Dealing with the Seat of Ache

Sedentariness, bad posture and chair design have become common sources of pain. How do you deal?

Sedentariness, bad posture and chair design have become common sources of pain. How do you deal?

Our gods had the first gliding seats. Ancient Indians used moddas, charpoys and takhts. Classical European chairs that are common aspects of urban lifestyle, “became part of Indian living rooms in the late 19th and early 20th century”, says Dr Amin Jaffer, Christie’s international director of Asian Art, “traditionally Indians were raised on the floor.” Chairs have made us shift from sitting crossed-legged to being seated upright. Within 100 years, once exclusive seats of power have become a common source of pain due to sedentariness, bad posture and chair design. Osim, a health-lifestyle retailer, is selling Rs 1-4 lakh therapy chairs in 20 cities. That’s the next spinal phase, after the empire striking our backs.

»Spine correctors

Vesna Jacob offers these simple curved cushions in her Pilates studio that allow people to stretch the spine and shoulders in a safe and supported way.

»Percutaneous disectomy

Dr GP Dureja, senior pain interventionist, removes a small amount of tissue from the disc nucleus through a tiny skin puncture to treat prolapsed lumbar and cervical discs.

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