Sitting All Day at Work, Then Coming Home and PC Gaming

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tHa ShIzNiT

Platinum Member
Feb 15, 2000
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Folks I have a problem, and I'm wondering how other people deal with this. I work from 8am to 5pm in a cubicle every weekday like most normal people do. However, unlike most normal people all I want to do when I get home is game on my computer.

I didnt used to have a problem with this, but I guess since I'm getting older my body is giving me hints that I sit too much. I dont even know how to describe it, its like "dead butt." I have an expensive chair (its the embody chair) but its not alleviating the feeling I get in my butt from sitting all day.

I have a couple things i'm thinking about doing...#1 is buying a high powered laptop and trying to game on it in my reclining sofa. However, I have tried this before (took a laptop for a test run for a couple weeks) and I kinda get pains in other parts of my body, like my neck and back from trying to look at the screen.
#2 is rig up some kind of contraption with a zero gravity chair, and monitors on some kinda swivel arm that would be suspended above me. This one sounds kinda crazy and would be very expensive.

Also, I exercise quite a bit including running and lifting weights, but I still get that feeling a lot of the time. Sometimes running cures it, but eventually it comes back.

So...what do you guys do?

Edit: Also, I kneel a lot at my computer desk. In fact, I am right now. But you can only kneel for so long. Gravity is my mortal enemy.
 
Tweak155

Tweak155

Lifer
Sep 23, 2003
11,449
264
126
My friend sets a reminder on his computer that kicks off every hour to tell him to walk for 5 minutes.

He uses that time to go up a few flights of stairs and then back down. Excellent idea I thought.
 
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janas19

Platinum Member
Nov 10, 2011
2,313
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Eat more meat. The protein will help build up your muscles to support you. Porkchops, steak, bacon, just eat it as much as possible.
 
Dankk

Dankk

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2008
5,558
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First off, if you're going to spend a lot of time sitting in a desk chair, then having good posture is critical. I've only recently discovered this after having constant neck pain for the past few months. Because the back of my chair is slightly reclined, my head has to be slightly tilted downward in order to view the computer screen. Doing this for hours on end has lead to some pretty bad neck problems... I fear that doing it for much longer will give me a hunchback. About a month ago I started propping myself up straighter by putting a pillow behind my back (the chair itself can't be adjusted), and it's actually helped a lot. My neck is much more straight when I sit at the computer and there's not as much strain. Definitely a lot cheaper than buying a whole new chair.

I, like you, sit in front of a computer all day at work, come home, and then sit on the computer all night. I know how it feels.

Exercise is good. Because my normal routine consists of sitting around a lot, with absolutely no physical activity, I'm beginning to notice how much exercising really helps. I bought a year pass to my town's local rec center, where they have a weight room and exercise machines. All I do is run though... a couple miles at a time, a couple times a week, but it definitely makes me feel better after I run (or walk). Keep trying to include some sort of physical activity or workout in your routine.

Out of curiosity, why do you kneel at your computer desk? :\
 
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jsedlak

Senior member
Mar 2, 2008
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Sit on an exercise ball instead. It engages your core and leg muscles.

Takes some getting used to but now I hate coming to work and sitting in my chair.

Plus they are like $20 so if it doesn't work you just deflate it and ebay it.
 
PhatoseAlpha

PhatoseAlpha

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2005
2,131
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I'm a smoker and my wife won't let me smoke in the house. So I'm getting up and outside once an hour anyway, and since I'm going that way why I don't I take out the dogs, trash, ect.
 
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Ganeedi

Senior member
Jul 7, 2008
258
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Adjustable stand up computer desk at work is my suggestion. Most of my career has been working in a lab, or "factory" floor where you rarely sit down. For the last few years I work in an office and sit 9 hours/ day. I am in my late 30s. However instead of "dead butt" i would get restless legs syndrome when trying to relax at night...

I bought the Kangaroo Pro desk from www.ergodesktop.com and have not been dissapointed. Its a bit pricey, but i expensed it. If the accountants argue, you can show them that a totally new adjustable desk is even more expensive, than this one that you slap on top of your existing desk. There may be cheaper options, but they are for shit for the most part.
 
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tHa ShIzNiT

Platinum Member
Feb 15, 2000
2,321
8
81
Thanks for the replies everyone I look forward to reading more later on. I am about to drive from San Diego to LA, so even more sitting!

LessThanDan said:
Out of curiosity, why do you kneel at your computer desk? :\
Click to expand...

Just so that I'm not sitting, really.

Also, not sure if srs about the guy saying eat more meat. Actually, that one's gotta be a joke. You've got me thinking though.

I'm definitely gonna try out the exercise ball idea too. And perhaps the timer idea. I am about to buy or build a new rig and I'm just not sure if I want to do the laptop idea or build another desktop. The only thing stopping me from the desktop is my dead butt.
 
T

tHa ShIzNiT

Platinum Member
Feb 15, 2000
2,321
8
81
Ganeedi said:
Adjustable stand up computer desk at work is my suggestion. Most of my career has been working in a lab, or "factory" floor where you rarely sit down. For the last few years I work in an office and sit 9 hours/ day. I am in my late 30s. However instead of "dead butt" i would get restless legs syndrome when trying to relax at night...

I bought the Kangaroo Pro desk from www.ergodesktop.com and have not been dissapointed. Its a bit pricey, but i expensed it. If the accountants argue, you can show them that a totally new adjustable desk is even more expensive, than this one that you slap on top of your existing desk. There may be cheaper options, but they are for shit for the most part.
Click to expand...

This is good stuff, but I recently changed jobs so I dont know if i have been here long enough to feel comfortable asking them to buy me stuff. I kneel at work sometimes too, and I notice nobody else is doing it, so people probably think I'm weird. I'm a PC gamer, people!
 
Grooveriding

Grooveriding

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2008
9,147
1,330
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I learned this the hard way. I started experiencing sharp chest pains and back pains between my ribs from sitting in front of a computer too long without breaks. They were so severe I ended up receiving ECGs, a nuclear stress test, cardiac MRI, full CT scan of the chest and more to look for serious problems - nothing found :/ Finally saw a rheumatologist who found inflammation in the tissue joining my ribs together.

Like others have said get up and move around, don't sit docile for long periods. Most days I can work from home, and I get up regularly from the PC to move around or go out.

If I do have to be in the office I get up regularly and do a walk about and chat some people up, then go back to sitting.

Simply put, don't sit without regular breaks to get up and move about, and of course a good chair with proper height and ergonomics in relation to your desk and keyboard drawer. As well a good ergonomic keyboard and mouse.
 
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CPA

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
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I feel your pain, OP. Literally.

Most days I wake up, exercise and/or get ready for work, then from there it's:

- Sit in a car to the busstop 15 minutes
- Sit in the bus on the way to work 1 hour
- Sit for 8-9 hours in my office 8-9 hours
- Sit in the bus on the way to busstop 1 hour
- Sit in car to home 15 minutes
- Sit and watch tv or game - 4 hours

So, out of my 17 hours up, I am sitting 14.5 to 15.5 of those hours. For the last month or two, my ass has literally been in pain. I have had to forcefully remind myself to get up more and walk around at work and do something constructive at home (like a project or house-fix). Not sure what else to do.
 
CPA

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
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0
jsedlak said:
Sit on an exercise ball instead. It engages your core and leg muscles.

Takes some getting used to but now I hate coming to work and sitting in my chair.

Plus they are like $20 so if it doesn't work you just deflate it and ebay it.
Click to expand...


Good idea, I have one in my garage.
 
CuriousMike

CuriousMike

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2001
3,044
544
136
I've maintained the same routine for the last 20 years;
10:30 a.m. walk around the block ( 10-15mins )
12:30 p.m. walk to lunch
4:00 p.m. walk around the block (10-15mins)

My jobs have had various quality of chairs; the current supplies Herman Miller which are purportedly "good."

There are other engineers here that have the stand-up computer desks and swear by them. I doubt they spend > 1/3 of their day actually standing (they have higher, stool-height chairs) but they do seem to vary their position.

When at home, I'm horrible - I tend to slouch in ridiculous postures while watching shows on the computer.

edit: You mention kneeling. Remember those kneeling chairs that were the rage in the early-mid 90's? I bet you could find one at a yard sale / Salvation Army for cheap to try.
 
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shortylickens

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,082
136
- Stretch when you wake up.
- Do proper cardio (stretch, warm up, long low-impact exercise, cool down, stretch again)
- Luke warm shower.
- Get up and walk in the middle of the day.
- Go home and do your thing.
- Stretch.
- Go to bed at the same time every night.

Your body will eventually thank you.
 
Z

Zorander

Golden Member
Nov 3, 2010
1,143
1
81
Drink lots of water. The frequent trips to the loo will help offset the sitting you do all day. I do this myself and I find every excuse possible to go up/down the company staircase (e.g. talk in person to someone on a different level).

A 10-15 min fast walk every after lunch helps too.
 
T

tHa ShIzNiT

Platinum Member
Feb 15, 2000
2,321
8
81
BlahBlahYouToo said:
1. how old are you?
2. are you overweight?
Click to expand...

man I suck at keeping up with threads. I'm 31 and technically I guess I am overweight. I am 6'0 and roughly 195 lbs right now, trying to lose my way down to around 185 though. At 185 I think my BMI would indicate that I am no longer overweight. I do have quite a bit of muscle though and the BMI thing doesn't really account for that very well.

But I digress.

I do drink a lot of water. There's another thing that makes you get up all the time...refilling your water bottle. Maybe I will make an effort to drink even more water, like double my intake.

It seems like the best thing to do is just get up more. It feels weird though at a new job, you dont want people to think you're slackin. I swear it seems like some of them never get up and walk around.
 
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