Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with standing

Confoot be gone!

arniec — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:55:34 -0800

What can I do now to never get "con foot" ever, ever again? I am a sci-fi fan and every year go to a large number of conventions, with the biggest by far being San Diego Comic Con International.

I just returned from my 4th and, for the fourth year in a row, I feel like I have no feet; rather, I am simply walking on bloody ankle-nubs.

I don't know if it's the walking at the con, or the standing (there is far more standing than walking), and I don't know if it is the uneven terrain of the outdoor standing or the hard-ass floor of the convention itself, but every year by Sunday I am limping.

I am overweight, but I have several think friends who also suffer from horrible con-foot at SDCC.

For those unfamiliar, let me describe the symptoms/sensations. When I went, I was happy, normal, no foot pain. Over the course of five grueling days of being on my feet 18 hours a day I have:

*Blisters on the bottom of my big, middle, and 4th toes
*the entire bottom of my foot is much rougher and feels tougher than it did before the con
*My feet throb when in resting positions, approximately with the pace of my pulse.
*When standing my feet feel like someone has a voodoo doll of me and is lighting matches under its feet.
*My ankles are sore and at the worst of it feel like they might give out.
*The toenails of my fourth and pinky toes are very sensitive.

ALL of the pain is devoted to my feet and ankles. I have no hip, knee, or other leg pain.

I have worked hard over the years to try and play with different shoes (crocs, high tops, work boots, etc). This year I wore two pairs of shoes, alternating on days, which prevented some of the horrible blistering of years past, but still the problem persists.

To add: I have had a fairly bad instep all my life, so even my day-to-day shoes usually have some form of ankle support. My day-to-day shoes look like these:

http://www.foreigntrademe.com/Trade/Pic/200791319155.jpg

and I wore a pare of those at the con, as well as some high-top Nikes.

I am starting a fitness routine, but I'm wondering what I can do to make my feet and ankles not hurt this badly at future cons. I have thought walking/treadmill would work (I want to have cardio anyways to lose weight) but I don't know if an hour a day five days a week will help prepare me for five eighteen hour days, nor do I know if walking will help with the standing.

But I'm tired of being the slow guy on the 3rd day of the con, and a virtual cripple on the 4th and 5th. And I'm tired of hurting for almost a week after.

Help me Mefites...I have 51 weeks. How can I prep?

I Want to Learn Stunt On How To Get Someone To Stand On My Shoulders

goalyeehah — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:03:41 -0800

How do I get someone to stand on my shoulder's ala Cary Grant/Katherine Hepburn in the film "Holiday" How they do it is awesome and done quickly. It is during the New Year's eve party where Cary, Katherine, E.E. Horton, and Binnie Barnes are in the playroom. It looks as if Cary reaches across his wrists and grab Kate's hand's and bend's his right leg. She steps on the thigh and then one shoulder and the next. As Cary turn and she stands, he lets go of her hands.

So cool.

Where can I learn this? Are there any books out there?

How can I stand comfortably / work on my feet for long periods?

katala — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:31:21 -0800

Hi MeFites :) I've recently changed my desk setup so I'm standing, instead of sitting, to help reduce my lower back pain. However I'm not used to standing for long periods and would love any tips you can offer me for standing comfortably for hours at a time. Hi MeFites :) I've recently changed my desk setup so I'm standing, instead of sitting, to help reduce my lower back pain.

However I'm not used to standing for long periods and would love any tips you can offer me for standing comfortably for hours at a time.

Please note...

- I work from home so it's usually bare feet on hard wood floors

- I'm not in a position where I can walk while I work - to do that I'll need to take breaks away from the computer

- I have a laptop so I can sit down somewhere during the day if you think that's a good idea?

So far the only things that have come to mind are standing on a cushy bath mat or yoga mat, and also resting one foot at a time (yes, the way horses do, hehe).

A huge thank you in advance for any help you can give me :)!!

I can't feel my toes...

Solomon — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:42:08 -0800

Do you stand for long periods at your job? If so, how do you handle it? My new job entails a lot of standing up, for periods of over 1 hour at a time. My upper body is getting plenty of exercise and movement, but my legs are pretty stationary.

I'm looking for things I can do or wear or use to a] help prevent varicose veins (which run in the family), b] keep my feet from aching and c] generally help me be more comfortable standing for such long periods.

Sitting down is an option, but not really a practical one, as I have to turn around, walk two steps, turn around and walk back again every 5 minutes or so. Getting in an out of a chair that much would only irritate me.

Any general ideas how how best to handle this situation welcome.

Standing Up for the Ultimate Work Table

Bunglegirl — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:23:33 -0800

What is the ultimate table height for working while standing? I need a table for my work and projects. It will need to have a large surface area so my various projects can spread out if needed. I plan to use this table for graphic design (on the computer but also cutting out comps etc.), drawing, sewing (I realize there may be an issue with the pedal), bookbinding, cutting with an x-acto on a mat, assembling things etc.

Growing up I loved the wooden tables we had in art class. We sat in stools, so they were a bit high. This is what I think I'm looking for. I would like to recreate this experience for my home office but I'm not sure what a good height would be. I have an old library table that has sawed off legs so I am thinking about buying some wood to make new legs (with wheels). This means I can make it any height I want. I could go with a standard height but I assume that those heights are based on average males while I am only 5'5."

What is a good height? I plan to sit in a stool to work on the computer and for some tasks but would like to be able to stand at times. Should my forearms hit the top? At my waist? I have a bad back so not stopping over to cut out 100 sheets of paper is a priority.

The reason I ask is because I had originally thought that where my forearms naturally hit (while bent at a 90 degree angle) would be good but I stood over some desks at IKEA today and was thinking maybe something more at waist level would be better. I could buy a cheap IKEA table with adjustable legs but I like the idea of a sturdy wood table that doesn't shake when you bump into it. Maybe I should just buy a regular-height desk and make this table for my projects but I'm convinced that making my ultimate desk is possible. I like modern design but am cheap and handy with a table saw. Still, I'll take suggestions of desks available that fit the bill. Anything I'm overlooking? Thoughts?

ergonomic desk: help me be a stand-up guy

grumblebee — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:58:29 -0800

I want to stand up while I program. Please recommend a desk. Requirements:

-- main surface large enough to hold two 22" monitors.

-- monitor stand must be adjustable so that screens are at eye-level.

-- keyboard/mouse area must be adjustable.

-- my boss will probably balk at something over $500. He'll nix anything over $1000.

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 :)

Cashier: 20, M, 130lbs - Why the hell is my hip hurting?

itheearl — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 09:08:00 -0800

Cashier: 20, M, 130lbs - Why the hell is my hip hurting? I've been cashiering this summer, so for the past 2+ months, i've been standing and moving groceries from right to left and into a bag for 30-33 hours a week.
For the first week, my knees hurt. I refused to take over-the-counter pain medicine, because I'm 20 and not overweight - pain is the body's way of telling me that there is a problem. I made efforts to better my posture, and the pain went away.

About a week or so ago, my left hip started hurting. The back of the joint itself - not the muscle as far as i can tell. I pivot on it a lot, but for some reason i was under the impression that i wouldnt be dealing with hip pain until my 60's.

It's not unbearable pain, but it makes me worry that i might be causing some sort of long-term problem. I'm only working there for another week - Another 30 hours at the job isnt going to cause any long-term damage, Right?

Find me a portable higher than normal chair sitting device!

anonymoose — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 18:51:17 -0800

Standing Room Tickets: Find me a portable device that lets me stand (or sit at standing height) comfortably for 3 hours in the standing room area of an opera house. Help me be cheap!

I am moving to Vienna, where I can see multiple operas a day if I so chose at $5/ticket for standing room tickets. However, I find standing very uncomfortable. Is there some sort of device that I could bring with that would support my weight with less effort and more comfort? (Like those canes with fold-down seats, but I dont know if they will put my torso high up enough in the air to see)

Ouchy Feet

dog food sugar — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 09:21:51 -0800

Tips for alleviating pain from standing / walking around for 12+ hours at a job? I started a new job in a hospital where the shifts are 12 hours. Because I have to get there early and end up staying late it really is 13 hours where I am standing / moving around the whole time. I'm in fairly good shape and have started up yoga again in my free time, and plan on buying some new, better shoes (they have to be white sneaker-type or nursing shoes).

Any tips for exercises, yoga positions, shoes, things I could do at work and home to make the pain not so ouchy when I get done with work?

I'm only 2 weeks in so maybe I'm not used to it yet. But I've always had jobs where I stood a lot (retail, bar-tending etc.), but never this long and with this level of physical demand (moving large patients, equipment etc.).

I'm 38 and want to age gracefully but worry this job and the career in the field that may follow might make me hurt too much if I'm not careful.

Any tips / suggestions are much appreciated!