Go with Bamboo, Live with sustainability.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
New Sustainable Products available at Danish Furniture!
Go with Bamboo, Live with sustainability.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Best Chairs for your Back
Here is a great piece we found on Posture and seating, see the original at peacefmonline.com
american chiropractic association
Your back is aching, and it’s no wonder! You spend three-quarters of your day either sitting at the office or on a couch watching TV. But you don’t have to just grimace and bear chronic lower back pain. Proper posture, a good office chair and some simple lifestyle changes can bring relief. Read on for tips from ergonomic experts…
How much time do you spend sitting? If you’re like most desk jockeys, it’s as much as 40 hours a week at work. So if your office chair just isn’t right, your back health will suffer, leaving you with an achy spine, sore shoulders or stiff neck.
“When a chair doesn’t support your spine, your muscles have to work harder, and you’ll feel fatigued at the end of the day,” explains Paul Cooke, M.D., a physiatrist (rehabilitation specialist) at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
After a while, the vertebrae in your lower back, known as your lumbar, won’t be able to maintain spinal alignment. That puts more stress on discs and joints, leading to more pain, he says.
Later, when you settle into your couch to watch TV, you may be worsening back pain. That’s because soft cushions offer even less lumbar back support than office chairs do.
But your back health doesn’t have to suffer from long hours behind a desk and on spongy sofas. We asked back doctors and physical therapists for tips to finding the best office chair, relieving pain and even preventing varicose veins.
Sit Right
Lumbar back support: “In an office, none of the other adjustments you make – to your keyboard, mouse or desk – is as important as your chair,” says Marc Turina, a Pittsburgh physical therapist and ergonomics specialist who helps businesses provide body-friendly workplaces. “It sets the foundation for how you’re positioned at work.”
The most important function of an office chair is to maintain proper curvature of your lumbar spine, Cooke says.
For this to happen, your pelvis needs to tilt slightly forward, adds Mary Ann Wilmarth, a Boston ergonomics specialist, physical therapist and spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association.
“If your lower back isn’t properly supported, it’s almost impossible to put your upper back in a good position,” Wilmarth says. If your chair isn’t supportive, attach a small lumbar roll where the chair meets your lower back, she advises.
Posture perfect: While sitting in your chair, ask someone to observe your posture or take a cell phone picture so you can evaluate it yourself, Wilmarth says.
“Your ear, shoulder and hips should be in a vertical straight line.”
To avoid wrist and back problems, “elbows should be at 90°-100° angles, and wrists should be straight out,” Turina says. You should be able to adjust the height of your chair to make that happen in relation to your desk.
Feel the floor: Feet should rest on the ground with hips and knees at a 90° angle, Turina says.
If your seat is so high that your feet can’t feel the floor, use a footrest or pillow.
No knee pressure: Make sure the seat doesn’t press against the back of your knees, says chiropractor Scott Bautch, D.C., an occupational health specialist and spokesman for the American Chiropractic Association.
“Pressure behind your legs will cause poor circulation, varicose veins and spider veins,” he explains.
If your knees press against the edge of the seat, prop a pillow behind your back so you’re sitting farther forward – but make sure it’s still supporting your lower back. Better yet, buy a chair that fits your body better.
Go Chair Shopping
In the market for a new office chair?
Find one that’s easy to adjust, says Turina. “The best office chairs have just 2-3 levers you can reach with just your right hand.”
Luxury office chairs offer good support, says Cooke. Some also offer woven mesh seats for better air circulation, which helps keep the skin cool, he says.
But you don’t have to buy a top-of-the-line chair to get good lumbar back support.
“No research supports one specific chair over another,” Turina says. “It doesn’t matter how much money you spend. What’s important is that you’re comfortable in it.”
Look for the following features:
Lumbar back support: This slight cushioning in the back of the chair needs to rest in the proper place.
How to know? “Put your hand behind your back at about waist level. That should be the apex of the curve,” Wilmarth says. “If it doesn’t hit you in the right place, it doesn’t help.”
Look for lumbar back support that can be adjusted up or down so you can move it into the proper location, she says.
Seat height: Look for a seat that you can adjust. If it’s too low, you’ll tend to slouch, Wilmarth says. If it’s too high, you won’t have proper leg support.
Recline: When working at your computer, you probably sit upright. But if you’re reading, talking on the phone or conducting a meeting, you can lean back.
“A slightly reclined position relieves pressure on the spine,” Cooke says.
Armrests: These aren’t necessary in an office chair. But if you prefer them, look for “half rests, so you can push your chair up to your desk,” Wilmarth says.
“If the rests are too long, you’ll need to push your chair too far out, forcing you to slouch or lean forward.”
Wheels: If your chair doesn’t have wheels, you’ll need to twist your back when you turn around, says Wilmarth. You want to be able to move the chair instead of yourself.
Adjustable seatback: For upper-back support, the chair should be high and wide enough for your shoulder blades to rest on, Cooke says.
Keep Moving
Sitting in any one position too long strains your back and other muscles, Wilmarth says. So it’s important to move every half hour or so.
“Just stand up and stretch, then take a walk around the room – even if it’s just for 30 seconds,” she says.
Frequent stretching can also help, says chiropractor Steven Conway, D.C., another occupational health specialist and spokesman for the American Chiropractic Association. He recommends taking “micro-breaks” every 15 minutes in which you stretch your hands, neck and back while sitting in your chair.
Bending forward over your desk also strains your shoulders and neck, notes Cooke. To reset your upper body in a more neutral position, pinch your shoulder blades together, he says.
“Hold for five seconds and relax. This activates your upper back muscles to support your shoulders and neck.”
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| All Stressless Recliners are approved by the American Chiropractic Association. (Stressless Sunrise Recliners) |
Protecting Your Back at Home
Avoid the sofa. It’s not the best choice for sitting for long periods of time, says Cooke.
“Most sofas don’t offer much lumbar back support, and there’s a tendency to slouch.”
Instead, use a recliner or an easy chair with back support.
Check your posture. Resist the urge to slump down in your chair during a “Real Housewives” TV marathon.
“Have your feet on the ground,” Cooke says. “And sit far enough back in the chair so your seat makes contact with your thigh muscles.
Recline. Yep, that La-Z-Boy is actually good for you. There’s less strain on your lumbar discs when you’re in a reclined position, and having your legs slightly elevated can improve blood flow, Cooke says.
Expensive recliners, advertised as “stressless” or “back-friendly,” are fine, he says, but not necessary. “Any comfortable recliner is good,” he says – just make sure it supplies some lumbar back support.
Use pillows as props. Since most easy chairs don’t have lumbar support for your lower back, “use a pillow or lumbar roll to maintain curvature,” Cooke says.
If you don’t have one handy, use a rolled-up towel, adds Wilmarth.
If your feet aren’t resting on the ground, use a pillow or footrest, so knees don’t dangle.
Bend your knees. If you like to relax with feet up on a coffee table or ottoman, keep a slight bend in knees and hips.
“If your legs are straight out, it strains your low back and sciatic nerve [the nerve fiber running from your lower back through your buttocks],” Wilmarth says. For optimum support, place a small pillow under your knees to keep them in a slightly bent position.
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| Stressless Recliner |
Please Visit Danish Furniture of Colorado online!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Postural Dynamics and Assessment
Join us this Saturday, May 21st as we welcome guest speaker, Cahrdin Bersto MA of Advanced Body Therapeutics!
Every body has postural stress even if you regularly exercise. The presence of Postural Stress is the result of day to day life stress, long term stressors and illnesses, habitual movement patterns and exercise stress, or the lack of movement.
In this seminar you will be made aware the signs of postural stress and how to address these issues in your day to day activities. Time will be available after the presentation to provide individual consultations to address particular needs.
Chardin Bersto MA has 31 years experience working with the body from the perspective of both Eastern and Western Movement Disciplines (Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Pilates, Weight Lifting, Running, Swimming, Neuro-Muscular Re-Education, Trigger Point therapy, Medical/Surgical Nursing, and Structural Therapies (Rolfing and Postural Integration)).
Chardin maintains a body work practice in Niwot CO known as Advanced Body Therapeutics. He has been practicing in the greater Denver area for 26 years and has been teaching both body work and Yoga for 15 years.
Chardin Bersto MA
720-849-6996
Chardin.be@gmail.com
Join us for FREE BRUNCH from 10am to 11am.
Seminar starts at 11am
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Save on the Stressless Sunrise Recliner
Your Very Own Sunrise
From May 6 -- July 5, 2011, we're offering $300 off all Sunrise seating. With smooth, lightly padded corners and a warm stature which focuses on simplicity, the back-saving Sunrise Recliner shines brightly in a world clouded by lazy, bad-for-your-back recliners.
Also enjoy a FREE recliner accessory (see list below) with purchase of any Stressless recliner and ottoman.
♥ ellipse table (retail value $425.00)
♥ swing table (retail value $170.00)
♥ personal (computer) table (retail value $525.00)
Danish Furniture is located at 1448 Nelson Rd. Longmont CO 80501.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
How to remodel a small bedroom
By Mitzi Saltsman, eHow Contributor
Remodel a small bedroom by adding space or changing how existing space is used. Add function with bookshelves, cabinets and storage systems. If a large-scale addition is not possible, increase square footage by building a bumpout. Paint to instantly change the look of a room.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
Sketch or Draft Your Design
- 1Measure the room that is to be remodeled and outline it on graph paper. Each square on the paper will equal one foot. Looking at the outline on paper helps to clarify what you have to work with. Measure the furniture or other items you want to place in the room. Pencil all of the pieces onto the graph paper for a good fit.
- 2Look at the surrounding rooms. To enlarge the space being remodeled, a wall to an adjoining room or hallway could be removed. A closet or niche might be taken out or "bumped" into the next room. A bay window added to an outside wall will make a small room bigger. Check to be sure you are not tampering with a load-bearing wall. Any structural changes should be looked at by a professional.
- 3Paint and flooring will make the room seem larger. Light colors brighten a room. Dark colors draw your vision in, making the room look smaller. Mirrors will make a room look larger. Space-expanding optical illusions can be done with paint. Painting a ceiling white against colored walls will make the room appear taller. A mural painted or wall papered onto one wall will add dimension.
- 4Add storage. Remove the bottom bunk from a set of bunk beds to create a simple loft bed. Add a desk, dresser or shelving in the open space below the top bunk. Create shelving by removing drywall and building shelves between studs. Add storage by building shelving around the room about a foot from the ceiling. Use the space to display collectibles or neatly folded clothes. Hang baskets to store clutter. Hang nets from ceiling corners to hold stuffed animals and toys.
- 5Use the room for more than one purpose. Add a daybed, futon or trundle bed to make the room a bedroom/guest room and family/media room. A small bedroom can also serve as an office. The closet space of a guest room can be used for extra pantry storage or for out-of-season clothes.
- 1
Read more: How to Remodel a Small Bedroom | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_7230993_remodel-small-bedroom.html#ixzz1Jz1jXc6r
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Trunk Show Update!!
May 7-14 Danish Furniture of Colorado will be hosting an exclusive Trunk show of Garnier-Thiebaut's spring collection of 100% cotton linens!
Come in early to save 25% on all in stock Guest Towels.
Garnier-Thiebaut’s fine French linens decorate the most luxurious hotels, fine dining establishments and resorts throughout the world. Now you can enjoy that same luxury throughout your home with Garnier-Thiebaut’s elegant retail products for the bed, bath and dining rooms. You’ll also find beautiful accessories such as aprons, bags, cushions and more that add elegance to any style home.
Danish Furniture is now offering 6 months, same as cash!
-Extended Payments for Extended Comfort-
Danish Furniture of Colorado
Comforting Boulder County for nearly 40 years
1448 Nelson Rd Longmont CO - 303.678.1447
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
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