Business gets 'back' to the basics of good posture
Relax the Back offers products to relieve body aches
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER AMATO Relax the Back, located at the Shoppes at North Brunswick, sells recliners, office chairs, mattresses and massage products designed to prevent and relieve back pain.

NORTH BRUNSWICK - Sitting at a desk. Using a computer. Driving to work. Watching TV. Sleeping in bed.

These daily activities are commonplace and usually not given a second thought. However, many people don't realize they are not using proper posture during these activities, which leads to back, neck and limb pain.

This is the reason Simon Stefanos, of Princeton, decided to open a Relax the Back franchise in the Shoppes at North Brunswick complex at the intersection of routes 1 and 130.

"The problem with back pain is you have gravity pushing down on you day in and day out," Stefanos said. "Because gravity is pushing you down, if we can eliminate gravity in this position, we can eliminate pressure points."

Stefanos said it is important to have the legs raised because when the legs are higher than the heart, circulation improves. He said being in a neutral position for just 15 minutes a day will feel like "floating" and will relieve pain caused by arthritis, surgery, a pinched nerve or normal activities.

Relax the Back sells only Tempur-Pedic mattresses because of the way the material molds to the body, keeping the spine straight during sleep.

He said 80 percent of the U.S. population experiences back problems, so he is trying to sell educational books and products to better inform residents of how they can live more comfortably.

"The philosophy of Relax the Back is the spine. You not only have to have proper posture, but you also have to have proper support," the first-time business owner said.

Stefanos said preventing problems associated with the spine and neck is extremely important for members of today's society and even for insurance companies because the more medical problems people have, the more money that must be spent for treatment.

Therefore, Stefanos offers zero-gravity chairs, office furniture, mattresses, pillows and massage products that help prevent back pain, support the body and relieve aches that may occur.

Recliners, with or without massage features, come in an array of colors and materials.

"Even if you don't feel it at your age you are going to feel it in the future," said the owner of the third franchise opened in New Jersey.

Relax the Back offers a variety of massage chairs and zero-gravity chairs. There is a chair that lifts up and tilts so that people with arthritis can slowly rise out of their chair with limited stiffness. There is an indoor/outdoor washable zero-gravity recliner. A saddle chair and a chair with a leg massager relax muscles within about 15 minutes.

There are several types of office chairs. One is a kneeling chair, which has an optional back so that the knees rest at an angle so the back straightens out automatically. Some have lumbar support, a footrest or adjustable armrests.

All of the chairs are available in different colors and materials. Some have the option to be motorized.

There is also an adjustable desk that moves up and down to accommodate a person who wants to stand while working. (Continued from previous page)

Relax the Back also carries a special pen for people suffering from arthritis or tight fingers.

Stefanos said, "If you're spending a third of your life sleeping, where is the main problem for your back? Your bed."

He offers Tempur-Pedic mattresses that do not have a coil but instead mold around the body to keep the spine in a straight line. The mattress can also be adjusted to different angles to keep the legs above the heart during reading and TV watching.

"A Tempur-Pedic mattress models around the object and doesn't work against your body," he said, demonstrating how you will barely feel a set of keys placed underneath.

Some of the models are equipped with back and foot massagers as well.

The offered sleeper sofa has no bar in the middle but is instead supported by heavy duty, comfortable material so that sleeping "feels continuous," he said.

There are also different contour pillows and bed wedges that can help the back if a new bed is not feasible, and they are designed for people who sleep in various positions, such as on their backs, on their sides or on their stomachs.

Your body shouldn't bend when you're sleeping, the former pharmacist said. "If your neck is not in the right position, whether or not you have this kind of mattress, it does not matter."

For those on the go, there are adjustable, bendable pads to support the lumbar area in a vehicle, as well as deflatable, foldable pillows good for an airplane. There are zero-gravity book bags that don't put added pressure on the spine.

For people interested in exercise, there are medicine balls, back-support belts for lifting weights and reusable heating pads.

Inversion tables are used to tilt the body at 15-degree angles until the body is perpendicular to the floor, upside down. The ankles are locked in and with a squeeze of the side handles, the table begins to move backward. This can be used to stretch out the body or as a platform to do abdominal exercises.

An important component to include in his store, Stefanos said, are books about treating back and neck pain because, he said, "I think it's important for people to know their problem."

Other products include massage sticks, smaller massagers and massage cushions.

"I want [customers] to be happy here. I want them to come, I want them to sit here and have a massage … and I want them to understand what they do now is going to help them in the future," he said.

Relax the Back is located at 530 Shoppes Boulevard near Starbucks and Chipotle. Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. The family franchise is run by Stefanos and his wife, Tsehay.

For more information, call (732) 249- 0660. A catalog of the products is available at the store.