Raise your hand if you’ve noticed your back is just a little more stiff and achy since working from home! WFH can definitely lead to some brand new discomfort in places you didn’t even realize you had – which is why I researched back pain solutions and ended up investing in some Amazon gadgets that eased my discomfort and helped me focus on my health. My new shiatsu massager, memory foam seat cushion and acupressure back stretcher changed my lockdown life.
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When lockdown was first implemented in the spring, I started working from home with not a care in the world – I was lucky enough to have a desk set up in a corner of my flat already, so my ‘home office’ was ready to go. Who can be bothered to worry about home office ergonomics in this surely short-term situation?
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Fast forward a bit and… OUCH. Despite exercise and yoga stretches and all my best efforts to sit up straight at my computer (including an app that reminded me to get up, walk around and rest my eyes), I soon realized I needed a bit more support – literally – to make the days go a bit more painlessly.
So that's where my lockdown buddy Amazon came in – and I bought three amazing back pain-relieving gadgets that made a massive difference in my daily life.
A shiatsu back massager
This contraption looks crazy but might just be the best thing you've ever bought. A heat setting soothes your muscles and the rotating nodules feel like a real massage! When you have particularly tight muscles around your neck and shoulders it’s a lifesaver. The one I purchased on Amazon is sold out but you can get a nearly identical one – and it's one of the top-rated shiatsu massagers on the retail site.
UPDATE: I went ahead and bought the shiatsu massager below for my household and it's AMAZING. You can get it for 25% off today 26 November! Just apply the Amazon voucher at checkout.
Naipo Shiatsu neck and back massager, £49.99/$59.95, Amazon
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A memory foam seat cushion
If you’re like me and, not realizing you’d be working from home every day, prioritised style over ergonomic design when you chose your chair – or maybe you are spending our days in a makeshift workspace with a dining chair or other improvised seating – I highly recommend a memory foam cushion. Since March I’ve been using the Feagar cushion, which purports to help with sciatica and tail bone pain, has a curved design and perfectly moulds to your bum.
In fact, I initially bought one for myself and my partner kept stealing it! So I bought a second one for the household.
Feagar memory foam cushion, £25.99/$26.99, Amazon
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An acupressure back stretcher
If you are a fan of yoga or pilates, a back stretcher is one to add to your home workout gear. Or, even if you’re not big on exercise, this is still a handy, simple way to get in a good stretch and improve your posture. I bought the 66fit Ab & Back Trigger Point Stretcher – all you do is set it on the floor and lie on top of it with it positioned under your lower back – and it's the first thing I go to once I wrap up for the day for an instant reset. It's great for doing sit ups for an extra-powerful ab workout as well.
66fit Ab & Back Trigger Point Stretcher, £18.48, Amazon
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