supportive sofa / chair

[katherine107]

i have eds 3 and have been through so many chairs and sofas. none are supportive enough and give me chronic pain. It is getting so bad now that i sit on dining chair. any advice about chairs or sofas please which have helped. I know everyone is different but need something supportive but not too hard or soft. soft chairs give me more pain.

[Ocilac]

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about how much pain you have been in. I also have been through similar problems in the past. After talking with a physiotherapist who also had eds3 I have started using a computer chair with a pull out foot rest and things have been much better for me because keeping my legs raised has meant that my weight is more easily spread and it has also helped me sit more straight. This chair's back can also be fully adjusted to go down and lie flat, so I can do that every so often if the pain becomes too bad.In the past I have also found useful a car pillow for the small of my back which could be pumped full of air and adjusted that way (sorry for the bad explanation) but I haven't used that since using this chair.

But in general whenever I sit I try to have my legs raised, for example using a corner sofa with leg rest. Before that to be honest I had ended up resigning myself to lie in bed because I couldn't bear anything else.

I'm very sorry if that doesn't quite answer your question. It is very difficult to find comfortable sitting, especially because - as you say - everyone is different.

I really hope you find what you are looking for.

All the best and stay strong

[katherine107 in reply to Ocilac]

Hi. Thanks for this. Could you send me a message about what chair you use? Someone did mention a gaming chair but I know nothing about these.

[Ocilac in reply to katherine107]

Sure. Mine was this model pinterest.co.uk/pin/gzmr-bl... is not actually a gaming chair sorry. Gaming chairs with footrests would also work I think, I just wanted one that was fully reclining, and I didn't find any gaming chairs that did.

Hope this helps

[katherine107 in reply to Ocilac]

Just looking. Says in USA I think.did you get in uk

[Ocilac]

I did yeah but it was my husband who bought it for me

[katherine107 in reply to Ocilac]

Do you mind asking where he got it. It looks very supportive

[Ocilac in reply to katherine107]

Sorry it took a while to answer. I asked him but it doesn't seem like that shop does business anymore. I do think you can find a similar chair probably for less these days. Like Jay said these chairs are very expensive, just at the time I bought it it was the only one which did what I needed. When I tried to look for it by myself I saw loads of similar chairs. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help good luck

[Jay66]

I bought an earlier version of this. It is amazing. Gives me all the support I need. Very expensive but worth it - I bought over 3 years interest free payments so £28 per month. dfs.co.uk/dallas/dls31dhtg

[cyberbarn]

you say you are sitting on a dining chair. Is there anything wrong with that? I have been using a dining chair at my desk for years and it is the most comfortable way for me to sit. When I have friends round (oh, those heady days pre covid!) I would watch them all fight over what they thought were the most comfortable chairs, the rocking chair, the sofas. I would smile and sit on the dining chair by choice. I also noticed that I rarely actually lean back. So I got my son to make me a stool, and use that quite often too.

When I look at the historical record of paintings of women in domestic situations, they are usually sitting on chairs or stools, sofas and soft seating is a modern thing. This is one of my favourites meisterdrucke.uk/fine-art-p...

But we now expect to sit on a sofa to watch TV. And so many sofas are so uncomfortable for any length of time. That is because most sofas are made for men. If I sat on a sofa properly my legs would be out straight in front of me, not bent at the knee with feet on the floor. They are way too deep for many women. So I have a huge pillow behind me so that I sit about a foot forward on the sofa so that my knees bend and feet touch the floor. But I also lay back in a semi reclined position with my feet up too as a change of position and that is one of the keys, keep changing your position.

My son on the other hand has one similar to this and loves it! He uses it at his desk for most of the day.

housingunits.co.uk/stressle...

So think outside the box and find what works for you.

[katherine107 in reply to cyberbarn]

Thankyou for this. I do sit on dining chair but so hard after a while

[cyberbarn in reply to katherine107]

I have a bit of sheep skin on my hard dining chair. At the eating table my son has always sat on a dining chair with a sheepskin on the seat and the back. It takes the hardness away without making it too soft.

[Hidden]

I agree completely that the modern fad of deep sofa (and armchair) design means they are far too deep for many individuals - let alone those of us with Hypermobility issues! I do wonder how many back issues in an even otherwise healthy individual are brought on by them. I have one armchair (with more sensible dimensions) I like to sit in: a 1930s armchair, currently in need of re upholstering; it’s had a lot of use.

[karmel]

I use a (McKenzie) lumbar roll on any kind of chair to correct poor (back) alignment. When my back is really bad I use in bed a night roll which supports my lower back. One physio recommended "Treat your own back" by Robin MCKenzie and I personally think it is worth getting.

[Thetealharp]

I have a medical chair that I got through the county council which allows me to get out of bed for longer periods of time. But not sure that's what you are looking for.

[katherine107]

Whst is a medical chair? Would love to get support for this pain. I am seeing occupational therapist soon but not good in this area