Hello Boys and Girls. I hope you had an enjoyable weekend and didn’t miss me too much. I’ve been a little absent over the last few days but I needed a teeny-weeny break from my keyboard and my blogger’s back. I have a theory that if someone was to blog for twenty years they would actually turn into a human question mark with hair on top. Never in my life have I experienced as much back and neck pain as I have over the last three years – the time I’ve been blogging. And while I love what I do here at me-dot-com, I hate what it does to my body. Sit-down blogging is indeed a health hazard. As is any sit-down job. Being in a seated position for extended periods of time effectively “switches off” many of our muscles, with the net result being decreased muscle mass, strength, flexibility, fitness, muscular endurance and function. And don’t forget… increased pain, postural problems and overall health risk. When I’m king of the world, there’ll be a health warning on every chair.
So I’ve decided that I need to learn to type in a upright (as in, totally upright) position. I have been intending to build (or acquire) myself an upright work station for a while now. Do they exist? Where do I get one? *Yep, they exist, I just Googled it.* For a whole range of reasons (back health, energy expenditure, alertness, overall health, posture, circulation, core strength and activation) we’d all be much better off if we did the majority of our work in a standing position. Not all, but a lot more would be good. Of all the things we can do to our body – from a health perspective - excessive sitting is one of the worst. And one of the least addressed. Being as we are the “Sit-Down Generation”, it seems that our addiction to have our arses planted will continue to present us with an ever-increasing range of health problems. Unless of course we do something about it. The majority of Australians (it’s similar in most developed countries) spend around one to two hours (only) per day in an upright position! Can you believe that many of us spend between twenty two and twenty three hours per day sitting or lying? No wonder our backs are f***ed and no wonder we’re getting fatter.
International “Get off Your Arse” Day
Perhaps you and I could pioneer a global “Get off Your Arse Day” (Ass for my American readers). Might make driving to work interesting but wouldn’t it be fun to have an annual day where we consciously didn’t sit unless there was absolutely no option. Every great endeavour (project, charity, business, invention) was once an idea floating around a fertile mind, so maybe we craigharperdotcommers could be the genesis for something of value to our chubby, sore-backed (a Harperism) generation? What do you think? Wanna help me?
I just did some very rough energy expenditure calculations based on my tiny-teeny 100 kilo (220lbs) self. If I was to convert five hours each day from seated blogging to standing blogging, I would expend around an extra 4,200 calories per week. That’s a shit-load of extra energy expenditure (cals burned), without having to increase exercise, go to the gym (for extra sessions), find more time (our no.1 excuse) get sweaty or drastically reduce calories.
Right, I’m off to explore a new work station, I’d suggest some of you do the same.
I’ll keep you posted.
If any of you have any thoughts, ideas, feedback, experience or research that my might be of interest and value… cough up! Or just leave a comment… ’cause we love your comments.
Ciao x
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{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Craig,
Hmmm what day have you in mind for the inaugural GOYAD??? I’d be in it….could be fun!!!
Good luck with the research and more than likely subsequent purchase….we may all like to see it. (inspiration perhaps???)
I know I spend far too much time seated…as a front desk receptionist with a computer setup on a desk at chair height it does make it difficult but I always try to find ways to get up and work upright (may drive the physio’s bonkers but who cares, I have to look after me too!) I will put some serious thought into it
Happy shopping
Hugs,
Chelle xxxx
Craig, I was surprised to read that such an active person still suffers from back and neck pain. I was also happy to discover that I’m not alone on this one.
I have a sedentary computer-culture job and have suffered from chronic neck pain and migraines for years.
The things I’ve tried include: doctors, specialsits, x-rays, physiotherapy, acupuncture (laser and needle), a million different pillows, just as many sleeping positions, pilates, yoga, gels, wheat bags, massage and the list goes on.
The conclusions I’ve come to: you are absolutely right – we need to move more, so even when I’m sitting at my workstation I make a point of moving regularly, getting up, stretching my legs, neck, back and arms. Pilates and yoga have been fantastic. They look easy but they’re far from it and improve core strength and breathing techniques incredibly. Who would have thought we’d need help breathing? Picking up my kids (or anything heave) with an intentional posture stops a lot of strains. An occasional massage does wonders and my sister (who is a yoga teacher) taught me the best trick of all – the tennis ball massage! You get a tennis ball and put it between your back and a wall. Massage away! Apply your own pressure and gets the spots that need to be got. Do it all the way down to your butt and also under the soles of your feet.
Having said all that I still don’t move or exercise enough to get the blood flowing and the heart pumping. It’s a constant process of reminding yourself and being aware – not easy but necessary.
Plus a good break never goes astray!
Good Luck, Cheers Michelle
Massage!! You need one badly (perhaps you’ve explored that option – and yes, only a temporary measure anyhow), but I have no other ideas that spring to mind, so that’s about my 10 cents worth!!
Other than – have you ever had a float at a float centre?? A float and a massage immediately following is amazing – so therapeutic and almost blissful!!
Okay these are all non-preventative measures, but they might help in the short term. Can only offer my empathy otherwise and good luck with the standing work station !! 4,200 extra calories burnt – wow, that’s a lot. I’d better get off my a….
See ya,
Mon
Love the idea of “Get Off Your Arse Day”! Although what about for those of us with a sway-shaped lower back that aches after too much STANDING?? Maybe I could make it more about getting off my arse for 10 mins every hour. Or something.
Now, about you. Why are you doing your own typing anyway? Surely there are more productive ways you could spend your time? There ARE people who provide that service, you know. Are you a 2 .. 3 .. or 4 finger typist? Ever thought of doing a touch-typing course, if you haven’t already?? You would be faster at the keyboard AND not compromise your posture as much by continually looking between the screen and keyboard. Would make you more of a “wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am” blogger .. which in this case would be a good thing! And if all else fails, I’m happy to walk on your back. I know .. I’m too kind.
Suz (Sydney)
And Craig, no BS but sitting = over analysing, movement = mind off things
I should know as I’m in an industry where I sat and think all day.
Made my Chiro rich
Hi Craig,
I would love a standing desk. One person in our office has an electric desk so she can sit or stand to work (type, read etc) due to a back problem and I’m so jealous and totally want one (the desk that is, not the back problem!).
I have also being trying to convince people that a few treamill desks at work would be a good idea too! Just google “treadmill desk” to find it –The idea is to slowly walk on a treadmill while working at a desk built around the treadmill…a Treadmill Desk….
Dr Levine’s research revealed that on the average his subjects burned 100 extra calories every hour while walking slowly — at 1 mile per hour — than while sitting in a chair.—- I mean, they cost $4,000 a pop BUT in a workplace surely you could make that back if people were becoming healtier & fitter WHILE working??
Everyone thinks I’ve made the treadmill desk up and am totally crazy but I think it could be a goer!
Anyway, hope the back/neck improves and the standing desk is a winner.
Cheers, Ghatti (long time lurker!!!)
How about you take a spoonful of your own medicine and find a solution to your ‘problem’ – don’t whinge to us about it
Go back to being a PT 
There’s got to be a balance (whatever that means?). And you have to look after yourself. Try clinical pilates for your back. It’s great ‘fun’. [I so want to get back to it myself]
I don’t own a desk chair (anymore) by the way. I always sit on my swiss ball. I have a ‘custom-built’ desk that has adjustible legs so its low enough to sit at on a ball.
Hi Chelle,
my idea is for us to spend twelve hours of one day (say 8am – 8pm) – once a year – with minimal sitting (the unnavoidable stuff only) and then to create awareness (of the dangers of being a sit-down generation) around that day… non-profit… etc.
Hi Michelle – being a writer means that I spend a lot of time over a keyboard… like right now! Thanks for your suggestions
That’s it Mon; I’m marrying a massage therapist who owns a float tank….
….and maybe a charcoal chicken shop
Would you wear footy boots Suz?
I’m hearin’ ya Michael..
Welcome Ghatti
You’re right; they totally exist… and I want one
Thanks for saying hi…
I kinda thought the article was about finding a solution to my problem Jules… namely an upright work station. Did you miss that bit?
Well Craig, I guess when you go from PT to desk jockey, you’re gunna get some pain! Suck it up, Princess? Nah, thought not. That’s hardly appropriate, Em!!
I sit on my arse all day … well, isn’t that what all stay-at-home mums do, or did I miss the memo??
The PT who runs our gym told me if you sit for long periods of time and get a sore, tight lower back to stretch your hip-flexor (like crescent moon in yoga) and it will help. His theory is that the hip-flexor muscles shorten from sitting all day, and they pull on your hips and throw your lower back out.
Made sense to me. I tried in and it totally works!
Hope you find your solution, just don’t give up writing … we like it all so much!! (Cue: awww, feeling the love!!)
Em From Jem
( ) x
Hey there!
I totally hear what you are saying about the back pain. I hope that your back is on the movable mend very soon!
I have spent that past four days at a course that required me to sit and it has ruined my back. It has taken me some time to get on top of my back problems and at the moment I feel like I am back to square one – from sitting.
My back pain remedy is to have regular bowen therapy, sit on a fit ball at work and pilates a couple of times per week – all have been my saviour.
I wish you well in your work station endeavours.
Mares x
If that’s what you’re into, Craig …. I was more thinking a pair of those sexy, kinky, over-the-top gladiator stilettos and some kind of sliced-and-diced leather catsuit. Oops … did I say that out loud????
Hi Craig,
You poor thing. I’ve only had a back problem once (from carrying a child the size of a baby elephant) and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
The upright work stations are available at IKEA and are pretty funky. They fold away so if you have limited space they’re a great idea. I saw one a few months ago and was thinking about setting one up at home to alternate between standing and sitting at my desk.
Bear in mind, though, that if your posture isn’t perfect, standing is going to be just as harmful for you as sitting. You need to have your centre of gravity set perfectly so that you’re not causing strain on any particular bits. In my younger years, I had to stand for 6-7 hours at a time as a fragrance ‘spray girl’ in a department store. We weren’t allowed to walk, just stand there looking vacant and glamorous. Trust me, after the first few hours, everything starts to ache.
You might also want to consider Suz’s touch-typing idea. Then we can all have races. Like a typing beep test. Cool.
Maybe you could get a Smartboard set up at home so you could stand and write on the board like a teacher and it would convert it to text for you. That would impress the chicks (Wanna come up and see my Smartboard?). Maybe that’s what you’ve been missing?
Hope you’re feeling better soon. Remember that you’re allowed to overlap Nurofen and Panadol if you need to.
Christina xxx
Thanks for the love Em…
How could I ever give up the blogging… it pays so well!
Thanks Mares… x
Suza… you know I have a heart condition right? Stop it!
Thanks Christina – I’m off to IKEA…
I try to stand as much as possible at work. I also find I am much more aware of my posture when standing than sitting which makes me look thinner – and thats got to be a good thing!!!!!
Love the Get off your Arse Day!!! Then again, I’m mostly standing all day anyway.
Just in case you haven’t figured out your standing workstation, I have one from IKEA in a funky red powder coat for my laptop. It even has a little compartment for your power board! ;o) Just mount on the wall and off you go!
While you’re out shopping for a stand up desk you could convert the toilet to Asian style squatty.
Hey Craig !
Well I see I’m too slow as usual and my suggestion has already been made… the Swiss ball. Thought I’d say hi anyway !
{{HUG}}
Tina
I had a friend who had a discetomy (painful back operation) at 23 years of age. He had spent five years working as a sales rep (ie bum on seat in car for hours at a time). After an agonizing wait to get in to see the neurosurgeon, he asked him why he was so busy….the doctor replied that the reason he was so busy was that people don’t move anymore. The human body is designed to move and because most of spend too much time sitting on our butts we develop painful back conditions…….so get walking.
Have you tried a swiss ball? They are fabulous and don’t cut the circulation off in your legs. You can gently bounce on it to get the blood circulating through your vertebrae. And your more inclined to stretch as you have a sense of freedom that a chair does not give. Perhaps fasten a bar from the cieling that you can hang from to stretch out your body. Wonderful. And then alternate to kneeling on a pillow. This feels great. You can feel the stretch in your quads.
Between kneeling, sitting (on a ball) and standing – half hour each – you’ll be laughin! have you tried an inverta bed? Grouse!
On Koornang Road in Carnegie there is the most amazing little guy who does wonders for backs etc. He is a gem. Very holistic in his outlook with a beautiful nature and stong hands. He uses a pump/vibrating/pounding thingy also. He is great.
Vertical work station would be a bonus but walking and moving at the same would would be better. The voice recognition programs are a b**** to train but they are excellent once they are trained. This would let you use a wireless microphone to get most of your notes down while walking around – then return to your vertical work station to touch it up.
For those who do ‘have’ to sit in front of the key board the exercise balls do at least assist in maintaining some core strength.
Cheers,
Josh.
Well that got me moving in the right direction.
I have to sit a fair bit (bung back/bung hips/bung legs) so I got my exercise ball out of mothballs to sit on instead of the chair and put my stepper under the desk to add ooooomph while typing as well.
Lovin life!!
Thanks heaps for your input into my life.
Craig, maybe you want to let your hamster blood out and have a go at this workstation? http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2007/10/treadmill_desk_promotes_hamste/
It has a built in treadmill – just perfect for the person who sits at their desk too much getting “swivel chair spread”.
Work and Exercise at the same time?
Good luck, Craig. Just remember to call and check that it’s available before you make the trip – we all know that IKEA is Swedish for ‘out of stock’.
Christina xxx
OOh Christina and I thought it was Swedish for “one extra screw” (just to confuse the poor person putting it together lol)
Hi this comment is for everyone,
I read the blog and all the comments, very interesting, I was wondering if you had any ideas for my situation. I have to work behind a desk at work, so I cannot get a ball there…I need to actually change my desk and chair because I am starting to have pains, the desk: is it better to get the one with the tray so you can put your mouse/keyboard on it? is it worth it to buy any of the ergonomic mice? if so, which one? the voice recognition software sounds good, which one is the best? although i dont’ know if I can use it since I sit with another person in the office. Is there a specific table/chair you would recommend? Thank you
Great Post! Most of my best thinking is done when I’m out moving, away from the desk. It makes sense that when my the body is stuck in one position so is my mind.
I love this post! It is so true that we sit way too long everyday. I’d like to add that, not only we can use more standing and moving around, but as important, is that if we sit, we sit properly. What does it mean to sit properly? Below is my own experiece.
I’ve taken initiation to learn piano and singing as an adult. After about 4 years, if I learned nothing about either, I learned alot about how to position myself to optimal movement! Combined with my consistent workout and applying the discovered “proper posture,” my posture and movement (and of course, functional strength) are much much better after these years. It is so obvious that when I do not have good posture –from feet to knee, knee to hip, hip through core to chest, chest to shoulder, shoulder to neck, neck through the head (so everything!) — I do not play or sing well either.
Therefore, if anyone is interested in proper posture, I suggest 3 possible things… yoga, vocal training, and/or learning the piano. The requirement, he or she needs to strive to a certain level expertise in each to discvoer “proper posture” — what it feels like. In other words, I also believe it is very hard, if not impossible, to teach someone else. Rather, one must feel for himself what it’s like to be properly postured… just like the feeling of healthy.
Sorry for the long comment. Ciao!
- Kin
Of course you know the key to getting any of these great Days off the ground is to enlist JJJ right? They have been fearless advocates of Wear Your Pyjamas to Work Day, International Towel Day (in tribute to Douglas Adams of Hitchhikers Guide fame), and of course my all time favourite, International Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Would love to see it happen!
Loving the website by the way, the straight shooting is really working for me!
hey Craig
My husband is a masseur and computer neck is our bread & butter, although in the early days of the drought ‘bucket back’ was a strong contender
Dear Craig,
I was THRILLED to see your article here, “why sitting sucks”.
I have been having back pain consistently for over a month, and the only thing that feels best is standing. So, I am changing my work station, where I work full-time at an office. I’m also hoping that we can create a car to drive in upright! We also spend too much time driving/sitting…keep up the work towards keeping us all of our arses!
best regards,
elaine williams