I have a great deal of problems sitting down generally, couches are completely out, my whole body freezes and i cant move even after only 10 mins.
i have an office job where i sit at a desk all day. by the end of the day i can barely move, i am so stiff (spine , neck and SI joint). it seems like i cannot get a chair tall enough to loosen the pressure on my upper back and neck, on the computer basically all day.
any suggestions other than getting up frequently which i cannot do as I haev clients for 1-1.5 hurs at a time.
thank you.

Hi there!

It is tough working with AS. I am a desk jockey as well. I am able to get up and move around a lot. I struggle with arm, wrist and hand inflammation. I have AS in all of my fingers and both thumbs. It makes typing and using a mouse difficult. I am anxious to hear if anyone has any suggestions for you. I am at a loss.
Glad to see you are a strong Christian! Me too!

Craig

nice to meet you Craig!
for me it is humiliating when after I see a client I cant get up, or if i can get up, i can't walk without limping and pain. i heard that balance balls might be good, but since i have real issues with my Right hip, not sure if that will cause a tear from too much balancing...
i keep asking my husband to cut the legs off my desk so it is lower and does not put as much strain on my upper back and neck... my office chair is maxed out in height and it is still not good....hopefully someone has some great ideas!
i have realized through thsi forum that i have beeen just pushing through for the past 6 years without a Rheumy (she said she coudl not help me anymore once Vioxx ws taken off the market) and now I am having serious mobility challenges. trying to keep my eyes on Jesus but some days depression kicks in and i start feeling sorry for myself.
everyday is a new day and an opportnity for a miracle!

You might check into a kneeling posture chair as an alternative. They are a bit awkward for getting in and out, but they do force you into a position more like standing up. There's also tall desks made for those who prefer to stand instead of sit.

--Greg

Sorry to hear you are having such difficulty. I do spend a lot of time at a desk, but unlike you I can frequently get up and move, have a chair and desk that suit my height, and am not forced into long meetings.

You say you haven't seen a rheumy for 6 years because they said there was nothing beyond Vioxx that they could do - well things have changed since then. I'd suggest to try and find another rheumy that understands AS and see what the current options are for you.

The only other thing I could suggest would be to have a heating pad on your chair - might help enough to make a bit of difference.

It helps if you can change positions frequently. Try alternating sitting and standing throughout the work day. You can tell your clients you have a bad back and need to stand for a bit.

In standing, you can put one foot on a step stool and that helps relieve the pressure off the lower back. Also, can you take some antiinflammatories, like Aleve or Ibuprofen? That may help get you through your work day a little better.

Because you sit a ton at your job, I would exercise as much as you can before and after work. It sounds like you are super stiff and need to get the blood flowing.

Hope things get easier.

Shari

with teaching, i have a lot of reading, writing, grading. with research, a lot of papers, grants. thus i need to sit more than i should as well. i can't use a standing desk because i have problems with my feet that i normally keep under control, so long as i'm not on them too much. but i have found a solution for me:

i LOVE my swopper chair. its a stool on a spring. that simple. the top is a foam cushion, very comfy. dynamic range of motion, but very stable at the same time. you balance all day and thus it really does strengthen the lower back muscles, but you hardly notice it. you break it in slowly; i surely felt sore back muscles at first, none now. my back is much stronger now because of it. yes, expensive (~$650) but ADA laws require work places to put in place not only aids for those with visible disabilities but also for those of us with invisible disabilities which is how they define invisible illnesses. i have one at work, and a year later with my own money bought one for home. best money i ever spent. and they've lasted really well too; have had each for over 5 years now, and like new.

http://swopper.com/www.swopper.com/index.html

i also have a chair with a back. and when by myself reading or such, i'll lean back with a heating pad and going between the two can be useful.

kind of random, but my PT just taught me the correct breathing posture using your diaphragm. so the only thing that moves is your stomach when you breath. Your neck and shoulder go completely relaxed. It is so hard to learn, I'm still practicing. He taught me this to take the pressure off my neck and he is right. After 2 days of trying to focus on it, my neck feels so much better.

Can you get up and walk around every 30-60 minutes. That seems to help me. An exercise ball to sit on would seem like a good idea too. It is easy to keep wiggling on one of those.

Good luck to you-
Donette

thank you everyone! unfortunately I cannot get up with clients, and standing for long periods completely freezes my hip. the kneeling and spring stool look like good options.
i am very stiff, and do need to exercise ( my Rheumy never told me how important it was) problem is everytime i exercise i severly injure myself and then cant do anything for months... rock and a hard place.
thinking of speaking with a OT to see what is available for help and what i need to function at my job. (problem is like everything they have to understand AS) because i am self employed, i will have to treat myself!
THANK YOU EVERYONE!

here is a stupid question:
what is aleve? how is it different than tylenol or advil or aspirin?