Health.com features clinical guidance from Alice Chen, MD, physiatrist at HSS, about seat cushions and low back pain.

If you are someone who sits quite a bit throughout the day, you know that a bad seating situation can wreak havoc on your hips, tailbone, and lower back. Even if you do your best to get up and walk around throughout the day, your chair, posture, and desk setup are crucial to alleviating back pain. And research indicated that sitting for prolonged periods of time can cause increased stress on the back, neck, arms, and lets and add pressure to your back muscles and spinal discs. 

Sitting for long periods can even weaken your core muscles and increase insulin resistance, said Dr. Chen. 

Seat cushions should also offer a firm enough surface to provide support but be cushioned enough that they are comfortable and mold around the contours of your body, added Dr. Chen. While the thickness of your cushion may come down to personal preference, it should offer stability as well she advised. 

Read the full article at health.com.