Sitting a lot due to pandemic? Pinoy inventor devises new normal 'butt care'
MANILA, Philippines — The work and study at home setup has made us more sedentary than ever. We sit in front of the computer to work, and watch Netflix on the couch. We don’t go outdoors as much as we used to because of our limited movement caused by COVID-19.
According to a pandemic study by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center that surveyed close to 8,000 people from 50 different countries and every state in the United States from April to early May 2020, around 27% said they gained weight during the initial lockdown — that’s 10% more than those who said they lost weight.
The added "pandemic pounds," said Makati Medical Center in a press statement, is a consequence of of unhealthy habits like sedentary living, constant exposure to stress, and a diet of processed foods and refined carbohydrates.
By being sedentary, we are creating a new problem in our attempt to avoid a raging health issue.
We are exposing ourselves to the dangers of prolonged sitting, which Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative, described as “the new smoking.”
Mayo Clinic said too much sitting can lead to sciatica, which produces pain in the lower back, hips, the buttocks and on each leg.
Inventor Bart Ronquillo, founder of Shark Philippines, knows the disease inside out.
Five years ago, he experienced “the worst case of sciatica.” He can’t walk because his legs were paralyzed. He can only sit for five minutes before an excruciating nerve pain sets in. He was hospitalized for seven days on the week of his birthday.
Desperate for a solution, he bought almost all orthopedic seat cushions here and abroad. He tried at least 25 seat cushions, some of which cost as much as $100 to $150 each. He thought it will alleviate the pain and make him productive as an entrepreneur-inventor again.
He also sought safety in numbers by joining several support groups. This made him understand the nature of his suffering even more. He learned that each of us has an intricate, complex web of nerves. Each nerve can be injured differently. When this happens, they become very sensitive and relief must be immediate.
Ronquillo also learned from the support groups that cushions have a fixed contour that can only provide temporary relief. Before long, the nerves are irritated and trigger pain again. It’s a never-ending cycle of pain.
He claimed to have consulted a lot of physical therapists, chiropractors, orthopedic and nerve doctors who gave their own regimens and recommendations.
So he took the matter in his own hands. He created Sciatigard, a customizable orthopedic seat cushion one can put on the computer chair, car seat and others. It aims to distribute weight from the sit bone (ischial tuberosity) to the hip bone (greater trochanter) to enhance comfort and relieve pain from prolonged sitting.
Available online in the Sciatigard Facebook page and Shark Philippines, Sciatigard aims to distribute body weight, thereby aiming to prevent numbness from prolonged sitting and can be adjusted according to one’s sitting position. It is foldable and easy to carry, has an adjustable strap, and anti-slip grip underside fabric.
It has three levels of firmness: soft, medium and firm. The firm ones are for people who weigh 250 lbs. and over. The medium seat cushion is for those weighing 190 to 240 lbs., while the soft version is recommended for those who weigh 120 to 190 lbs.
Thanks to Sciatigard, Ronquillo’s life finally returned to normal. He was able to drive and ride a plane again, and return to his work table. And since he always takes the seat cushion with him, it has become a conversation piece among friends and family.
Two taxi drivers he gave Sciatigard to were so grateful they repeatedly sent text messages to Ronquillo to show how much they appreciate the comfort and relief the product gave them.
That’s enough to make this prolific inventor’s day.
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