This might sound surprising to you but you spend more than 10 to 15 hours sitting if you’re an average office employee. And this is just for the time you spend working in your cubicle. You’d be more surprised to learn how many hours you sit for tasks like driving, watching TV, and eating.
Unfortunately, a bulk of evidence links sitting to a higher risk for developing fatal disorders. It not only saps your energy but also causes several health issues such as spider veins, constipation, and several other short-term problems.
However, that doesn't mean that there isn't a way to solve the problem. Using the right cushioning, for instance, is simple, yet the most effective way to mitigate the effect of long-hour sitting for long periods.
A wedge cushion, in this regard, comes with unique qualities to help you offset the ill effects of sitting in the same posture. It doesn’t end here; a wedge cushion is also tremendously advantageous for alleviating back pain and coccyx.
Are you interested in learning more about a wedge cushion and how it benefits you? Continue reading to explore the advantages of medicated pillows that may make your sitting experience pain-free.
What is a Wedge Cushion?
As the name suggests, a wedge pillow looks like a wedge of cheese. It is typically an orthopedic pillow that comes in a triangular shape and a tapered incline. Designed to lift your upper body and legs (up to a 35 to 45 degree angle), a wedge pillow offers support to your back needed to maintain a healthy posture.
Keep in mind that the height of incline and size of wedge pillows may vary between 20-25 inches long and wide, depending on your body measurements. You may use a wedge pillow for several orientations and unique purposes. They may include both health reasons and comfort.
How to Make Your Car Seat More Comfortable - Using a Wedge Cushion
Many people especially the ones who drive for long hours every day often suffer from debilitating backache because of sitting on uncomfortable seats. For a healthy life, it is essential that your driving seat is not only comfortable but also accommodates you perfectly. This is where you need a long-lasting and comprehensive solution to the problem.
Using a wedge cushion when driving is, without a doubt, an effective and affordable option. The cushion uses high-density foam to provide needed support to your back or tailbone. The featured wedge design is ideal for reducing leg and thigh pain.
Moreover, when you use a wedge-style cushion on your car seat, it helps you eliminate pressure points and makes sitting more comfortable for long trips. It doesn’t have any rubber back that leaves stains on your car’s upholstery. In fact, it protects your car seat from tarnishing and discoloration.
If you’re off to purchase a car, you must pay attention to the car seat as you do with the technical specification. Prefer buying a car with a bucket seat to get better seating support.
What is a Bucket Seat
A bucket seat refers to a car seat that is intended or designed for a single person to sit. It is different from a bench car seat, which is intended for many people.
A bucket seat is great if you set fast lap times as it keeps you from sliding around and reduces the need to re-position the body.
However, a type of seat may cause bucket seat syndrome- chronic lower backache and shoulder pain if you sit with the wrong posture. That is why it is mandatory to use comfortable car seat cushioning such as a wedge pillow.
If you have lower back and sciatica pain, click here to discover the five top gel cushions you can use to relieve the pain.
How To Use a Wedge Pillow
Using a wedge cushion is simple. All you need is to place it on your seat including a dining chair, an office chair, and a wheelchair. Make sure you position the wedge cushion so that the incline is sloping downward to the front chair. It encourages you to sit upright.
Here we have outlined some more ways to use a wedge pillow to make sitting more comfortable.
Upright Recline
If you like journaling or reading in bed, use a wedge cushion on the mattress. Keep the flat side of the pillow against the headboard or wall. It will help you recline in a straight and upright position without having to put pressure on your upper back.
With a wedge cushion, you don’t have to rest your back against a headboard, and you’ll stay supported.
Elevated Back Sleep Position
If you have sleep apnea, you may face breathing issues as the relaxed tissue in your throat puts pressure on your trachea. This is when using a wedge cushion can help you to prevent it. Place it beneath your upper body with its thinnest side close to the middle of the back.
The incline of the cushion opens up the airway and makes breathing easier while ensuring that your tongue falls forward instead of backward. For people with allergies and sinus, a wedge pillow helps the sinuses drain easily, and prevents congestion.
You may use a wedge pillow with an incline of a 35-degree angle that is 10” above the mattress.
Leg Articulation
Side sleepers benefit from a wedge pillow by placing it under the knees. It relieves pressure on the lower back and helps muscles relax.
5 Benefits to Using a Wedge Cushion for Back Pain
While some individuals enjoy the comfort and feel of a wedge cushion, others choose it for health reasons such as back pain.
Here are some benefits of using a wedge cushion for:
Back Pain
If you have back pain of any type, using a wedge pillow would be ideal to provide enough incline to the vertebrate and hip in the spinal alignment. It is more effective for relieving upper back pain.
Optimal Lounging
Whether you like lounging on the floor or in bed, it requires enough back support. With a wedge pillow, you can sit or lie down anywhere and lounge comfortably. You can use a laptop, tablet, or read your favorite book with ample support to your back.
Zero Gravity
Your sleeping position plays an important role in making your sleep relaxing. A wedge cushion offers you a sleeping position in which you can lay your upper back with your torso raised and knees bent. The position mimics the sensation and comfort of zero gravity, keeping back pain at bay.
Post-Operative Care
Doctors recommend a wedge cushion to patients who have had surgery recently. Depending on the position you use a cushion for, it reduces pain and swelling in joint areas. People find wedge pillows useful for the upper body and knees for post-operative care.
Pain-Free Pregnancy
A wedge pillow is an easy way you can use to take a load off your back, especially if you’re an expectant mother. It relaxes you when you rest against its short end.
Summing Up
All in all, whether you use a wedge cushion for resting lower legs or reducing back pain, it can offer plenty of benefits. Use a high-quality wedge pillow and notice the difference your lower back and hip feel.
Links
https://perfectcloudmattress.com/blog/5-benefits-of-bed-wedge-pillows-and-how-to-use-one/
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-pillows/best-wedge-pillow
https://xtremecomforts.com/blogs/news/wedge-pillows-help-back-pain-boost-healt/