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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on August 8, 2004, at 15:37:31
I don't understand this, because I've only been diabetic for a year, and my blood sugars are ok on glucophage.
But lately sitting at my desk for long periods of time has been murder on my feet. I'm trying to figure out some way to raise my feet a bit, but that just makes me bump my knees on the desk. I'm just about to raise the desk on bricks or something, but before I do something so aesthetically unpleasing, I was wondering if anyone has any tips for keeping the circulation going while doing computer work for long periods of time. Other than getting up and walking around. I try to do that, but I tend to get totally focussed when I work, and it's hard for me to stop and then it's hard for me to start up again.
(They don't seem to make office chairs with footrests. Go figure.)
Posted by KaraS on August 8, 2004, at 21:19:25
In reply to Diabetes question again, posted by Dinah on August 8, 2004, at 15:37:31
> I don't understand this, because I've only been diabetic for a year, and my blood sugars are ok on glucophage.
>
> But lately sitting at my desk for long periods of time has been murder on my feet. I'm trying to figure out some way to raise my feet a bit, but that just makes me bump my knees on the desk. I'm just about to raise the desk on bricks or something, but before I do something so aesthetically unpleasing, I was wondering if anyone has any tips for keeping the circulation going while doing computer work for long periods of time. Other than getting up and walking around. I try to do that, but I tend to get totally focussed when I work, and it's hard for me to stop and then it's hard for me to start up again.
>
> (They don't seem to make office chairs with footrests. Go figure.)
Why not bring in a footrest that goes to another chair? It probably won't match your desk and chair at work but it'll look a lot better than building something out of bricks.
Posted by KaraS on August 8, 2004, at 21:21:07
In reply to Re: Diabetes question again » Dinah, posted by KaraS on August 8, 2004, at 21:19:25
> > I don't understand this, because I've only been diabetic for a year, and my blood sugars are ok on glucophage.
> >
> > But lately sitting at my desk for long periods of time has been murder on my feet. I'm trying to figure out some way to raise my feet a bit, but that just makes me bump my knees on the desk. I'm just about to raise the desk on bricks or something, but before I do something so aesthetically unpleasing, I was wondering if anyone has any tips for keeping the circulation going while doing computer work for long periods of time. Other than getting up and walking around. I try to do that, but I tend to get totally focussed when I work, and it's hard for me to stop and then it's hard for me to start up again.
> >
> > (They don't seem to make office chairs with footrests. Go figure.)
>
>
> Why not bring in a footrest that goes to another chair? It probably won't match your desk and chair at work but it'll look a lot better than building something out of bricks.
>I meant that kind that are separate (not attached to the chairs) of course.
Posted by gardenergirl on August 9, 2004, at 4:17:13
In reply to Re: Diabetes question again, posted by KaraS on August 8, 2004, at 21:21:07
Dinah,
I try to do "ankle pumps" which help keep circulation going. This involves just bending your feet up and down at the ankle. Anyway, that and butt and thigh squeezes, marching a bit in place with your feet, making circles or writing the ABC's in the air with your feet... all of these things are good for circulation. They also recommend you do them on plane trips as there is an increased risk of a blood clot forming.Also, they do make footrests for under desks that are kind of angled down towards you. That helps a bit, but to be really effective, your feet need to be higher than your heart. Now I could put my feet up on my desk and pull the keyboard down into my lap in the basement office at school, but I doubt I would feel so free to do that in most other work environments. It's a dilemma, because if you raise your desk to accomdate your knees, then it gets harder for your upper body.
Take care,
gg
Posted by Racer on August 9, 2004, at 11:34:09
In reply to Re: Diabetes question again, posted by gardenergirl on August 9, 2004, at 4:17:13
I have to admit, I have spent countless hours in the office, with my feet up on either side of the monitor, and the keyboard in my lap -- but I've never been good at sitting properly in chairs. (I'm sitting crosslegged in our office chair at home right now, more or less in a beginner's lotus position...)
As for Dinah's question, I do the thigh/cheek squeezes/marching in place. It does help. (And, you can do Kegel's at the same time...) Otherwise, really excellent posture can help a bit, I think because you do have to continue to use your muscles to hold it. If worst comes to worst, get a pair of support stockings that come up to your knees, and just put 'em on when you're working on something likely to grab you and hold you tight. Support hose are not always unattractive, by the way -- I've seen lovely women at work who've mentioned that they're wearing 'em, and I'd never have known. And, of course, regular exercise that helps with circulation in general will help with circulation in your feet at your desk. (Man, some days I crack myself up. Wouldn't life be lovely if it were really that easy?)
Best luck, Dinah.
Posted by Emme on August 9, 2004, at 14:23:46
In reply to Diabetes question again, posted by Dinah on August 8, 2004, at 15:37:31
Hmmm....any chance anyone in your office could help you work on fixing your layout to help you out? I'll bet other people have ergonomic issues. Maybe the office manager could help you research or come up with some creative ideas? And also research exercises? My last place used to post articles with such info. I worked one place where someone had back problems that made it hard for her to sit for too long. So they simply mounted a shelf in her office so that she could stand and work when she wanted.
Also - and this is waay high on the eccentric scale perhaps, so please don't think I'm nuts - but is there a workout room there, or some obscure
unused space? Can you safely do exercises that invert (you can't if you have high blood pressure. I dunno about diabetes)? I had a door at my last job, and once in a while I'd take five minutes and do some yoga poses. The shoulder stand is nice because it empties blood out of your legs and feet. Or similarly, lying down and putting your legs straight up against a wall would do it. Again, high on the weird list, but if you can sneak off somewhere, it might get you a couple of hours of comfort.
Posted by gardenergirl on August 9, 2004, at 15:32:50
In reply to Re: Diabetes question again, posted by Emme on August 9, 2004, at 14:23:46
I do the legs against the wall thing, albeit at home. It does help the swelling I get because of the Nardil.
Good time to meditate or read. Not so good for watching TV, unless it's mounted on the ceiling!
:)
gg
Posted by JenStar on August 9, 2004, at 20:37:39
In reply to Diabetes question again, posted by Dinah on August 8, 2004, at 15:37:31
hi Dinah,
does your company have a nurse or ergonomist on staff? If so, they might be able to recommend exercises to help, or ways to rearrange your office for maximal foot-comfort.I have one of those tilt-angle footrests that another poster mentioned; you can set it to different hights and angles and it's VERY comfy! You might also bring in one of those vibrating foot massagers and stick it under your desk. It's high enough to function as an impromptu footrest for short periods of time, and a periodic massage -- even on the bottoms of the feet -- might stimulate circulation.
Even something like increasing water intake during the day might help. Drinking more water means more pee breaks, which means more getting up and walking, which might hopefully lead to less foot distress.
Could you set a timer that rings once every hour so that you can take a 5-min walk break? I had CTD problems a while back, and the ergonomist at work made it clear that I *had* to exercise religiously for 5 min every hour, no matter how busy I was, or how many meetings I had to attend. Luckily my office was extremely supportive of such things. I hope yours is too.
JenStar
PS - if you DO raise your desk, just be careful to keep your arms/wrists in a neutral position while typing! I say this because I developed a wrist CDT and it was horrible, horrible, horrible. I never want anyone to go thru that! Do you have a reticulating keyboard tray? That itself can tilt and move at different angles to support you if you raise/lower yourself. Those are great to help maintain the correct ergonomic posture while typing.
Posted by Dinah on August 10, 2004, at 21:43:07
In reply to Re: Diabetes question again, posted by JenStar on August 9, 2004, at 20:37:39
I've been trying some out already. I confess I like Racer's feet on the desk, keyboard in the lap. :)
I mostly work from home, so there's no one to help with this sort of things. And probably my bosses would be sympathetic, but they need help too. Nearly all of them have back problems!!
I have accidentally discovered one thing that seems to really help, so far at least. I've been working in socks instead of shoes, and my feet have felt better. I'm not sure if I've been doing it long enough to draw any conclusions. (Now that's something that could *only* work for home work.) My beloved Reebok hi-tops seem to be a special culprit. :(( Maybe I don't move my ankles enough in them.
So I'll try out some of these things, and also try harder to keep down my high glycemic food intake. Because I don't really want to end up with poor circulation and neuropathy.
Sigh. It's hard to get old.
Thanks again everyone.
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