An Easy Fix for Better Posture and Less Back Pain

Ever had back pain? Wish you had better posture? Most of us can probably say “yes” to at least one — if not both — of these questions. I myself am lucky enough to have never had back problems (knock on wood, yo!), but my posture isn’t the greatest. And seeing that I can sit for hours at a time — working, writing, watching most of Orange Is the New Black in one sitting — when we were offered the opportunity to try BackJoy Posture+, I had to give it a go. After all, my posture is in serious need of improving when I’m sitting (shoulder slump city, y’all!) — not to mention that Ryan has been battling some back issues in the gym lately.

Said to reduce back pain, engage your core, give you better posture and just make sitting more comfy, the Posture+ had a lot to live up to. Just looking at it, it looks pretty basic. Kind of like a cross between a stadium seat and Jason’s party mask (so many fun colors!), it’s made of a softer foam-like plastic that is pretty comfy to sit on. In order for it to work, you have to get it juuust in the right spot. But don’t worry, the Posture+ has a good detailed explanation with illustrations of how to get it in the right spot (plus video).

It took me all of three minutes to get mine situated and to feel the difference. It took Ryan even less time as he could feel the decreased pressure on his back immediately. You kind of sit up and on it, which slightly tilts your pelvis and gets you in a better sitting position that places less strain on your back. Sitting on it, you naturally sit up straighter, and I could feel my core and pelvic floor engaged more. Even my booty felt more active and happy.

While I stand a lot more nowadays at work due to my super-cool Varidesk (still loving it, by the way!), I like using this for when I am sitting. In fact, sitting without it feels weird now — I can feel the difference it makes in my alignment and posture. And I love that it’s light enough that you could take it anywhere. While I’m not sure I’d pack it into a football stadium or movie (although you certainly could!), I would totally take it for a long road trip. For just about $40, it’s a super low-cost fix for back pain (and way less scary than pain meds!).

Do you suffer from back pain or poor posture? —Jenn