Why Your Back Could Benefit from an Ottoman

Chances are you're sitting down if you're reading this right now. I understand that many of you might be browsing from your tablet or reading a blog post while driving. As much as we place an emphasis on the aesthetic appeal of furniture, we also have to consider how it affects our bodies. This practice is called ergonomics and it's been neglected in many ways.

An ottoman is a piece of furniture consisting of a padded or upholstered seat, usually having no arms or back. Ottomans are used as a footstool and can be adapted to be used as an extra chair when seating is unavailable. By kicking up your feet, ottomans also relieve back pain more than you think.

Frequently Asked Questions: Why Your Back Could Benefit from an Ottoman

Ergonomics = how furniture affects your body. We love style, but support matters. An ottoman helps you rest in a more natural position, easing strain so your patio setup looks good and feels better—longer. Patio Productions champions comfort-first design that keeps you relaxing, not fidgeting.

Elevating feet relieves pressure and strain. Propping your legs aligns your body better, reducing stress on muscles and ligaments. That boost supports healthy posture, improves comfort, and helps prevent the slide-and-slouch that can make your back ache.

It counters “knees-up” seats that feel cramped. Low seats push tall knees upward, making you feel like you’re squatting. An ottoman lets your legs extend and relax naturally, easing hip and back tension so you sit comfortably again.

Stops leg dangling that curves your back. If your feet don’t reach the floor, your legs dangle, your weight shifts forward, and your bottom slides—creating an unhealthy curve. An ottoman supports your legs so your spine stays aligned.

Poor alignment strains tissue and circulation. Stress builds in muscles and ligaments and blood flow can decrease—leading to aches, numbness, or weakness. Seating with an ottoman encourages a supported, upright position similar to sitting up in bed.

Try a side-table/ottoman combo set. The Acapulco Chat Set includes a piece that doubles as a side table or ottoman—swap the glass top when you want leg support. It’s an easy, space-savvy comfort upgrade for patios.

A padded seat/footstool, named for the Ottomans. An ottoman is an armless, backless upholstered seat used as a footrest or extra chair. The name traces to the Ottoman Turks, who used ornate textiles to cover footstools—style and comfort, centuries strong.

The Summer Teak Ottoman, part of a larger Teak Sofa Set by HiTeak Designs.

Ottomans received their name because were first used by the Ottoman Turks. Ornate textiles were used as decorative features to cover footstools. This is how the name Ottoman came about. Deborah Martin from Deborah Martin Designs brought this to my attention. You can learn more about the history of the ottoman by reading her post entitled, "Ode to the Ottoman."

Ottomans Improve Posture for All Shapes & Sizes

An ottoman can help you relax in a more natural position. For people who are taller/shorter than normal, an ottoman can change that awkward feeling you get when you sit down. For tall people, sitting in a small chair makes your knees go up since the seat of the sofa is too low. By placing an ottoman in front on the chair, you're able to relax your feet in a way that doesn't make you feel like you're squatting.

Ottomans can help shorter individuals whose feet aren't long enough to reach the floor. When this happens, your legs dangle from the chair, your lower body weight is pulled forward to compensate for the imbalance, and your bottom tends to slide forward, creating an unhealthy curve in your back. With an ottoman, your legs stay in the place you're able to maintain the correct posture.

How it Affects Your Body

Stress is placed on both ligaments and muscles when your body is out of alignment. This can decrease blood flow through your body. Low blood flow can lead to pains in your lower extremities, numbness, weakness, and difficulty breathing. Seating that includes an ottoman will promote a body posture that is similar to your posture when sitting up in bed.

The Acapulco Chat Set was designed with an accessory item that can be used as a side table or an ottoman. You can swap out the glass top when you need an ottoman or revert back to the side table when you need a place to hold refreshments. The set comes with 2 chairs, so you only have to decide who gets the ottoman.

The Acapulco Chat Set by Harmonia Living. Available in 8 refreshing colors.

Ergonomic Design

If you're interested in learning more about the ergonomics of furniture design, I recommend checking out Il Treno Fuori. It was designed to recreate the intimate space created on trains. Below are a few other custom pieces that step outside the box.