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For almost a year I spent practically all day sitting in front of a PC monitor (used to work at home), with no exercise. Then I developed pain in both knees, w

by finid 10y ago

For almost a year I spent practically all day sitting in front of a PC monitor (used to work at home), with no exercise. Then I developed pain in both knees, worse on the left knee. I figured that it was because of too much sitting, so I got a standing desk. In about a month, knee pains gone, completely. Never even bothered to go see a doctor. After standing for too long, I started having pains in my lower back. Solution? I got a bar stool, so I now alternate between standing and sitting. What I learnt is that our body's joints (knee, elbow, waist, ankle, etc) were not designed to remain in one position for too long. Movement lubricates them.

ahstro 10y ago
>Solution? You said it yourself: "[...] our body's joints [...] were not designed to remain in one position for too long." Try a pomodoro-esque schedule (25 min work, 5 min rest) where you get up and move around, maybe do some stretches and warm up exercises?
RyanMcGreal 10y ago
I'm in my mid-40s. For about 15 years, I sat at a desk writing code and slowly dying. Three and a half years ago, I started running three times a week. Then, a little over two years ago, I switched to a standing desk. I've never looked back. To avoid stiffening up, I play music (usually progressive house or something similarly rhythmic-but-not-too-distracting) into noise-cancelling headphones and let the music move me. Because I'm not standing still, I don't experience lower back pain, stiffness, soreness or anything else. If I had to go back to sitting now, it would kill me. [] NB I wrenched my back last autumn by twisting in a funny way while painting a ceiling with a roller on an extension pole. After a couple of weeks of Advil and an aggressive regimen of back exercises and stretches, my back pain was completely gone and I feel better than ever.
- ansible 10y ago
  Yep. I'm usually listening to Frisky Radio for something that can help blot out the noise from the rest of the office, and give me a little energy. I've been doing the standing desk for about 4 years now. I just bodged something together for my setup, but I'm thinking about investing in a VariDesk system instead. When I sit, I'll probably use an exercise ball instead of a chair.

by finid 10y ago

ahstro 10y ago

>Solution? You said it yourself: "[...] our body's joints [...] were not designed to remain in one position for too long." Try a pomodoro-esque schedule (25 min work, 5 min rest) where you get up and move around, maybe do some stretches and warm up exercises?

RyanMcGreal 10y ago

I'm in my mid-40s. For about 15 years, I sat at a desk writing code and slowly dying. Three and a half years ago, I started running three times a week. Then, a little over two years ago, I switched to a standing desk. I've never looked back. To avoid stiffening up, I play music (usually progressive house or something similarly rhythmic-but-not-too-distracting) into noise-cancelling headphones and let the music move me. Because I'm not standing still, I don't experience lower back pain, stiffness, soreness or anything else. If I had to go back to sitting now, it would kill me. [] NB I wrenched my back last autumn by twisting in a funny way while painting a ceiling with a roller on an extension pole. After a couple of weeks of Advil and an aggressive regimen of back exercises and stretches, my back pain was completely gone and I feel better than ever.

ansible 10y ago
Yep. I'm usually listening to Frisky Radio for something that can help blot out the noise from the rest of the office, and give me a little energy. I've been doing the standing desk for about 4 years now. I just bodged something together for my setup, but I'm thinking about investing in a VariDesk system instead. When I sit, I'll probably use an exercise ball instead of a chair.