anybody have any advice about picking out a desk chair? the one I'm using makes my butt go numb if I don't have my feet propped up on something, and I'm starting to think that's not just a Quirky Bisexual Trait
@maya My advice would be:
1) Try them out *in person*, and if possible, try them out for a full day (though I realize that especially for cheaper options this is hard to do)
2) If you need to spend a lot of time behind a desk, get two different chairs that put you in different postures, and alternate between them. I've found that this helps a lot. You might want one of them to be a stool instead.
3) The best semi-affordable widely-available option that works for a lot of people that I'm aware of is the IKEA MARKUS. But try it first!
4) Second-hand 'commercial' office chairs can also be a good option. The Comforto 77 is a good option that works for a lot of people.
5) A separate backrest (ie. not continuously attached to the seat) often helps to keep a good posture.
6) No matter how good the chair, sitting for hours on end is always bad for your body. Take regular breaks - use something like Workrave to enforce it, if necessary. I've also found brief equipment-less core exercises to work very well for keeping my posture healthy.
IKEA used to have a *very* cheap and *very* good (if slightly uncomfortable) plasticky desk chair, the ALRIK, but unfortunately it's no longer available :( You might be able to find it second-hand, though!
@joepie91 thank you!! my friend advised that i probably had this chair tipped too far back so i'm going to see if its adjustment makes it more livable... but then i'll be taking this advice 100%.
ph
@maya Ah yeah, if it's leaned back, then the 'raised edge' of the seat can be constricting blood flow in your legs, and lead to numbing - so that's definitely a real possibility. Chairs with extremely sink-in-y pillows tend to have the same problem!
@joepie91 my optimistic new working theory is that the *most* comfortable has been when my feet were up (no pressure on legs) so I had it tipped back because it "felt like" that... this theory is at least worth running with for a while, because while I can afford pretty much whatever, having to give money to people telling me a chair was "Designed for Nonstop Wellness" may just kill me
@maya Might also be worth looking for a solution where you can genuinely keep your feet up while sitting! Apparently that's actually a pretty good thing when sitting behind a desk a lot, though I haven't read up on this very much.
@maya (Then it'll be an Artisanal GMO-free Wellness Improvement)
ph
@maya Oh yeah I almost forgot, it sounds like you might have blood circulation issues - you might be able to get significant improvements simply by alternating between hot and cold during showers, even just in the last minute or so (and this doesn't necessarily need to be uncomfortable!), as that helps blood circulation going.