Is there any way to sit ergonomically with my knees up?
March 8, 2024 11:22 AM Subscribe
I've been experiencing neck and upper back pain for a few months now, and all signs point to my extremely non-ergonomic way of sitting as the culprit. Essentially, I sit like your average neurodivergent bisexual.
I have always found it extremely uncomfortable to sit with my feet on the floor - I need at minimum a crossed leg, and preferably legs tucked under me or knees to my chest. Not being curled up makes me feel extremely exposed. Is there a way to elevate my legs but keep my spine straight? It seems like the rounding/hunching of my spine is causing the most problems.
I have always found it extremely uncomfortable to sit with my feet on the floor - I need at minimum a crossed leg, and preferably legs tucked under me or knees to my chest. Not being curled up makes me feel extremely exposed. Is there a way to elevate my legs but keep my spine straight? It seems like the rounding/hunching of my spine is causing the most problems.
Millions of people worldwide, bisexy and not, enjoy a footrest.
posted by phunniemee at 11:58 AM on March 8 [4 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 11:58 AM on March 8 [4 favorites]
Neurodivergent bisexual chiming in here (lol) and I used to sit in some absolutely unhinged ways in chairs. This is a photo of me sitting as a teen.
So now that I've established my credentials: your desk is the wrong height. Possibly your monitor is also at the wrong height. Get an adjustable-height desk and an adjustable-height chair.
posted by capricorn at 12:00 PM on March 8 [7 favorites]
So now that I've established my credentials: your desk is the wrong height. Possibly your monitor is also at the wrong height. Get an adjustable-height desk and an adjustable-height chair.
posted by capricorn at 12:00 PM on March 8 [7 favorites]
As for the feeling exposed part: I almost always have a blanket wrapped around my waist and legs when I'm sitting at my desk. Maybe this would help you as well?
posted by mcduff at 12:25 PM on March 8 [2 favorites]
posted by mcduff at 12:25 PM on March 8 [2 favorites]
Maybe your hips are not even - one is higher than the other. Do you have hip pain on one side?
posted by St. Peepsburg at 12:59 PM on March 8
posted by St. Peepsburg at 12:59 PM on March 8
I keep seeing this all over bi-vergent tiktok, though I haven't ponied up for one myself.
posted by ApathyGirl at 1:22 PM on March 8 [6 favorites]
posted by ApathyGirl at 1:22 PM on March 8 [6 favorites]
I have short legs and while a footrest helps, I too prefer folding up like a friendly gollum when working at my computer. A few things that help.
Changing positions often, like I have a work station on the dining table and then a proper work desk and then sometimes sit on the floor and put my laptop on the couch. Biomechanist Katy Bowman (I have posted links to Bowman's blog Nutritious Movement on the blue before) has compiled 53 different ways to sit.
Using a tailbone cushion (with a cutout by the tailbone so I can bend my knee fully, like right now my left knee is pushing up against the breast pocket of my flannel!).
Lifting my screen/laptop higher. I rarely use my actual work desk (it's cold by the window! what if I want to eat a snack while I do work) with its laptop stand and external monitor all carefully positioned for this purpose. Instead I have a stack of puzzle boxes on the dining table that lifts up my laptop to eye-level and I keep an external keyboard and a bluetooth mouse nearby so I can still actually type even though my laptop is actually a bit farther than armslength away from me.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:27 PM on March 8
Changing positions often, like I have a work station on the dining table and then a proper work desk and then sometimes sit on the floor and put my laptop on the couch. Biomechanist Katy Bowman (I have posted links to Bowman's blog Nutritious Movement on the blue before) has compiled 53 different ways to sit.
Using a tailbone cushion (with a cutout by the tailbone so I can bend my knee fully, like right now my left knee is pushing up against the breast pocket of my flannel!).
Lifting my screen/laptop higher. I rarely use my actual work desk (it's cold by the window! what if I want to eat a snack while I do work) with its laptop stand and external monitor all carefully positioned for this purpose. Instead I have a stack of puzzle boxes on the dining table that lifts up my laptop to eye-level and I keep an external keyboard and a bluetooth mouse nearby so I can still actually type even though my laptop is actually a bit farther than armslength away from me.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:27 PM on March 8
Just purchased one, thanks! Great price! (This sounds like spam. I'm serious.)
posted by atomicstone at 2:35 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]
posted by atomicstone at 2:35 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]
I had a pro ergonomics assessment once and got SO MAD when they gave me a footrest and suddenly I was naturally sitting comfortably all the way back in my chair, not spinning, like a normal person.
posted by Lady Li at 2:36 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]
posted by Lady Li at 2:36 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]
Definitely try a footrest. You can try it out with a sturdy box upside or something else (a firm piece of luggage on its side? a small upside down basket?) before you buy something official, and to figure out what height might work.
As a fellow ANB, I also had some back issues I suspected were because of how I was sitting. I try to be most aware of the worst/most frequent weird position and just never let myself do that. That's actually been helpful.
posted by bluedaisy at 2:59 PM on March 8
As a fellow ANB, I also had some back issues I suspected were because of how I was sitting. I try to be most aware of the worst/most frequent weird position and just never let myself do that. That's actually been helpful.
posted by bluedaisy at 2:59 PM on March 8
Ultimately, what worked for me was physical therapy to strengthen basically the sitting muscles (core and lower back/upper glutes). It's been ridiculously expensive, but I can finally just sit in a chair-shaped chair non-goblinlike. And as long as I keep doing my exercises forever, it should stay okay.
It's definitely worth having a physical, if you haven't had one in a while, describing your problem, and asking your doctor if physical therapy or something else might help.
posted by hydropsyche at 3:23 PM on March 8 [2 favorites]
It's definitely worth having a physical, if you haven't had one in a while, describing your problem, and asking your doctor if physical therapy or something else might help.
posted by hydropsyche at 3:23 PM on March 8 [2 favorites]
A kneeling chair may appeal to you.
Fidgeting with your legs may provide some of the stimulation curling up provides. In my quest to stop pretzeling, I’ve found sitting on the edge of my chair, with legs spread, and waggling them back and forth tension relieving, also playing with an assortment of balls and other objects under my desk.
And of course, there’s always standing instead of sitting.
posted by ixipkcams at 3:52 PM on March 8
Fidgeting with your legs may provide some of the stimulation curling up provides. In my quest to stop pretzeling, I’ve found sitting on the edge of my chair, with legs spread, and waggling them back and forth tension relieving, also playing with an assortment of balls and other objects under my desk.
And of course, there’s always standing instead of sitting.
posted by ixipkcams at 3:52 PM on March 8
I try to refrain from sitting cross-legged due to my hyperflexibility in my knees causing problems, so those chairs would be bad for me! I would recommend physical therapy to strengthen your core and glutes and finding a wider office chair with an ergonomic setup. I would also refer to this Pelvic Stabilization, Lateral Hip and Gluteal Strengthening Program pdf for a good PT regimen.
posted by yueliang at 12:52 AM on March 9 [1 favorite]
posted by yueliang at 12:52 AM on March 9 [1 favorite]
There isn't really evidence that slouching and "bad" posture leads to pain. It's well worth trying a different chair or screen arrangement, but it should still end up with something that feels comfortable to you, not how you think you ought to sit. Taking movement breaks, and doing strength and flexibility exercises, might be more useful.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 9:13 AM on March 9
posted by TheophileEscargot at 9:13 AM on March 9
My Pukami armless chair arrived and took minutes to assemble. Surprisingly quality for the price. And so comfortable! Perfect for criss-cross-apple sauce sitting. The blue is more of a demin than the pic, but whatever. I mean, I've owned for like 3 hours, but fingers crossed.
posted by atomicstone at 12:04 PM on March 12
posted by atomicstone at 12:04 PM on March 12
Still love it.
posted by atomicstone at 11:01 AM on March 31 [1 favorite]
posted by atomicstone at 11:01 AM on March 31 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I just want to update this by saying that I was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, so I don't think sitting was the culprit after all.
posted by wheatlets at 8:28 AM on June 13 [1 favorite]
posted by wheatlets at 8:28 AM on June 13 [1 favorite]
Oh dear. Thanks for the update. Good luck sorting through all that, wheatlets.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:46 AM on June 13 [1 favorite]
posted by bluedaisy at 10:46 AM on June 13 [1 favorite]
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For me the best solution was a wide-seated office chair that doesn't rock back or forth and has a fixed seat position (mine is a sort of vintage-style executive chair), plus a short stool in front of my chair to rest my feet or ankles on. I use a plain wooden shower stool, and it doesn't look too out of place in my home office. This setup allows me to adjust my legs however I need but keep my spine in the same upright position.
posted by Pemberly at 11:35 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]