The Hidden Dangers of Being a Local Search Consultant - IMPORTANT

[Linda Buquet]

No this is not link bait and I'm not going to tell you something exciting or worrisome about Google. This is about your health!

Did you know all the ways that SITTING all day,
working on the computer - negatively affects your health????​

Now many of you are up and down in an office in meetings. In and out with client appointments so maybe you don't sit all day long.

But I do. I sit on my ass 70 hours a week. I've been told by numerous Drs that sitting when you have scoliosis as bad as I do, is the worst thing for your back/neck. So I knew that. I also know that my neck problems, largely from sitting, contribute to my RSI problems in both arms. (Torn elbow tendon and carpal tunnel from mousing.) So I was very aware of the structural damage sitting can do.

But I was NOT aware of all the other ways sitting wreak havoc on our bodies. Check this!

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<a href="http://www.business2community.com/health-wellness/the-dangers-of-sitting-all-day-get-up-off-of-that-thang-01248481">The Dangers of Sitting All Day: Get Up Off of That Thang!</a>

<strong>Immediately After Sitting</strong> – As you can see, electrical activity in the leg muscles shut off and your calorie-burning rate slows down to about 1 per minute. Your enzymes also drop by 90%, which explains the weight gain.</p><p><strong>After 2 Hours of Sitting</strong> – If you haven’t moved after two hours, your good cholesterol drops a whopping 20%.</p><p><strong>After 24 Hours of Sitting</strong> – If you are extreme and haven’t moved in a day – insulin effectiveness drops 24% and the risk of diabetes rises.</p><p><strong>After 2 Weeks of Sitting More than 6 Hours a</strong> <strong>Day</strong> – Your muscles aren’t taking in fat and your blood sugar levels go up. Climbing stairs and even walking will become more difficult.</p><p><strong>After 1 Year of Sitting More than 6 Hours a Day</strong> – At this point, long-term effects will begin to manifest with weight gain and high cholesterol. And even more alarming for us women, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44683/" onclick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44683/', 'we can lose up to 1% of bone mass a year.']);" target="_blank" class="external">we can lose up to 1% of bone mass a year.</a>

Head over to read the rest because there is a lot more bad news about sitting.

Below I'll share a few things I've been doing to help the situation.

Some of you know that recently my RSI got so bad in both arms I could barely mouse.
When the pain gets really bad I have to mouse click with my foot.

Some of you who also suffer from RSI ask how I do that. I bought a really flat low profile mouse on Amazon. I put tape over the "eye" so if I accidentally move it, it does not move my cursor. So all that works is the button, which I click with my toe.

When the RSI got really bad a couple months ago I spent like $3,000 on new ergonomics. I usually work in a LazyBoy which is the only thing my back can take. So I bought a rolling table, so I can totally recline in my LazyBoy and pull the table up over me.

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I did not buy a $12,000 zero gravity workstation like the one below, but I've gerryrigged everything so I can come close to the position she's in.

I bought a new big monitor that is height and tilt adjustable. And put it up on a big riser. And did a bunch of other stuff to make everything work as either a standing, sitting or laying down desk, so I can switch positions several times a day.

Off the subject of sitting, but still on the subject of RSI because I know many of you have it, and if you don't you may some day if you keep working online... I already had every type of ergo mouse including vertical mice. But I can no longer really mouse with either hand. So I got 2 trackballs. One you move the ball with your thumb, which is good because your thumb used totally different muscles than your fingers. BUT you click with your fingers. The other the ball is on top so you move with your fingers, but click with your thumb. Soooo I use both. One I move the ball with my thumb, then I move to the other so I can click with my thumb or click with my foot. Then with the other hand I got this new smooth as glass large touchpad. It's so slick and no mouse gripping. So I'm constantly switching off between 4 devices with both hands and a foot. It's a mind bender and hard to get used to. (And really slowed me down in the beginning, but now I'm starting to get used to it.)

If anyone has RSI and is curious about any of the devices above, let me know and I'll show them to you.

I'm also taking tons of natural supplements for inflammation and joint pain. If anyone wants to know what works, please ask below. Happy to share.

I'm also still struggling with Dragon. Have been through 2 new mics and just upgraded to the latest version of Dragon. But he still does not listen to me well and mousing to correct all the mistakes hurts more than typing, so I'm still typing most of the time. But on my upcoming vaca I'm going to stop and take time to do some more Dragon training cuz I can't keep typing.

Last but not least, I am almost there with my standing desk. I can't stand for very long either, but need to force myself to work standing, a couple times a day. I have my monitor high enough now, and can hold my wireless trackball up in my hand, but my keyboard is not up where I can reach it. So I just ordered this adjustable laptop stand, I'm hoping I can put my keyboard and trackballs on to raise/lower/angle for sitting, standing or laying down.

So 3 questions for you...

1) Were you guys aware of all those other health issues sitting causes???

2) Does anyone else have RSI?

3) Does anyone here have a standing desk? Or how about a treadmill desk?
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[MarkW]

Great post. When I call my chiropractor for an appointment nowadays, they just say "you don't need an appointment, you are family" because I was going almost everyday for a few months straight.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Sorry to hear Mark!

You said you WERE going almost every day. Are you better now?
What are some of the things you did that helped?

 

[Scott Rawlins]

I have noticed some of these effects happening to me as well.

That's it, I'm going to go play tennis now!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey Scott,

I talked about Friday happy hour for all the TCs that are craft beer lovers.
(Not that healthy!)

Maybe we should start a Friday virtual tennis match!

 

[Dustybones]

Great Post Linda. I'm curious as to what you got the the "new smooth as glass large touchpad".

 

[Scott Rawlins]

Why not combine the 2? They could cancel each other out so we won't feel too guilty with the craft beer.

I actually do have a few every so often while playing tennis. Hey, it's got some water in it right?

 

[MarkW]

Sorry to hear Mark!

You said you WERE going almost every day. Are you better now?
What are some of the things you did that helped?

I had a bunch of spine problems (things like stenosis and disk herniation causing nerve issues) that resulted from dehydration and compression - the compression came about because when I moved a few years ago I didn't buy a desk for my condominium, I lied in bed on my stomach to work on the laptop and arched by back. Stretching mostly solved that. I drink more water too but dehydrated disks can't really be reversed much Im told. I have always smoked so I get up once every hour or two from my desk at work anyway... but now I can tell everyone that Im getting up to go smoke because it's good for my health

 

[Linda Buquet]

I lied in bed on my stomach to work on the laptop and arched by back. Stretching mostly solved that....

I have always smoked so I get up once every hour or two from my desk at work anyway... but now I can tell everyone that Im getting up to go smoke because it's good for my health

Ouch on working on your stomach with back arched. No wonder you had problems.

Haha on the smoking being good for your health.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Great Post Linda. I'm curious as to what you got the the "new smooth as glass large touchpad".

Here it is: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0093H4WT6">Amazon.com: Logitech Rechargeable Touchpad T650</a> Watch video to see how it works and see all the gestures. So cool! And on sale for $50 off.

Now what's interesting is I HATE the touchpad on my laptop so almost did not get this one. But with all the different gestures you can use.

OMG the scrolling is amazing. I know I know you scroll scanning feeds a lot like I do Justin. Use 2 fingers and scrolling is a breeze or 3 fingers to go back and forth a page in your browser.

HEY I wanted to show you guys the cheap and dirty sit/stand desk you could make if you can get your monitor high enough.

OR to use for keyboard/mouse to get at the right angle for however you work.
OR for your laptop set up.

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That image does not show it but you can extend it up to use as a standing platform.

Most of those adjustable desks runs around $50. But I just ordered this one yesterday for $19.95. (Includes mouse tray.) Same as the others, but new product so was on sale. But today it's up to $24. (Full price $89.) So I'd grab one now!

I won't get mine til Monday so have not tried yet, but I think it's flexible enough that I can use in a variety of ways. (For keyboard and trackball or touchpad, not for Laptop.)

HEY MARK! That's what you need for working in bed!

 

[Dustybones]

thanks...Just ordered both....Love that stand...

 

[Linda Buquet]

Cool! Let us know how it works out!

 

[John Garghan]

Used to work for a Health and Safety consultancy in the 90s every day I notice people doing it the wrong way. generally keyboard and mouse are on the wrong level so that the wrist is bent. Later I worked at a software house best ergonomics you could have, specially designed ?300 keyboards etc. the best air conditioning. plenty of room on the free car park etc, etc etc. But the worst company I ever worked for I walked out after 6 weeks

 

[MiriamEllis]

I'm really glad you wrote this, Linda! And I want to say - holy crow, woman! 70 hours a week? You should NOT be working 70 hours a week. Nobody - not even an Olympic athlete in training for the Games - should be working 70 hours a week.

Your contributions to the body of Local Search Marketing knowledge are immense, but I personally don't like to think of you being hooked up to your computer nearly twice as much as a 'normal' working person every week.

I totally know how it can be - I've got to work, got to keep at it, got to stay on top of things, got to earn, got to support my family. I have those little messages going all the time in my brain. I have to turn them off so I can have more in my life besides work, regardless of how much we all need to make a living or pursue our professional goals.

So, please, Linda - your body is telling you, "Hey, Linda! Ouch! Too much time on the computer! Give me a break."

I'm a huge fan of yours and am so sad to think of you suffering physical pain from work. That's not right, and I for one would love to see you get yourself down to a 40-hour-or-less work week ... giving you 30 extra hours to walk about, go to the beach, play with your grands, shop, dine and smell the roses.

You've earned this!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Miriam!

Once the torn tendon hit a couple months ago which made both arms crippled up I've been trying to cut back. I think I'm down to 60 hours.

But now 3 specialists have told me stop and heal this arm so I don't keep retearing it or eventually I may not be able to work at all.

So I'm taking vacation in 2 weeks and going to TRY to stay off the computer for a week solid. But it will be hard cuz I'm such a workaholic. I literally get withdrawal if I'm offline for a day.

Then when I come back I'm going to try really hard to cut back to 50. But my body is telling me I should not even try to work more than 30. However I have a business to run so we'll see who wins out. My body/mind or my addiction to work.

On that note, I'm late for physical therapy so need to boogie.

Thanks for all the support. Didn't mean to make this all about me. Was trying to use this worn out old body as a lesson to some of you youngen's so you don't end up in the same situation some day.

 

[MiriamEllis]

Good for you, Linda! Enjoy your vacation. Best wishes for healing!

 

[Chris Ratchford]

I've been using an adjustable desk for the past year called Varidesk.

I have the Pro version, which is big enough for two 27" displays.

I try to stand at least 2 times a day for 60 - 90 minutes (once in the morning and once in the afternoon).

 

[patrice]

I was aware of these problems a bit too late, after programming too many software i totally damaged my hands, they burn like crazy if i type on the keyboard for too long. I have managed to reverse lot of the pain but it took me 2 years ( less typing, hands exercises and relaxation exercises like yoga)

For the back part, i highly recommend that you invest on a 500$ desk from Ikea called "bekant" that is what i use, and it is lovely, my back pain went away !

[video=youtube;Yyl2NvKIK7M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyl2NvKIK7M[/video]

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Patrice,

I rigged up a stand up desk now too with that stand I mentioned above.
But I can't stand for long either. It kills my back too.

So I just try to rotate often between sitting, standing and reclining.

 

[HurricaneK8]

1) Were you guys aware of all those other health issues sitting causes???
Yep! Sitting is not what humans were designed for, and unfortunately it's what a lot of jobs have become.

2) Does anyone else have RSI?
I don't have RSI, but I have pretty bad scoliosis which causes a visible right twist & uneven shoulders.

3) Does anyone here have a standing desk? Or how about a treadmill desk?
I stand about 20% of the time I'm working. Usually it's when I have a few short jobs to do (I'm standing right now ). Everyone in my office (including myself) is a long distance runner. I run 50k a week, and I'm the lowest one down on the K/week scale. We will take running breaks during the day to loosen up the joints. I find that after running the night before, I'm actually glad to sit down for 5-6 hours haha.

It's a strange combination, but I think to sit comfortably for that long without causing damage, you actually have to train your muscles doing other activities or they simply can't hold everything in the right spot (causing nerve damage, disk damage, etc). But once the damage has occurred, it's really hard to go out and train... so its a vicious circle.

I'd be crumpled up on the floor in a ball without my yoga stretches too They're a perfect 2 minute break. I probably do some yoga stretches every hour, rotating through my favourites. I basically have this one memorized!