Couch giving me back problems -- worn out?

[dparm]

I'm fairly certain that my couch of five years is giving me a lot of back problems. On any day where I spend more than 15-20 minutes sitting on it, I will have a horribly sore back when I wake up the following morning, often to the point where it wakes me up early and I can't fall back to sleep.

What I have tried with no luck:

1. Flipping and rotating the cushions regularly
2. Sitting on different ends of the couch
3. Different seating positions
4. Seeing chiropractor (she said it's just "general tightness from too much sitting", and my back was hurting again within a day)
5. Assorted stretches before, during, after any session on the couch (got printouts from chiropractor)
6. Taking NSAIDs before bed
7. Sleeping with pillow under my legs (per chiropractor suggestion)
8. Rotating mattress

On days when I do not spend any time on the couch, my back is generally fine. Sitting in other furniture is not a problem, such as my desk chair or my lounge chair. Even sitting in a car for 8+ hours did not give me a problem.

It was not a cheap couch -- I bought it from Carson Pirie Scott's Furniture Gallery for around $800. It is made by Bauhaus USA, which is owned by La-Z-Boy. The pamphlet says "premium 1.8 lb high density polyurethane foam seat cushions" and solid hardwood frames with bracing.

Are the cushion fillings or springs worn out? 5 years seems awfully short, but this couch has gotten a lot of use over the years though it was never abused by kids jumping on it or anything like that. The frame doesn't seem to be damaged or anything from what I can see.

Sorry for the long post but I am at my wit's end since I haven't had a good night's sleep for several months now. It's making me irritable, fatigued, and unable to concentrate at work.

 

[Rand]

maybe just the ergonomics of the couch?
you sit differently on a couch than a chair.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: Rand
maybe just the ergonomics of the couch?
you sit differently on a couch than a chair.



Yes, but as of a year ago this couch did not give me any back problems.

 

[The_Eric]

Perhaps a physiological change? A recent injury or an old injury coming back to haunt you?

 

[yonyon]

Easy solution: Get a pillow. Position the pillow so that your back is in a position that works better for you.

Less easy solution: Get a really cute dog who won't let you sit still for 15 minutes at a time.

More challenging solution: Get a really cute woman who won't let you sit still for 15 minutes at a time.

 

[Dufus2]

back problems.. no cure... Good Luck!
I bought a decent couch from Big Lots and it feels good with my bad back, not too expensive either

 

[Brybo86]

not to be mean but have you gained any weight?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: Rand
maybe just the ergonomics of the couch?
you sit differently on a couch than a chair.



Yes, but as of a year ago this couch did not give me any back problems.


Things change. Most importantly you change. Your level of fitness, posture, bone structure, etc. you're regressing back towards the grave, and gravity is pulling you that way 24/7.

Most likely I'd venture the issue to be you. I went through a phase where sitting in certain chairs for any amount of time would give me a lower back ache. Turned out my hamstrings were too tight. Easily fixed.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: Brybo86
not to be mean but have you gained any weight?


Actually my level of fitness has improved. I have been dropping body fat and building muscle pretty steadily for the past few months. Initially I thought it was attributable to my more intense workouts, but adjusting them (and even going a few days without any exercise) did not change anything. The chiropractor said I wasn't doing anything extreme enough to cause back issues: alternating between elliptical and stationary bike, with some simple upper body muscle building.

 

[wrcsixeight]

Certain furniture certainly aggravates my back. Too soft a bed cripples me. Usually chairs or seated positions let me know very soon that they will cripple me, but too soft a bed takes a couple days.

I am visiting at my sister's now, and have lined up the couch cushions on the floor of the spare bedroom, next to the queen size bed which is some sort of evil soft medieval torture device.

Figuring out if it is the couch causing your issues is an easy enough experiment, unless you have a woman who needs to cover everything with useless throw pillows that need to be perfectly aligned at all times.

 

[daves87rs]

Need more foam and less cushion maybe? Having kind of the same thing with mine..though I need to replace mine after 8 years....

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
not to be mean but have you gained any weight?


Actually my level of fitness has improved. I have been dropping body fat and building muscle pretty steadily for the past few months. Initially I thought it was attributable to my more intense workouts, but adjusting them (and even going a few days without any exercise) did not change anything. The chiropractor said I wasn't doing anything extreme enough to cause back issues: alternating between elliptical and stationary bike, with some simple upper body muscle building.


Not working out legs?!...squats, deads, and do some back specific strengthening exercises and see if that helps. If its the couch get a new one but if the doctor said its from sitting too much than try to stretch or stay away from it more.use a chair thats better ergonomically.

 

[Kuato]

Keep stretching (it takes time and persistence) and.graba couple cool pillows for support.

 

[supton]

I've always wondered if sitting on a couch was really all that good for posture. I try to limit sitting on ours to just an hour in the evening, otherwise I usually sit on the floor or someplace else (pretty easy, the kids and wife usually take my spot anyhow).

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: supton
I've always wondered if sitting on a couch was really all that good for posture. I try to limit sitting on ours to just an hour in the evening, otherwise I usually sit on the floor or someplace else (pretty easy, the kids and wife usually take my spot anyhow).



Sitting is pretty bad for you in general.

 

[IndyIan]

My couch lacks lumbar support so I get the same symptoms if I sit on it for almost any length of time without jambing a pillow behind my back.
Also do some more core work, in the winter I get more core exercise and it seems to help with preventing a sore lower back.

 

[Papa Bear]

I bet if you moved the couch to Miami for the next few months that it would seem far more comfortable ......

 

[PandaBear]

I see it is either and / or:

1) your body has changed / aged
2) it is a low density foam cushion that has been worn out.

I heard that if you really use it all the time, a high quality couch only last about 3 years (according to a memoir of an ambassador who sit on a couch to read news paper everyday).

 

[DoiInthanon]

Arrange your computer and monitor so you can only see it and use it from a standing position. I did this a few years ago. Makes a big difference. Every few minutes, arch your back or stretch as you prefer. I mark time, MARK.

My favorite is the Marine Corps major "posture for strutting the passageway".

ie Back straight, chest out, arms out to the side at a twenty degree angle, stride like you are constipated. We slovenly squid would eagerly await our new MC compatriots to see their locomotion.

If you watch TV, stand behind the couch the entire time. Again stretching every commercial.

Standing at those two screens will markedly change your posture, health, and back.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: supton
I've always wondered if sitting on a couch was really all that good for posture. I try to limit sitting on ours to just an hour in the evening, otherwise I usually sit on the floor or someplace else (pretty easy, the kids and wife usually take my spot anyhow).



Sitting is pretty bad for you in general.


I've wondered about making the change at work, to standing at my workstation. I'm finding harder and harder to sit for hours on end--even if I get up once/hour to stretch, it's still getting old.