Sitting at work

[Juanco20]

This is a subject that i've been experimenting with for a few months

Basically my job involves being at my desk for about 9 hours a day with not much reason to walk about other than to get a drink or to go to the toilet. I can find myself being sat down for 2-3 hours without realising I haven't moved/gotten up in that time. Then when I tried to work out on an evening, squats would cause pretty bad pain in my psoas and hip flexors which I assume were tight from sitting all day but there seems to be no studies which prove sitting shortens hip flexors. I also had quite pronounced anterior pelvic tilt although I was born with a quite an exaggerated lumbar curve.

So I decided to botch up a standing desk which I've been using for about 8 weeks now. I had thought that it had improved my pelvic tilt and I was no longer getting the same issues when squating although that could have been down to extra work i'd put in with foam rolling/stretching etc. Anyway, at the physio the other day it turned out my hips were all tilted and twisted still so that quashed those thoughts. I've also had a sore left heel, locked knees and generally find it more tiring and less productive working stood up.

Seems to be obvious pitfalls with either approach, especially standing as it is hard to know if everything is properly aligned (I obviously haven't been). A mixture is probably best with a motorized stand up/sit down desk but that isn't an option for me.

I suppose my question is: Are there any folk on here who sit for long periods of time and don't seem to suffer with tight hips or muscle issues? If so, how do you have your chair set up, is there a secret to it? Does there need to be that slight backward lean of over 100° to keep the hips slightly open? Or is it case of accepting that you're going to get tight, glutes and abs are going to become weak and just putting the work in at the gym/home to strengthen them back up and stretch anything that's tight?

Or is it a case or spending big money on a very good ergonomic chair?

[Du1point8]

get a posture office chair or I wonder if one of those funky ones with no backs works just as good as you are kneeling.

[counterofbeans]

I also sit at work for long periods and I have ongoing lower back problems for which I get regular chiropractic treatment.

I tried standing up to work but didn't feel it helped very much.

Eventually I bit the bullet and bought a Herman Miller Aeron chair with Posturefit. It's stupidly exepnsive and to be honest not very well made, but it's extremely comfortable and supportive to the point where I no longer have problems sitting at work.

CofB

[zax]

I used to sit all day, had similar issues to you. I now swap between standing (lucky enough to have an electric adjustable desk), sitting on a chair and sitting on a balance ball. It helps. I think the key is to make sure all are at the optimum position and adjusted properly, friendly physio sorted this out with me. Then vandalise them with tape or marker pen tags so that you can fix them when somebody borrows your place and screws them all up

[Juanco20]

counterofbeans said:

I also sit at work for long periods and I have ongoing lower back problems for which I get regular chiropractic treatment.

I tried standing up to work but didn't feel it helped very much.

Eventually I bit the bullet and bought a Herman Miller Aeron chair with Posturefit. It's stupidly exepnsive and to be honest not very well made, but it's extremely comfortable and supportive to the point where I no longer have problems sitting at work.

CofB

Blimey, they are expensive. Which one did you go for and where from?

I might go try a few chairs out at the weekend. The ones we have here were £300 I think but they just seem a rubbish fit for me

[counterofbeans]

Juanco20 said:

Blimey, they are expensive. Which one did you go for and where from?

I might go try a few chairs out at the weekend. The ones we have here were £300 I think but they just seem a rubbish fit for me

This one:-

http://www.back2.co.uk/Herman-Miller-Aeron-Chair-p...

If you get one make sure you specify Posturefit (not the standard lumbar support)

CofB

[Cuchillo]

counterofbeans said:

This one:-

http://www.back2.co.uk/Herman-Miller-Aeron-Chair-p...

If you get one make sure you specify Posturefit (not the standard lumbar support)

CofB

+1 for that chair from me.

Like it so much that I bought one to use on site as well as one for home. Have been using them (at various sites/clients) for nearly 10 years. They also come with a 12 year warranty as well (I think) and are rated as being useable 24 hours a day.

[mu0n]

I sit down for very long periods during the day (only getting up to get some printing, coffee or to take a leak) and my hip mobility is pretty good. Not amazing, but certainly doesn’t seem to suffer.

The only issue I get is piriformis syndrome but that’s probably more genetic than an effect of my surroundings.

[mattikake]

Ah my domain! Both in personal experience from problem to cure, and professionally...

Juanco20 said:

Then when I tried to work out on an evening, squats would cause pretty bad pain in my psoas and hip flexors which I assume were tight from sitting all day but there seems to be no studies which prove sitting shortens hip flexors.

No studies?! Really?

Maybe that's because it's common and indeed, obvious, to the trained eye? A good PT can spot a posture problem in seconds.

Juanco20 said:

So I decided to botch up a standing desk which I've been using for about 8 weeks now. I had thought that it had improved my pelvic tilt and I was no longer getting the same issues when squating although that could have been down to extra work i'd put in with foam rolling/stretching etc. Anyway, at the physio the other day it turned out my hips were all tilted and twisted still so that quashed those thoughts. I've also had a sore left heel, locked knees and generally find it more tiring and less productive working stood up.

Yep. Standing produces it's own problems. Humans are not designed to sit for long periods and we're not designed to stand for long periods. Both cause stress on your spine.

Juanco20 said:

A mixture is probably best with a motorized stand up/sit down desk but that isn't an option for me.

Welcome to the modern office job. As you have already worked out yourself, what you need to do is stay mobile... as you are designed.

Fancy chairs are the first mistake. The alleviate the symptoms but do not fix the problem. Indeed all they do is let the problem fester away unknown until it cripples you (prolapsed disc for e.g.) and then it's all too late.

Pain exists for a reason - your body is telling you something is wrong. Don't hide it, listen to it and work with it.

Juanco20 said:

I suppose my question is: Are there any folk on here who sit for long periods of time and don't seem to suffer with tight hips or muscle issues? If so, how do you have your chair set up, is there a secret to it? Does there need to be that slight backward lean of over 100° to keep the hips slightly open? Or is it case of accepting that you're going to get tight, glutes and abs are going to become weak and just putting the work in at the gym/home to strengthen them back up and stretch anything that's tight?

Or is it a case or spending big money on a very good ergonomic chair?

No chair fixes the problem because all chairs leave you with either bent knees or a bent back - both cause Lordosis/APT (and all the other associated problems).

There was a thread on this recently where I listed all the stretches and strengthening exercises you need to do to FIX the problem.

Here is the cause: http://www.mptp.info/corporate/fixdeskposture.html

Here is a means to alleviate (if the FB link works): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3652030669...

Constantly switch position to standing, slouching, sitting, kneeling.

To fix -
stretch: Illiacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Femoris, Hamstrings, Calves, Pecs. (all depending on severity, basically the problem starts in the pelvis and spreads out to lower back/upper legs to neck/lower legs)
Strengthen: Glutes, Abs, Lumbar to Cervical back, Posterior Shoulders.
Exercise: All the listed muscles (tight muscles need to learn to relax and contract, as well as making the weak muscles stronger)
3x per week for exercises, twice a day for stretches (without fail, when you get up in the morning and when you go to bed).

Last of all, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES relieve your back pain by standing up and bending down to touch your toes. It's helps the pain, but it exacerbates the problem by allowing your hip flexors to contract still further. Instead stretch your hip flexors with the two main hip flexor stretches - tail tuck and kneeled lunge. The pain will ease all the same as this will ease the pressure on your Lumbar spine.

Edited by mattikake on Thursday 23 May 11:55

[LordGrover]

Maybe worth a read: internets?

[TameRacingDriver]

Personally I make sure I walk for 5-10 minutes each morning and afternoon and a 30-45 minute walk on a lunch time really helps me. We aren't designed to sit still for that long.

[davepoth]

TameRacingDriver said:

Personally I make sure I walk for 5-10 minutes each morning and afternoon and a 30-45 minute walk on a lunch time really helps me. We aren't designed to sit still for that long.

Same for me. I also slack off a lot and walk around the office to talk to co-workers. I think they probably hate me.