecedented 100% premium latex. In all, the full 12 inches of this uniquely blended latex provide the most luxurious and plush mattress available. Containing three specialized layers that provide optimal balance and pressure relief, support, and durability throughout the night and the lifetime of the mattress.

Win a better nights' sleep!

Don't miss your chance to win a brand new 10" HealthyBack SleepSystem, complete with 2 free neck pillows! Click here to enter.

How do you choose the perfect mattress in just one visit to a store?

Well, at Healthy Back - we hope that our ergonomic experts can accurately select the best bed for your comfort and back relief needs (that's why we have such a long - 180 day - comfort guarantee). But even that is not enough for some picky sleepers. Check out this article about spending the entire night in a Healthy Back store to choose the perfect mattress!

Back to the salt mines...

Now that we're back to work after our relaxing 3 day weekend, here's a tip for all you computer jockeys. A good rule of thumb is to adjust your desk height to about 27 inches. This will help you relax your shoulders and reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Back pain and hot weather

When you're out enjoying your July 4th weekend, make sure to stay hydrated! Even mild dehydration can exacerbate back pain.

Get Social, get an amazing free massage chair

Want to win an incredible $4,999 HT-9500 Human Touch Massage Chair? Just visit a Healthy Back Store and post a photo to your Facebook page and tag us! Check out the rules and details here.

Tips for Painless Travel

Traveling can be a pain in the neck … literally.
The stress of planning, packing, and sitting for prolonged periods of time can leave you both mentally and physically strained.

The number one complaint by plane, train, and automobile travelers when describing the onset of what ails them most while traveling is back pain caused by sitting for too long. Luckily, the pain associated with sitting can be greatly reduced and in many cases avoided with a few affordable accessories.

Consider traveling with a lumbar support, like the Healthy Back Deluxe Lumbar Support, made with 100% molded memory foam core. A good lumbar support should mold and sculpt gently to the natural curves and contours of your lower back providing maximum support. Standard airplane or automobile seats don't provide the lumbar support that your back needs. A portable lumbar support will allow you to travel in comfort.

An orthopedic seat-cushion is another great way to minimize the negative effects of sitting for too long. The portable Tush-Cush was scientifically designed to relieve and prevent back pain, numb buttocks, and other discomforts associated with sitting. A unique cut-out section of the cushion suspends the tailbone providing comfort and relief to areas sensitive to sitting and the wedge shape tilts the pelvis forward restoring the spine's natural lumbar curve.

A travel favorite, the U-Shaped Pillow was designed to wrap around and cradle your neck to relieve pressure and promote comfort and support while traveling. The Tempur-Pedic U-Shaped Travel Pillow is made from Tempur-Pedic's soft Tempur memory foam material which allows the pillow to conform to your body's one-of-a-kind contours. Soft where you want it and firm where you need it.

In addition to packing the right accessories, remember to get up and move every hour while travelling. Simply standing up for a few minutes and doing some light stretching, twisting or bending will help keep you relaxed and the blood moving in and out of muscles. And remember to stay hydrated. One of the most common causes of pain is associated with dehydration. Not having enough fluid in the body to keep the body cool, the blood moving and the muscles and tendons relaxed can cause additional discomfort.

Travel doesn't have to be an uncomfortable experience. A few minutes of planning how to take care of our bodies while in transit will have a lasting impact on the overall experience. Make sure to arrive at your next destination relaxed and pain free.

New July 4th catalog is out!

July 4th is just around the corner. Visit our special holiday page on HealthyBack.com for specials and to see our new catalog online. Highlights include the incredible new Yu-Me rocking massage chair and the new Bliss latex bed collection with Celsion - the latest in cool sleeping technology.

Floating around in a recliner

While zero-gravity usually means absolute weightlessness (like astronauts experience) - It is a term used to describe effective weightlessness in which a non-uniform force is acting in contrast with typical human experiences. The perfect example is a zero-gravity recliner like The Perfect Chair by Human Touch (pun intended ;-). Zero-gravity recliners are used in hospitals, recovery centers and in homes to relieve tension and pressure - Aiding in general relaxation and pain management.

Turn back pain on its head!

Inversion tables can reduce pressure on the spinal discs and nerve roots - This allows discs to recover lost moisture and to return to their original shape, decreasing the painful pressure they can exert on nerves. Healthy Back carries a wide range of professional grade inversion tables and accessories.

Massage at work can increase prductivity!

Research indicates that a 15-minute massage decreases job stress, increases alertness, and increases speed and accuracy of tasks for office employees. These findings are especially important because stress accounts for $26 billion in medical and disability payments and $95 billion in lost productivity for Americans every year, as well as accounting for 40% of job turnover. So even though a massage chair may seem like a luxury at your office, but it will pay off through increased employee morale and productivity.

Long lasting mattresses

Traditional innerspring mattress need to be replaced every 5-7 years while memory foam and latex mattresses last anywhere between 10-20 years depending on their construction.

Robots are practicing Shiatsu

Shiatsu massage therapy originating in Japan. Practitioners promoted it as a "natural" way to help people relax and cope with issues such as stress, muscle pain, nausea, anxiety, and depression. Incredibly, modern massage machines are becoming quite adept at this complex technique.


What does Madonna have in common with lift chairs?

Both Madonna and lift chairs got their start in the 80s. The first popular lift chair with a single button was invented in 1982. Before then they were too expensive and complicated for mainstream use.

Win a Teeter Inversion table

Batman knows how to cure lower back pain. Hang upside down. Inversion tables allow you do just that - Safely. The natural decompression can allow more fluid to flow between your vertebrae and reduce tension. Learn more and view HealthyBack's complete selection of inversion tables here - and enter to win a free Teeter EP-550 sport inversion table here.

Sleep soundly through the summer heat wave

Is the summer heat putting a damper on your restful night of sleep?
Healthy Back Bliss Pure Latex mattresses, mattress toppers, and pillows are made of Natural Talalay Latex Rubber, known for its open cell structure which allows for ventilation throughout the night.

The ancient roots of ergonomics

Did you know that the foundations of the science of ergonomics were roughly laid in the 5th century BC in Ancient Greece? Hippocrates described how a surgeon's workplace should be designed and its tools arranged.

Sleeping on horsehair is extremely expensive...

The Vividus bed by the design firm Hastens is the most expensive mattress in the world retailing for a cool $49,500. Each bed is hand crafted with an oak frame and contains horsehair wool and cotton and takes over a week to construct. We're biased of course - But we think that our beds are a little more reasonable in the comfort to value equation (not to mention - hypoallergenic *cue horse whinny*)!

Happy Memorial Day - 10 Tips to avoid back strain

10 tips for a healthy back, this Memorial Day weekend!

1. Exercise your back regularly. Walking, swimming (especially backstroke) and bicycling are all excellent ways to strengthen your back muscles.

2. Always bend your knees and your hips, not your back.

3. Never twist and bend at the same time.

4. Always lift and carry objects close to your body.

5. Try to carry loads in an back friendly bag.

6. Maintain a good posture. Avoid slumping in your chair, hunching over a desk or walking with your shoulders hunched.

7. Use a chair with proper ergonomic support. Sit with your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest. Change how you sit every few minutes. (Check out yesterday's post on SLAM).

8. Don't smoke. It is thought that smoking reduces the blood supply to the discs between the vertebrae and this may lead to degeneration of these discs.

9. Lose any excess weight. Use our Healthy weight calculator to find out if you're a healthy weight for your height.

10. Choose a mattress and pillows suited to your height, weight, age and sleeping position.

SLAM - The key to comfortable office seating

What is SLAM?
SLAM is an easy way to remember the key ingredients to setting up a comfortable office environment. HealthyBack believes in rigorous training around the principles of the SLAM method to deliver expert advice to customers who are looking to improve their workstations.

Seat Height and Depth
Lumbar Height and Depth
Angles and
Motion

Seat Height and Depth
We measure the depth of your seat. There should be two to three inches between the front edge of the chair and the back of your calf. Adequate seat depth distributes your weight evenly over the longest possible surface area. Inadequate surface area can impede circulation, cause numbness and result in difficultly when sitting for longer periods. Proper seat height encourages you to sit back in your chair, resulting in correct body position with result to the rest of your workstation.

Lumbar Height and Depth
We measure the lumbar curve in your back to determine the depth and height of your unique body. We then fit you to the right chair.
Stand flat against a wall with your heels and your should blades touching the wall. Now place your hand behind your lower back--does it fit? If you cannot fit your hand behind you, you have a flat back and probably need a chair with very little lumbar support. If you can fit a flat hand behind you, you have a medium curve and need a medium level lumbar support. If you can fit a balled up fist behind your back, , you have a deep curve, or sway back, and need a large lumbar support.

Angles
A chair should allow you to sit with at least 90° angles in the following places: your knees, hips, and elbows. Angles of less than 90° have the detrimental effect of impeding circulation. In static seated situations, this can result in premature fatigue and discomfort. In general, more "open" postures and chairs that support you in "open" postures, will allow you to sit more comfortably for longer periods of time.

Motion
Critical to pain-free sitting is a chair that allows you to stay in motion. The more you move, the more you encourage blood flow, and the less stiff you become. Properly adjust the chair's tension control to achieve your desired level of motion. Rule of thumb: Static positions in and of themselves are a source of pain and fatigue.

Blue Cross Blue Shield workstation study

Blue Cross Blue Shield found that applying proper ergonomics to workstations resulted in an average 4.4% boost in productivity - Not to mention, less griping about those pain in the butt TPS reports!

Memorial Day weekend upon us!

Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner. Thank goodness for the 3 day weekend!
Whether you are doing some shopping - or would just like to stop by a Healthy Back Store for a free massage during your travels, take a peek at our Memorial Day catalog or our holiday section on HealthyBack.com/MemorialDay for some new comfort solutions and special deals!

What is Ergonomics anyway??

First coined in the 1950s, "ergonomics" is derived from "ergon", which is greek for work and "nomos" which means "natural laws". Nowadays - ergonomics refers to the study of people's efficiency in their workplace. Efficiency, comfort, natural positioning. What can be done to reduce uncomfortable friction, straining and positioning in our workspace? Healthy Back's mission is to find products that help accomplish that goal. Of course, products alone, aren't the magic solution - We'll be posting some helpful ergonomic tips and easy solutions here on our blog - or you can visit a store or give us a call! Stay tuned...

Website Makeover!

We have just updated our website with a new look and a lot of new functionality to make it easier for you!

Click here to visit our new website.

There are several new things to look out for.

On the Home Page:

• NEW Navigation on the left to make it easier to find what you're looking for
• Just below the search box on the left, the solution finder (little person) to help you find solutions for your pain
• Customer reviews on the home page
• My Account feature shown on the upper right side of the page to allow easier checkout for returning customers, order history, and additional enhancements for order tracking in the near future.
  

On the Individual Product Pages:

• Recommended products, below the main product image, to show what other customers have bought and looked at.
• Better images!

As you checkout, you'll have the ability to create an account, and for future visits, you can speed the checkout process by logging in and all your customer data will be entered for you.

We hope that with these changes, it will make your shopping experience with us much easier.