Chair makes them sit up and take notice

FOR over 20 years Martin Moroney, 59, has suffered from back pain.

Some days it would be so bad, he would literally have to crawl out of bed, lay on his bathroom floor and attempt to manoeuvre his body into a standing position.

“I put it down to bad posture and bad seating. I was a manager at Shannon Airport so I was sitting down a lot,’’ he explains. “Two years ago the pain was really bad. It felt terrible, it would go down the back of my leg and I was in very bad pain a lot of the time. There were times I couldn’t get out of the bed.’’

After having an MRI scan, Moroney, from Liscannor, Co Clare, was diagnosed with bulging discs which were putting a lot of pressure on his back muscles and nerves. Research suggest back problems are the second most common pain in the world, effecting 80% of the population.

As he was about to retire, Moroney made a promise to himself, that now he would have the time to eventually sort his back out.

“I wanted to be able to play golf whenever I felt like it. However, if I even bent sideways to reach for something I would feel the pain going across my chest too. But the last thing I wanted to do was get an operation on my discs,’’ he says.

Although his physiotherapist was able to manipulate his back and ease some of the pain, it would always return. Eight months ago, Moroney happened to be in Dublin and walked by The Back Shop — which specialises in dealing with back pain. He ended up buying a customised seat for his car and was so pleased, he returned to buy a ZS (zero gravity) chair, a relatively new concept for the treatment of back pain.

Designed by Colm Campbell, a chartered engineer and owner of the business, the ZS chair is described by him as “probably the most comfortable chair created”. The chair is custom tailored to provide perfect posture — the ‘S’ position — so that there is no gravity pushing on the spine or pressure on the discs.

Today, Moroney is pain free, and says he is in great shape, enjoying his retirement and playing golf several times a week.

“I have seen an incredible improvement and certainly believe a lot of it is down to the chair,’’ he says. “I am doing things to help myself. I still go to my physical therapist once a month and always do my morning stretching. But when I sit in the chair I find fantastic relief. At the moment I have no back problems whatsoever.’’

Gerry Maher, 57, who is from Marino, Co Dublin and used to work for Finegal County Council, also credits the ZS Chair for easing his 30-year back problem.

“I was in a car accident when I was a child, which may have started the problems,’’ he explains. “But then I was in an office, stuck behind a desk, so my posture was bad. I did have a couple of episodes when I was bed-ridden with the pain, and even missed work for three months.

“If I sat for any length of time, driving or flying, it would basically seize up. I knew my limitations.’’

Last August, Maher heard about the ZS chair through friends, he did his research and decided to buy one. It cost him over €2,000, but he says it is the best money he has ever spent.

“I am taking it for granted a bit now, that I have no back pain. I can now relax. I can sit for long periods reading or watching the TV and there is no pain. In fact, sometimes I can get too comfortable in the chair,’’ he says, laughing.

www.back-shop.com 01-6714215; email [e-mail]