Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
Subject: Back pain: guitar supports, chairs, etc.
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 13:36:29 -0500

With all the discussion of guitar supports, back pain, etc., I thought I
would share my experience with the hope that I might say something that
is useful to you.

I have been recovering from lower back pain as a result of improper
posture and a bad chair.  Here are some tips and ideas:

1.  See a professional.  I have been seeing a physical therapist who has
given me exercises and stretches that have significantly reduced my back
pain.  Since there are many causes for back pain, and since it can be a
serious problem for guitarists, I think self-diagnosis is unwise.  When
you consider how much you've spent on your guitar and various
accesories, the price of visits to a medical professional doesn't seem
so bad.  

My pain was a result of bad posture and a bad chair.  So the following
comments are specific to this problem.

2.  Get a good chair!  You would be surprised how much of a difference
the right chair can make.  We guitarists tend to sit near the edge of a
chair; thus, no matter what kind of "ergonomic" chair you get, you are
probably not benefitting from any of its features.  Specifically, a
great lumbar support does little good if your back isn't up against it. 
This is often the case when we sit forward on a chair.  As most
guitarists I know can't stand to sit back in a chair (position gets
uncomfortable for playing), it makes sense to reevaluate your chair.

First, try turning your chair 45 degrees and sitting on the corner
instead of the edge.  You may find this is more comfortable, as it
affords your legs greater freedom of movement.  However, you will soon
find that there probably still isn't enough back support (if any).  I
started checking out triangular chairs.

I looked into the Guitar Chair (advertised in many magazines), but since
they don't market them in stores, it's difficult to assess.  

Then I tried a drum throne.  Aha!  The seat is well-cushioned, shaped
like a large bicycle seat to allow great freedom for the legs, and a
nice one comes with a back support.  It makes sense--drummers remain
seated for hours, so of course their seating is well-designed (Why not
the same for CG?  Who knows?).  I only recently happened on this idea,
and I still haven't purchased a drum throne yet.  I need to try out a
few more models before I make a decision.  Check them out--it may do the
trick.  One more plus--they are relatively inexpensive.  I have found a
nice model for $80.  Compared to a folding chair, this seems like a lot,
but when you consider how much you will spend in physical therapy due to
your folding chair it's not too bad.  The Guitar Chair is $299 plus
shipping (I'm not knocking the Guitar Chair, as I have no basis to do
so.  Just quoting the price for comparison).

3.  Once you get a good chair, you may find that the guitar stool is no
longer problematic.  If it still bothers you , then try one of the many
guitar support devices recently reviewed in the NG.  


Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.guitar
Subject: Re: Back pain: guitar supports, chairs, etc.
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 05:07:44 GMT

> Then I tried a drum throne.  Aha!  The seat is well-cushioned, shaped
> like a large bicycle seat to allow great freedom for the legs, and a
> nice one comes with a back support.  It makes sense--drummers remain
> seated for hours, so of course their seating is well-designed (Why not
> the same for CG?  Who knows?).  I only recently happened on this idea,
> and I still haven't purchased a drum throne yet.  I need to try out a
> few more models before I make a decision.  Check them out--it may do the
> trick.

,  I've been playing with a drum seat for about a year.  A couple things
to check before you purchase.  First, some of the drum seats with back
supports (especially the cheaper ones) have a tendency to tip over easily
when you lean back.  I'm playing one with a five-star base, so it is very
stable.  Second, try it with your guitar.  If the seat is too large, it may
put your guitar at an uncomfortable angle.  I do enjoy mine.  It was not the
cheapest on the market, but it was still below the list price of most of the
guitar chairs I've seen advertised.