In a world where people spend hours working at their desks, sitting long hours is suddenly a norm. Unfortunately, this ‘norm’ has an unpleasant dark side – you experience extreme pain around your bottom.
This is often due to the inflammation of the ischial bursa which is sheltered by the ischial tuberosity bone, a condition that’s medically referred to as Ischial Bursitis.
Some call it a weaver’s bottom and others prefer the related description of sit bone pain or tailor’s seat. But the pain associated with the condition could leave you struggling to remember what phrase to use in describing it besides being PAINFUL.
Seeing a physical therapist might provide temporary relief, which comes to an abrupt end the moment you’re seated, and that’s a tough task for many. Fortunately, some pillows and cushions can end your weaver’s bottom problem completely.
Finding the best Ischial Bursitis pillow and cushion can be quite difficult. What’s with those contrary reviews on Amazon? It can be quite confusing when you have to decide what pillow or cushion would be a perfect fit for your situation.
Also, a lot of products give off a ‘jack of all trades’ vibe, and there’s no certainty of their mastery of the sit bone pain.
Fortunately, it’s not all grim. Having juggled the 9 – 5 life for a long time, I’ve had to depend on some of these pillows and cushions.
I can confidently say my bottom has gone through a lot, but the result should clear all doubts on what cushions or pillows can help with Ischial Bursitis.
Below is my personal review of the 7 Best Ischial Bursitis pillow and cushions
Top 7 Ischial Bursitis Pillow and Cushion
Oasis Orthopedic Seat Cushion– Overall Best Ischial Bursitis Pillow
One of the reasons why I considered this Oasis Orthopedic seat cushion in the first place, was its color. Unlike many orthopedic cushions, it wasn’t dull.
My first real experience with the cushion was weird. It felt like I was sitting on a balloon. It is not a fun feeling when you have a pile of work on your desk, and you have to deal with a ‘floating’ cushion.
Before I got this cushion, after sitting on my supposedly comfy chair for a few hours, I will have to keep adjusting my bottom on the seat to minimize the pain.
On placing the cushion on the seat, it didn’t feel much different from my padded chair, but I observed something: I wasn’t feeling any pain.
It felt great, but I now had a new problem: the cushion propped me higher than I’m used to. The desk felt farther away than I wanted. Comfort does come at a price.
What I liked
- It helped immensely with the pain
- I liked the appearance of the cushion
- It wasn’t hard or uncomfortable
- It’s durable
What I disliked
- That feeling of seating on a balloon is disturbing
- Raised my sitting height significantly
Verdict
The Oasis Orthopedic seat cushion can help with your Ischial Bursitis, but there are a few strings attached. You’ll need to weigh these drawbacks and decide if you can deal with them.
Milliard Orthopedic Foam Donut Cushion– Best Budget Ischial Bursitis Pillow
The striking thing about this Millard orthopedic cushion is its donut shape. It looked comfortable from afar.
On opening the packaging, it had that unpleasant smell which is common with newly manufactured plastic items. Fortunately, the awful smell disappears after a short while.
The cushion comes with a fabric cover, which is elastic, does a good job of keeping dirt away from the cushion.
I found the cushion texture to be impressive. It wasn’t excessively hard, and it didn’t feel like something that would sink in easily.
Initially, I was lost on what side of the cushion should be in contact with the chair top. Then, I tried both sides, using how comfortable each side was, as the criterion. There wasn’t much of a difference, so I just placed the cushion on any of its sides.
The donut cushion proved to be quite comfortable. I didn’t feel any pain in my bottom when using it. Also, it helped me in nipping my bad posture habits in the bud.
The donut cushion’s effectiveness at curbing pain from Ischial Bursitis could be ascribed to the use of foam and gel in making the pillow.
Another thing about this cushion that endeared it to me was that it came with a storage bag, so I could take along with me to the office without anyone being the wiser.
What I Liked
- It is effective against Ischial pain
- Comes with a carrying case
- Equipped with a cover that can be easily removed and washed
- Lightweight pillow
What I Disliked
- Released a heinous plastic smell
- It has a rubbery feel to it
Verdict
The Milliard foam cushion works great for easing your weaver’s bottom condition, but some have claimed to suffer allergic reactions when using the pillow. You might have to put that into consideration when looking at this cushion.
At first glance, I wasn’t sure what to make of this cushion. It looked like a premium quality mask that wouldn’t be out of place in the movie Eyes Wide Shut.
While I had doubts about its look, those evaporated as soon as I touched this Aylio Socket Seat cushion. It felt gentle on my skin, just like velvet. The gaps in the mesh ensure my button was well-aerated.
I found the pitted design perfect for my sit bone pain. The contouring of the cushion amplified the relief delivered by the pillow.
The vegan leather used not only enhanced the comfort of the cushion, but it also ensured I won’t have to worry about having to deal with a worn-out pillow.
Carrying the cushion was easy, thanks to the attached fabric handle. I was pleased I didn’t need two hands to take the cushion along with me on rides.
The zipped cover made cleaning the cushion easy. It keeps dirt away from the foam, and it’s wiping it clean requires little effort.
What I Liked
- Eases sitting bone pain
- It’s durable
- The attached handle makes it easy to carry
- Zipped cover improves the cleaning process
- Mesh covering aerates my bottom.
What I Disliked
- Raised height
- Rigid dimensions
- Zipper on the cushion can be discomforting
Verdict
This cushion is effective against reducing sit bone pain, but it’s certainly not ideal for people of certain sizes. You’ll need to assess its dimensions and confirm it’s compatible with your body shape.
Read also: Best Mattress for AirBnB Vacation/Property Rental
The Bod support cushion is another pillow I stumbled on en-route to a pain-free sitting stance.
Its textured design is supposed to help the cushion stay in place, but it doesn’t. The pillow keeps shifting around.
On seating on the fabric-covered cushion, I felt the sit bone pain ease off. I found out that the cut-out was largely responsible for this immediate relief offered by the pillow.
I found the strap attached to the cushion to be quite helpful in keeping the pillow in position. I didn’t have to worry about the cushion slipping from my chair as has been the case with some other items.
Carrying the cushion was possible using the handle on the side of the cushion. Having the same color as the pillow and its low profile position makes the handle somewhat less discernible.
With everyday use, the cushion picked its fair share of dirt. Fortunately, keeping it clean was as easy as washing its fabric cover.
The cushion isn’t large enough. It only occupies a fraction of my chair’s base. Add that it keeps dancing around on the chair, and things get antsy.
What I Liked
- Low profile handle
- Fabric covering makes it easy to wash
- Impressive design helped ease sit bone pain
- The anti-slip strap keeps it from slipping off a chair
What I Disliked
- It shifts too easily
- It’s not large enough
Verdict
While I like this cushion for its calmative effect on Ischial pain, I wasn’t impressed with its small size. Also, having to continuously adjust the cushion wasn’t something I was happy about.
Ergonomic Innovations Orthopedic Pillow
This Ergonomic Innovations donut pillow is another cushion that helped during my struggle with Ischial pain.
When I picked it up, the velour covering made the cushion feel gentle on my skin. Also, it’s breathable, so my bottom is properly aerated while seated.
I found the handle on the side of the cushion to be of immense help when I had to carry along the cushion. It’s worth noting that the fabric cover can be removed for easy washing, but it’s sort of delicate, so you might want to be gentle on it.
On seating on the pillow, I found it rather small. It’s comfy, but the size proved a problem.
The memory foam is grossly insufficient. After seating on the cushion for the first time, the padding shrank in size.
On using the pillow regularly, it became less comfortable. And this only grew worse with each passing day.
What I Liked
- Its fabric cover is gentle on the skin and can be easily detached for washing
- The donut pillow did ease my sit bone pain initially
- It can be easily carried around
What I Disliked
- It became a pillow of discomfort
- The padding isn’t enough
Verdict
You might want to think twice before opting for this cushion. It’s not durable, and the one-size-fits-all arrangement doesn’t work with this pillow.
ROYI Seat Cushion
It was love at first sight with this ROYI seat pillow. On seeing the oblique shape and the oblique contour, I felt this was the cushion that would ease off my sit bone pain in totality.
Unfortunately, this cushion fell short of the mark. The velour covering on the cushion does a good job of keeping my bottom comfortable until it became too hot for comfort.
It was easy to detach the covering, as it’s zipped around the foam.
The covering is supposed to be breathable, but that’s not the case as my bottom was covered in sweat every time I used the cushion.
Seating on the cushion did two major things for me: It provided me with relief from my sit bone pain, and I became aware of my posture. I am almost bent at the back due to a poor sitting posture.
I found the foam too hard, which necessitated a replacement. It might be a great help with Ischial pain, but sitting long term on it isn’t something I was enthusiastic about considering its hard texture.
I was truly pleased that I didn’t have to get up often to adjust the cushion on my seat since its rubber bottom prevents it from sliding around the chair.
What I Liked
- Comfy fabric covering
- Easy to clean
- Doesn’t slip
- Eased my Ischial pain
- Cushion is durable
What I Disliked
- Memory foam is hard
- The fabric covering is not breathable
Speak Moments 3D Seat Cushion
I stumbled on this 3D seat cushion from Speak Moments while searching for relief for my Ischial pain. As a strong believer in innovation, I opted to see what this cushion would offer me.
It doesn’t use memory foam, which was pleasing to my eyes. I discovered the content of its fabric covering is a synthetic material that’s quite elastic. My worries about the cushion sinking in with frequent use were unnecessary.
Being super sweaty, it’s that this synthetic fiber ventilates my bottom, despite the compact nature of the cushion. I found the synthetic material to be extremely helpful in ameliorating Ischial pain.
My problem with this cushion is the distinct washing patterns applicable to polymer material and its covering.
Yes, the cushion might be washable, but having to wash the synthetic material a certain way, different from that for the covering, is a time-consuming exercise.
What I Liked
- Aerates my sweaty bottom
- Relieved me of the unpleasant Ischial pain
- Can be washed, though I’m not a big fan of the nature of washing involved
- I don’t have to worry about the padded material collapsing
What I Disliked
- No carrying handle or case
Verdict
This cushion is largely unknown, but its efficacy against Ischial pain is remarkable. If you have a sweaty bum like my, this 3D cushion is worth considering.
Buying Guide
When looking for the right orthopedic cushion for Ischial pain, there are a few things I wish I knew before delving into the murky waters of buying a cushion.
Handy Facts
To avoid buying numerous cushions as I did, here are a few things you should know:
Hard or soft cushion
An orthopedic cushion is supposed to reduce the pressure on your bony parts, resulting in relief from pain. The fact remains that your bones are innervated, so any form of pressure on them will cause you pain.
If a cushion is to ease your Ischial pain, it needs to be soft enough to ease minimize the pressure on the bursa. A hard orthopedic cushion will only make things worse, so avoid such.
Breathability
When getting a cushion, maximum comfort is imperative. To ensure your bottom is comfortable, it needs to be aerated. While the average donut cushion claims to be breathable, most aren’t.
You need to be conscious of this, especially if you have a high metabolic rate which tends to increase your body’s sweat secretion. Opt for a truly breathable cushion like the 3D cushion considered earlier.
Can it be washed?
As you’ll be seating on the orthopedic cushion most times, you need to be wary of its cleanliness. Find out how easy it is to wash the cushion. Most pillows have a detachable cover, which can be washed easily.
Carriage
The average orthopedic cushion would often require the use of both hands to move it around. Many now have a handle attached, and this helps incredibly with mobility.
Beware of Allergies
Certain pitted pillows are made from synthetic materials, and a lot of people suffer allergic reactions when they use such items.
If you have a history of being allergic to items like plastics, you might want to tread with caution when getting an orthopedic cushion.
Ischial Bursitis Treatment
The inflammation of the Ischial Bursa can be rectified through a combination of several actions/inactions. Below are some of these steps:
Rest
Your body is capable of handling a lot of things, including certain levels of ischial bursitis, but you need to rest a lot to make this happen.
There’s the need to curb certain activities that amplify the pain and worsen the situation. Sitting down on a hard substance is one of such. This informs the use of donut pillows and pitted cushions in situations where sitting is unavoidable.
Exercises
While standing tends to give some temporary relief, certain exercises like the piriformis stretch help minimize ischial pain.
Medication
In certain situations, the use of steroidal medications, that curb the swelling of the bursa, is found to be helpful. You’ll need to consult with your therapist on the right kind for your body.
Our Final Thoughts on Ischial Bursitis Pillow
Ischial pain isn’t the end of the world. I have struggled with the condition for a long time, even before I knew what the problem was called.
To curb the pain permanently requires a mix of several steps, including treating the cause of the swelling, minimizing activities that could trigger the recuperating bursa, and using a soft donut cushion when you need to seat down.
I hope this helps in your struggle with ischial pain. If you have questions regarding how to deal with the pain, especially from a survivor, leave a comment, and I’ll reply as soon as possible.
Feel free to check out other informational articles and reviews at seathaven.com