frozencobra37 said:Hmm, so, assuming I spend about eight to ten hours a day sitting in a crappy chair and my back is absolutely killing me—plus I tend to avoid muscle soreness by being super careful with how I move rather than actually having strong muscles—is it worth getting an exercise ball just for sitting?
Yeah, definitely.
frozencobra37 said:I know it would help if nothing else works, since the ball is basically a step up from a regular chair. Right now, I’m just constantly hunched over my desk.
On top of that—and this has nothing to do with my current lack of fitness—standing or sitting without any back support absolutely wears me out (honestly, since I was a kid). If I stand in one spot for even ten minutes, my back starts acting up. It's the same thing when I try to sit upright without a backrest. That's why I'm worried the ball might be just as painful... [/B]
Make sure the ball height is set so your knees are at a perfect right angle while you're sitting. If you're still struggling after that, the issue might actually be that your desk is at the wrong height.
Look, the ball isn't some magic cure-all, but it's certainly better than slouching in a standard office chair, where you lean way back, make one wrong move, and suddenly lock up because your core strength is non-existent (believe me, I've been there 😢), especially since all that pressure has been hitting your spine for years instead of your abdominal muscles. It might feel a little exhausting at first, but eventually, you'll adjust, your core will get stronger, and it'll take a massive load off your spine...
I use cotton swabs pretty regularly, just every day after I hop out of the shower. I don’t go digging around too deep or anything, I just use them to soak up any leftover moisture. I've never even had that situation where the swab comes out covered in yellow gunk like I've seen happen to some people.
For anyone else out there struggling with excessive earwax buildup, though, there's this ear cleaning solution—I think it's called 3M or something similar. You just drop a bit into your ear.
Now mine is totally deflated because I've been busy moving, and I can already see my boyfriend and I taking turns blowing it up. It’s actually faster than using a bike pump, but I just really don't feel like trekking down to the gas station for a compressor.
Regarding the whole idea of using exercise balls for seating in schools and stuff, here is a quick summary of an article I found on PubMed:
New England Journal of Medicine 1992 May 23;122(21):811-6. Related Articles, Links
[Ball or chair as seating arrangement in the classroom. A prospective study]
[Article in English]
Amstad H, Bachlin A, von Arx N.
Department of Public Health.
Poor posture is thought to be linked to sitting habits in school—kids who used to spend their time running around and playing are suddenly forced to sit still in one spot. The goal of our study was to see if a new kind of seating option—a large plastic ball—actually made a difference. Over the course of one school year, one group of 162 kids (ages 8 and 12) used these balls as their primary way to sit, while a similar group of 148 kids stuck to standard chairs. At the beginning and the end of the study both groups were examined (including muscle testing, a modified Matthiass test, and balance tests). The results hint at a potential impact on back and abdominal muscles, though overall, we didn't see much improvement from the ball alone. That said, if you incorporate actual movement into the classroom setting, the ball might be a helpful tool. We’d suggest some basic training and supervision for the teachers involved...
A massage alone isn't going to cut it for problems like yours. Sure, you might feel a little bit of relief in the moment, but it’s just a temporary fix.
nimbleskipper13 gave you some solid advice. If you're really trying to avoid running around seeing different doctors, then you should dive straight into yoga, Pilates, or swimming (just make sure it's backstroke). Try to hit that at least three times a week, though ideally, you'd set aside at least half an hour every single day to get some movement in at home. You really need to jump on this before things get worse... and honestly, they probably will if you don't take action soon.
I'm telling you all this from personal experience because I dealt with some pretty brutal spinal issues back in my early twenties, and I managed to totally overcome them. I fixed everything through consistent exercise and staying active without needing a doctor (not that being a physical therapist didn't help a little 😁 ).
Custom orthotics can be great, but only if they're actually made specifically for you based on a proper biomechanical analysis.
I’m telling you, it definitely works. As a physical therapist myself, I see it all the time.
Honestly, using a stability ball is way better for you than just slouching in a chair. It forces you to engage your core muscles, so you aren't putting all that heavy pressure right on your lower spine like you do when you're just lounging in a seat.
But let's be real—sitting for eight hours straight isn't great no matter what you're sitting on. You really need to get up and stretch every once in a while...🙂
Poor little guy. I really hope everything turns out okay...
Nobody replied because that's a pretty complicated question, and we don't exactly have a ton of specialists on this forum who would know how to answer something like that.
You don't necessarily have to eat meat to get enough protein. When it comes to building up those quads, the actual exercises you do are way more important than whether your protein comes from steak or somewhere else.
If you’re worried that you aren't hitting your protein goals, just go talk to a nutritionist. They can show you how to bridge the gap using different food sources or even supplements, like whey protein shakes...
frozencobra37 said:How sturdy is this thing really? Can I jump on it normally even though I'm sitting at about 260 pounds?
My ball is rated for up to 660 lbs, so you should be totally fine to do whatever you want with it. Even if it does eventually give out, it won't just pop suddenly—it’ll more likely just start losing air slowly...
Chloe Morris12 said:So you're saying everyone feels nauseous or is throwing up? Hmm. I know a few girls who took The Day After and didn't feel bad at all. It makes me wonder... maybe the ones actually getting sick are the ones who ended up pregnant, while the ones who aren't pregnant—but were just stressed out when they took it—don't feel anything?
Maybe I'm just talking nonsense here... 😁
No, you're definitely contributing to the conversation! 🙂
Honestly, how people react to The Day After is so different from person to person; some people get hit hard, others barely notice. For me, I felt a little queasy that night, but I was able to function pretty normally. But a friend of mine? She felt so terrible she could barely even stand up...
It’s honestly great if they’re incorporating at least some Bobath techniques, regardless of whether they have formal certification in it or not. We touched on parts of it during our university programs, but the real question is how certain therapists actually handle things once they're out in the field—whether they actually apply what they learned in school or if they just stick to basic range-of-motion exercises...
It’s actually a private clinic. They have physical therapists there who specialize in the Bobath concept. You won't find that kind of specialized care in the hospitals or local clinics here in Washington, D.C., because the training is incredibly expensive, and the American healthcare system just doesn't cover those certifications for therapists working in public facilities. Usually, people end up paying for the training themselves and then practicing privately, but honestly, not many of them go through all that effort...
Alternatively, you could look into the brain injury unit over in Palm Springs—if you get a referral from Z. Maček, he does VFT. He's hands down the best in the country for that kind of thing.
Honestly, you really ought to get a second opinion from a specialist who actually deals with this kind of thing, rather than relying on a forum like this.
It’s just impossible to give anyone a real second opinion over the internet... you need an actual physical exam and someone to look over your lab results, imaging, and all that stuff personally.
Rachel Brooks63 said:I’ve realized... I think it was just a roundabout way of calling me a fat cow... honestly, that's the only thing that makes any sense! And hey, since we actually have moderators on this sub, maybe I should get a warning for that...
Oh, please.... it's not like I need to step in and protect you guys from all the mindless nonsense, right?
You're all perfectly capable of handling that yourselves—and pretty efficiently, too.
Besides... I'm basically the only one actually working around here. Dave never contributes anything, and I think our resident College Student is still holding out on submitting her resignation...
I mean, seriously... E330 and we're already on page four... Is this really where we're spending our time, debating over lemon acid???? It’s just the same old story over and over again...