By Howard B. Richman
Mystery hip pain is linked to modern furniture design. These simple solutions will help prevent hip pain. Chairs, office chairs, toilet seats, car seats have been steadily favoring the “contoured” design since the 1970s. Prior to this period the design favored more non-contoured, flat shapes. It is precisely this contour that triggers phantom hip joint pain. When the contour is removed, the stimulation for the recurring hip pain is eliminated. Billions of dollars are being spent on medical solutions for hip pain. Of course frequently there is an underlying medical condition that warrants medical treatment for hip pain, including hip surgery and hip replacement surgery. However, there are millions of people who have sporadic hip pain that is non-medical. This would include non-surgical treatments for hip pain, alternative treatments for hip pain and natural treatments for hip pain. This chronic pelvic pain comes and goes and comes and goes, but can never be traced. If this sounds like you, then read further!
Contour Shape Supposed to be More Comfortable.
Most contoured seats are intended to be “form-fitting” to one’s bottom. In most cases, however, it seems that the rate of curvature of the seat EXCEEDS the natural rate of curvature in the human body. This means that with the weight of sitting on the seat, the pressure of your own body causes an impingement of bone, skin, cartilage, tendons, nerves in a very, very unnatural manner. Over time, this constant compression will cause a distortion of the body’s natural alignment which will lead to pain from sitting. This type of seat also causes a forced inward torquing (rotation) of the upper legs. As you can see, the contour shape is supposed to be more comfortable but it is NOT!
Change the Seat, Remove the Hip Pain. It’s that simple.
Remember the design of the 60s? Flat bench seats in the car? Flat “La-Z-Boy” recliners? Flat couches? Flat toilet seats? Flat office chairs? Flat, flat, flat! Flat is good! The body adjusts to a flat surface naturally. Today, it’s contour, contour, contour. Go through your life and observe all the contoured seating you have to deal with and change it to flat seating. Period. Your butt will be happy and your hips will be ecstatic.
Contoured Toilet Seat Causes Hip Pain.
Here is an example of a typical “modern” style contoured toilet seat made of plastic. This is supposed to be more comfortable than the older “molded wood” flat style. But it is NOT! Notice that because of the “form-fitting” contour that the outer rim is higher than the inner rim. This causes the outer edge of the seat to press with great pressure exactly on your hip joint when you are sitting on the toilet, over time, causing mystery hip pain.
Contoured Chair Seat Causes Hip Pain.
It’s very hard to find an office chair that doesn’t have the contoured seat design as shown in the adjacent picture. The amazingly ironic thing is that this type of chair is often touted as being “ergonomic,” as in “ergonomic chairs.” Whether you spend $49 or $490, if there is a contour to the seat, you may be causing great damage to your hips. Keep reading below for a wonderful office chair I found that has the older stylings from the 60s (flat seat) with a modern look. I’ve been so happy with it that I bought two of them.
Disclaimer and Personal Story.
I am not a doctor. I am not giving you medical advice. Of course, you should always seek a medical doctor for medical advice. I am giving you my OPINION based on my own personal experience and I’m sharing with you the solutions that I have enacted in order to solve my own problem. I was having recurring mystery hip pain for several years until I changed my contoured seating to flat seating in every aspect of my life. This really did solve my problem, but I confess that I did NOT have a medical condition. It MAY NOT solve your problem, but it is certainly worth considering! ― Howard Richman
Other Things to Prevent Hip Pain
Use Two Wallets
If you’re a man, and you keep your wallet in your back pocket, not only is this bad for your hips, but it also creates a lopsided effect over time, which really aggravates the situation. Try getting TWO thin wallets and distributing the contents even between each!
Products We Recommend. These Are Products Helpful For Preventing Hip Pain.
Your car seat is giving you pain because it is contoured! All you have to do is even out the contour with a special cushion. The solution is to puchase a roll of dense durafoam and cut out a section that fills in the gully on your car seat, so the left and right sides of the “bucket” seat are at the SAME LEVEL as the middle part. Ahhhhh!
Ribbed Rolled Durafoam Mat 5/8″ Thick
Deluxe Durafoam Exercise Mat 3/8″ Thick
Imagine sitting all day without the sides of the chair pressing into your hips. Ahhh, relief! It’s very hard to find such a chair, but I’ve found one and I highly recommend it to you. It comes in different fabrics and colors and it is very well-made. You will be very happy with this chair. It’s Made in the U.S.A. Heavy duty construction. Meets ANSI/BIFMA Standards. 12 year intensive use guarantee. Easy manual seat height adjustment with threaded stem and handwheel, 360 degree swivel, a fully adjustable backrest for improved lumbar back support, and comfortable 3 3/4″ thick upholstered seat with high density foam.
Ask for BEVCO 2000 Evanston Series. These chairs are hard to find. Click on the link for a reliable supplier. Bevco makes other styles, but they don’t all have the flat seat. Look carefully at the pictures on the website!
FLAT Molded Wood Standard Toilet Seat. This fits the standard toilets. The seat is the old-fashioned, non-contoured style, to help prevent hip pain. “Wood” means a composite material made from wood. The color of the seat is white. Other colors are available.
FLAT Molded Wood Elongated Toilet Seat. This fits the elongated toilets. The seat is the old-fashioned, non-contoured style, to help prevent hip pain. “Wood” means a composite material made from wood. The color of the seat is white. Other colors are available.
