Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with posture

Where can I try out fancy office chairs in California's Bay Area (SF, Alameda, Solano, Contra Costa, Napa, Marin, or Sonoma Counties)?

unclezeb — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:57:11 -0800

California - Bay Area: where can I try out crazy good office chairs? All the advice posts/asks say to test a chair out before buying and I want to try the Think, Leap, Freedom, Aeron, or your other suggestions before my office buys a new chair for me ... but where (from SF to Oakland to Sonoma to Napa) can I go to get test these chairs out? My office offered to replace my current chair and I noticed several of my co-workers have the Freedom chair which is not cheap! ($1099 on Sitforless.com).

I want to try out a few chairs before asking my office to lay out any money, but I cannot think of the right place to go for a test run?

I work in the North Bay and live in the East Bay - Can you think of anywhere to try out several of these chairs (Think, Leap, Freedom, Aeron, or your other suggestions!) nearby?

As for "other suggestions" here are my preferences if it matters:
Comfortable for someone who's "big boned"
Adjustable head rest preferred
Deep seat preferred
Fabric > leather

Thanks everyone!

Why do people develop bad posture?

philosophygeek — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:22:59 -0800

Why do people develop bad posture? If it is true that good posture requires less energy to maintain, lines everything up correctly, and is more comfortable than bad posture, then why do people develop habits of slouching and otherwise maintaining bad posture? N.B. I am not wondering why people who have already developed bad posture tend to maintain that habit or why people will occasionally reposition themselves for a few minutes in order to loosen up or relax their muscles. My question is why people learn to regularly have bad posture if good posture is so much "better" mechanically.

Alternatives to Nike Free shoes

dicetumbler — Sun, 10 May 2009 10:51:26 -0800

I've been hearing a lot about the benefits of walking barefoot, and barring that, wearing shoes like the Vibram Five Fingers or Nike Frees, which aren't padded. But are there cheaper alternatives? Wouldn't the lineup of Converse All-Stars and Puma shoes, to give two examples, have the same effect? Any others?

Becoming a true Yogi....

unexpected — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:26:54 -0800

Yoga Experts: Help me navigate the world of Yoga... I've recently decided to try to become more flexible and stable. I run (30-40 miles a week) and lift weights a lot, but I still can't touch my toes!

I'm looking for yoga that'll really work me over. I'm also interested in yoga that'll correct posture imbalances over time- I'm slightly bowlegged and I have a subtle forward tilt to my frame. Anything that helps me towards this would be preferred, or alternatively, if this is hocus pocus and yoga can't fix these, tell me that too.

I'm looking for the functionally strenuous- I consider myself to be in really good shape, so I wanted to be streched and strained- that said, I wouldn't have a preference towards something like the "hot yoga" unless it helped me accomplish my other goals.

So guys, where should I look? What styles of yoga should I be looking at? Extra bonus points for a good place in Dallas to go to.

Quack-proof chiropractic treatments

johannahdeschanel — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:59:38 -0800

Does anyone know which medical journals, books, or online sources are credible for research on chiropractic treatments? It seems a lot of chiropractors have recieved criticism for their quackery. Any physicians out there know a better source of information on the topic of curing back pain and improving posture? Are back braces still considered an important part of the treatment?

Using an exercise ball as a desk chair

Ziggy500 — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:31:24 -0800

Does anyone use an exercise-ball as a replacement for a desk chair? I have horrible posture and have heard tell that I can improve this if I use an exercise ball as a desk chair (to replace my current chair, the back of which has broken off). Apparently it engages the abdominal muscles or something. Does anyone else do this, and is it horribly uncomfortable? I spend a lot of time at my desk at home. I don't want to buy a ball and then not use it and have this massive thing rolling around my tiny flat not being used... as I'm blatantly not going to use it for exercise ;)

Once I "pop," I can't stop

np312 — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:32:06 -0800

"Pop!" goes... my entire body? I've looked at the other "back/neck cracking" threads here, but mine seems a bit different. I'm a young female who works out and stretches 3x a week, yet I'm constantly "popping" or "cracking" my joints without meaning to. Especially when I'm lying down, but not limited to that.

We're talking ankles, knees, elbows, back, hips and pelvis all the time, shoulders, fingers, toes, you name it. Not even just when stretching. When I take a deep breath, my back pops. Shrug one shoulder-- Pop! When I tie my shoelaces-- hoo boy it's a staccato symphony. Friends have commented on it, saying how weird it is. I can also pop every joint in my fingers three or four different ways... Though I try not to do it often. That urban myth (?) about arthritis has me spooked.

None of the popping comes with pain of any sort. But it's a little embarrassing, and I'm wondering what I can do about it, and why it's happening. I stretch, I'm active, I'm young. I do have some slight scoliosis and am a tad duck-footed, but otherwise there's nothing wrong with me.

Any thoughts? Also, any truth to the popping --> arthritis myth?

Help my neck.

distrakted — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:11:32 -0800

I sit at a computer all day and then like to play/compose at the piano in the evening. I've always had slight discomfort "sitting up strait" due to forward head posture, but I've been able to minimize the discomfort with frequent breaks, stretching and such. Recently the pain has increased. I've read up on posture and have started Alexander Technique lessons, but when I try to sit up strait as in all the ergonomic diagrams and as directed in lesson, the base of my neck and the area between my shoulder blades aches MORE. Shouldn't correct posture minimize this? Any advice, exercises, or techniques to get my body on board with the new posture? Other relevant info:
- I believe my work area is set up correctly and so is my piano bench height.
- I'm 6'3
- I'm mildly active (some yoga and walking)

Correcting Posture in 12-year-old

rsclark — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:56:49 -0800

How can I help my 12-year-old daughter correct her posture? She’s fit, physically active, has decent self esteem…and perpetually rounded shoulders. When I remind her to stand tall, she temporarily straightens up, but then she’s slouched again soon after. At this point I’m concerned that her body doesn’t know what it’s supposed to feel like to stand straight, and that it will be even harder to correct later. I hate to be constantly nagging her, and it doesn’t seem to be working anyways. Suggestions?

What's the best option for office chairs in the UK?

idiomatika — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:40:56 -0800

Does anyone have any recommendations for office chairs in the UK? When originally setting up my home office, I foolishly went for a cheap chair, and my back has suffered as a result. All the other questions I found on this topic were about chairs available in the US. I'd rather not go for something too expensive, but the cheaper end of the market probably isn't worth bothering with.

Thanks in advance!

Help me hold my head up high

jbickers — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:54:00 -0800

I'm very tall (6'6"), and like most tall people, struggle with posture - I tend to slump my shoulders forward and tilt my head down, especially when standing. Are there any exercises that target that area (upper back, neck) that will pull the shoulders back and make standing/sitting properly "feel right"? (I lift weights regularly, but I think my back is a weak spot - the more I lift, the worse I feel my posture gets.)

What affordable office chair is the best for a disabled body? But

erleichda — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:12:45 -0800

I have an illness that caused severe arthritis and nerve damage. I would like an affordable office chair that would work the best with my challenges. I have an illness that causes severe arthritis and nerve damage. My cervical and lumbar spines are full of arthritis and bulged disks (I’ve had surgery for ruptured disks), and I have scoliosis in my thoracic spine, so back pain is an issue. I have radial nerve palsy and cannot move my left hand or fingers so I work on the computer with a mouse and speech recognition program. I have a similar pinched nerve under my leg which could easily turn into the same kind of thing, causing foot drop so I need to elevate my left leg to take the pressure off the pinch. My hips and knees are full of arthritis, and in two months time, my big toes have moved almost one full inch, going underneath my other toes, so I can’t have pressure on any of these. I use a lumbar pillow and a chair pillow that removes pressure from my tailbone. But my chair is not good… It is not adjustable, it has arm rests which are causing problems in my right shoulder. Please let me know what type of office chair would be the best, while also being affordable. Thank you very much for your help.

Straighten me out!

segatakai — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:39:33 -0800

How do I straighten up my back? I'm rather tall (6'5"/194cm), and living in Japan makes me that much taller. I feel like my midsection is slowly collapsing. Has anyone any suggestions for improving my posture? I try to sit up when I think of it, but 5 minutes later I realize I'm hunched over again, and so on...
I'm looking for something rather inexpensive. I know I could buy one of those kneeling chairs, but I'm looking for something simpler. Does anybody have any experience with products from this company? Ot know of some good exercises? Or have any other suggestions, based on their own success stories?

How do I walk and stand correctly?

JZig — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:17:57 -0800

How do I walk and stand correctly? My upright posture sucks and I want to change it. I stand and walk with my knees locked back all the way, resting the weight on my heels. I walk similarly, not lifting my knee and planting my heels down with a lot of force, and I've been asked more than once If I'm injured, because it looks like I'm limping. It also means that I can't walk or stand for more than an hour or two a day without getting sore joints and back pain. I'm fairly normal physically other than this (only slightly overweight, and I've done martial arts fairly successfully for years). I can make myself walk differently, but only with effort and I soon forget. I've done this for as long as I remember, so I think I just learned to walk and stand wrong for whatever reason.

Anyone have personal experience changing their walking/standing stance? Specific advice on what to change it TO is appreciated, but I'm most interested in the process of changing how you move, hopefully without expensive guided therapy. Also, I have the theory that this will help me dance better :)

:) -> :D

Ambrosia Voyeur — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:57:08 -0800

Can I correct my smile posture? Should I? Can I? How?

When I smile a big smile naturally, my cheeks smush my eyes into little squinty slits and my teeth remain close together, sometimes my mouth is even closed, so I look all chin and cheeks, and sort of sleepy and smug.

Starting with really pose-appropriate pictures (weddings, work) I've practiced and perfected my photograph smile, but I don't like the fact that the way I look happiest and prettiest is a put-on. Can practice change this open-eyed, dropped-lip smile into my natural reaction to pleasure?

Windows RSI reminder program

killa62 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 03:00:30 -0800

I need a program that reminds me to take breaks I need a windows program that can be set to tell the user to take a break every x minutes and to remind the user to adjust their posture in front of their computer.
I would prefer if the program pops up a little dialog that disappears in like 10 seconds and that while it is on the screen, I can click through it.
Any other program that serves the general purpose works too.

Forward Head Posture = Pain

yorick — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 05:35:35 -0800

Looking for people who have experienced forward head posture problems. I've had upper back pain for years, and consulted many professionals about it. Each time, their diagnosis / remedy was incorrect, and the pain continued. I do yoga and pilates, and overall quite flexable, but the upper back continued hurting.

Last week, I found this article. It describes my symtoms exactly, and the exercises have already helped more than any of my prior attempts.

I'd like to hear more reccomendations / expereinces about forward head posture issues, aside from what a typical google search would yield. I'm very excited about finally addressing the pain, and the more info the better!

Oy vey, my back!

Afroblanco — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 20:32:32 -0800

What is your experience with the Alexander Technique? Owing to a lifetime of sitting in front of a computer, my posture is terrible.

I have recently become interested in the Alexander Technique. However, it seems potentially expensive and time consuming.

What is your experience with the Alexander Technique? Is it worth the time and money?

What muscle group opposes the pectorals?

futility closet — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 06:20:01 -0800

I'm trying to revise my dumbbell-based home workout. I do bench presses for my chest, but what's the best exercise to oppose that? I'd been doing rows, but I've been noticing that my posture is bad and I want to be sure the weights aren't contributing to the problem.

Oh how my back does ache...

dino terror — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:58:19 -0800

There's sore back muscles, and then there's just back 'ache'. Does anyone know what this is and how it can be prevented? So I am specifically looking for help with the 'aching' phenomenon and not 'pain' such as muscle soreness or sciatica or what have you.
I dont have good posture. My back aches after doing light cleaning, or when I try to sit up straight for very long without using a back rest. The ache is right in the center of my spine.
I have had a lot more muscle mass on my back than I currently do but that didnt help with the aching.

Is the Alexander Technique useful for posture and back pain?

rwatson — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 07:32:42 -0800

Is the Alexander Technique useful for posture and back pain? I have been having some back/shoulder/neck pain which my doctor thinks may have to do with postural problems. Someone recommended the Alexander Technique. Any experiences or other ideas that would help me decide whether to do it? Do you know how much it costs? Is it worth it?

Help me devise a fitness and weight-gaining plan for the summer

sirion — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 18:22:03 -0800

Help me devise a fitness and weight-gaining plan for the summer. (Los Angeles - area specific suggestions much appreciated, too) I am currently 22, male, extremely out of shape, fairly thin (This is somewhat new, due to recent GI problems, figuring out with doctor), and not particularly strong.

I would like:
-To be "fit", whatever that means
-Increase muscle mass
-Develop better balance, agility, posture and flexibility.
-Do this over the course of one summer, in as optimal a way as possible.

Taking classes (Yoga, spinning, whatever) is nice, in that it makes me go do something regularly, so bonus points for things like that. I'm currently in a weekly Tai-Chi class, which is definitely improving my balance, but I would like to do a great deal more, and definitely need strength training.

As is, there is way too much literature out there for me to dig through without any background, and there is such an emphasis on weight loss, that I want to be careful about losing any more fat (I feel cold in the winter now!)

I'm in the Los Angeles area, if anyone has any specific teachers/classes/whatevers to suggest.

Also particularly appreciated are optimization tips (i.e., get a massage every week and you will magically be fitter at 3x the rate, etc)

How can I stand up through a concert without foot pain?

joshjs — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 15:37:29 -0800

I went to see Ben Folds here in Milwaukee last night, and by about halfway through the main act, I was in serious pain, just from standing there. My feet, especially my heels, were killing, and my lower back was stiff and uncomfortable as well. My question is: Is there any way to avoid this? I'm not really inclined to dance unless I've had WAY too much to drink, and most concerts I attend are stand-up sorts of things.

I'm going to another concert tonight (Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins), and I'd really be able like to enjoy it...

Should I use an exercise/balance ball instead of an office chair?

sirion — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 20:23:59 -0800

Should I use an exercise/balance ball instead of an office chair? Anyone done it? Is it actually comfortable for long stints at the computer? If so, what size should I get? I'm 6'1", 170 lbs, male, need to fix up my posture.

Starting Tai-Chi or Yoga in Los Angeles

anonymoose — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 18:17:15 -0800

I want to learn Tai-Chi or Yoga in Los Angeles. Where's a good place to do that? (For those outside of L.A., what are good things to look for when finding a place to start Yoga or Tai Chi? How often should one go when starting out? What else should I know?) I'm in Studio City/North Hollywood, and would either like a place close to home, or a place that offers classes at a time when there's not much traffic. I'm looking to gently recover from almost a full year without significant exercise, as well as correct my posture and get some sense of grounding so that I don't wobble, shifting my weight from left leg to right leg when I try to stand still. I'm pretty attracted to Tai Chi, though Yoga seems to offer similar benefits.