[climbhoser]

I'm not really sure where my sciatica came from. It started when I was about 20. I had been EXTREMELY active up to that point, as a year-round wrestler (like it was a job) through HS and into college.

I quit wrestling maybe a year before I first noticed the sciatica, and when it started it was subtle. I noticed it when I was standing in the shower because I was leaning on one leg...the sciatica side.

It's had ups and downs since then. One thing is for certain, it gets MUCH worse when I don't keep my core in good shape. If I stay ontop of the core then the sciatica eases to background noise. If I get really busy and slack off on the ab-work then the sciatica flares up.

RE: chairs, I've found that any chair is ergonomic if you sit well. It's hard to stay mindful about posture when working, but making a habit of it becomes easier with time. I like a HARD chair with no foam.
_________________
"To me Plastic boots are kind of like a condom on the experience." -light skier-

"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." -Dr. Johnson-

[diggman]

I'm a big fan of the stand up desk. I switch between standing and sitting mostly based on the work I'm doing. I tend to sit for writing documents and stand for conference calls and creating power points.

A couple folks around here use bosu balls to stand on and the big gym balls as chairs. I haven't gone to that yet. One guy has used his bongo board occassionally. That provides for some nice diversions.
_________________
“I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different.” Kurt Vonnegut

[pin!head]

Kari,
built a box-stilts for her desk and ran that for a couple of years. her prob is shoulder and hip. She has a sitting area that she uses for eating lunch, meeting with other humans and sitting to read/editing accademic papers.

I've seen these stand/up sit/stool things that takes a bit of weight off yoru feet.
_________________
Friends don't let friends ski groomers.

[skirider73]

I'm 39 and was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. An MRI revealed a disc bulge at L5/S1. The bulge was poking my nerve root exiting my spine, causing numbness in my lower left leg. I had ignored this for a few years; now I am dealing with stiffness in my hamstrings and a very weak left side. While the numbness is mostly gone, walking feels funny as does cycling.

I followed the McKenzie approach to rid the numbness. The premise is to over support the lower back using rolls/lumbar supports/etc. to push the bulge back into the disc.

I wish I had not ignored things as I'm afraid there is some permanent nerve damage. Don't mess around with leg pain, especially if you have health insurance!

On a side note, I do believe your employer has to accommodate your desk needs if a doctors note states so. Good luck.

[climbhoser]

RE: employer covered expenses.

Ha! The company is partly mine. I'd be asking myself for the monies. I work 95% remotely, though, so it really doesn't matter. If we move offices I might spend more time there, but might not.

Point being, asking the employer is a lost cause
_________________
"To me Plastic boots are kind of like a condom on the experience." -light skier-

"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." -Dr. Johnson-