Quick Fixes?! Can a New Mattress, Pillow, Ergo Chair, or Posture Shoulder Brace Fix my Problems?
The common questions we get in clinic quite often appear in the form of quick fixes and snap decisions. It’s important to note that these questions are almost always asked due to clients usually wanting to try absolutely anything to speed up the rehabilitation process, or to get out of pain if they are suffering.
It’s in these moments when we often make poor decisions, or just not our greatest decisions.
First, let’s talk about sleep.
“What’s the best mattress? Should you use a hard mattress? How many pillows should you use?”
All these questions are absolutely valid, but the answer isn’t exactly straight forward. In fact, there’s a whole lot of sitting on a fence involved!
From my experience, there isn’t a gold standard for either, and it’s very much about the individual.
As an example, if you’ve had a mattress for 15 years, and hurt your back 6 months ago, then why would changing from a softer to a harder mattress now change anything?
The most important thing is always quality of sleep. What I always tell every client is whatever bed and however many pillows are best for you, is the one which allows you to get the best quality of sleep. If you get a really hard mattress, and 3 pillows, because some research somewhere tells you to, but you can’t sleep a wink, I can tell you right now your back will feel worse for it. As sleep is when your body recovers. So stick to what you know, and what works best for you.
We get a whole host of other quick fixes that get asked about or brought into the clinic. Things like ergonomic chairs and some very quirky social media inspired posture shoulder straps (yes people do buy these!)
I suppose the big question is, is it worth spending £100s and potentially £1000s on these things in an attempt to get that quick pain relief or improvement. You can probably guess the answer……
NO… well not always no. It’s really about setting expectations of what these things are likely to do. If you are spending money on a fancy chair, it’s likely to help and make a difference, but won’t make an instant impact. Exactly the same as buying a new mattress. Always make sure you’ve done your research on your mattress, so it’s similar to what you’ve had before and that you are getting it for the long term, not just for the next 6 weeks.
Quick Fix or Long-Term Solution?
With almost all injuries and conditions, quick fixes usually don’t cut the mustard. It’s always best to seek guidance from an expert, and normally these questions crop up, so you can ask about all the beds, pillows and chairs you want!
Going for an assessment and finding out what the injury or concern is, allows you to treat it and deal with it effectively. It may take a little longer, but it’s a more calculated way of solving the problem, rather than paying over the odds for fixes that are relative a ‘stab in the dark’. Like previously mentioned, a lot of these questions are completely valid, and changing office set ups with new chairs or mattresses and pillows, when necessary, can be really beneficial. But it’s understanding that these shouldn’t be the ‘go to’ options when suffering with injuries and pain, but instead an add-on, only if absolutely needed!