The Best Lumbar Pillow

Buying Guide

If you spend any time sitting during the day, you probably already know it can be a strain on your body. Sitting causes your hip flexors to shorten and can even compress your discs, leading to degeneration that causes chronic pain.

Ask your doctor, and you’ll likely be told to practice good posture and make sure your workspace is ergonomic in design. This means having a straight back and ensuring your monitor is at eye level. But sitting in a full upright position for hours at a time can be challenging, to say the least, which is why you can buy desk chairs that force your body into the correct posture.

The problem with those chairs is that not all bodies are the same. Finding one that puts your body in the exact position it needs to be for your height and build isn’t easy, since most of these chairs are sold as a one-size-fits-all proposition. Additionally, these chairs can be quite pricey and if you work for an employer, you may need to have a doctor’s note to request a custom-ordered chair.

There is an easier way, though. You might eventually graduate to an ergonomic chair, anyway, but you can start with a pillow that will give you the support you need using the seating you already have. Best of all, some of these pillows can be moved from one spot to the other, meaning you can use it in your desk chair, in your car on the commute home and in your favorite chair in your house.

But it starts with finding the right pillow. You’ll need to determine where you need the most support and find a pillow that will provide it. Some find that full-back pillows work best, while others discover a small, more portable pillow works just as well, and they can position it where support is needed.

• Without a pillow, your correct posture should have your buttocks touching the back of your chair with your back straight and your shoulders back. Find a pillow that will keep you in that position.
• You’ll find that the arch of your back is where you need the most support to stay in an upright position. If you’ve purchased a small, round pillow for lumbar support, position it in the chair so that it will keep that part of your back away from the back of the chair.
• Many lumbar support pillows include at least one strap that wraps around the back of the seat to hold it in place. Make sure the pillow you choose has a strap long enough to wrap around your chair and connect there.
• If you’re using your lumber support pillow in your car, you’ll need a longer strap than with a desk chair.
• Pay close attention to the material in the pillow. Memory Foam is popular in lumbar support products because it conforms to the shape of your body, offering comfort while helping with your posture.
• The cover of your pillow will inevitably get dirty. Make sure you can remove it and toss it in the washing machine when you need to.
• If you tend to sweat when seated for a while, look for a lumbar pillow with a breathable cover. This is especially valuable if you’re buying a pillow to use in the car.
• Some lumbar pillows let you adjust the firmness to match your need for support from one day to the next.
• Although many lumbar pillows are sold in black, you can find some with different color options. You may want a brightly-colored room to match a colorful décor or a more neutral tone like beige to better blend. Keep in mind that lighter colors will show dirt more quickly, so you’ll especially want a pillow with a removable, washable color if you go that route.