Hamstring flexiblity has been an issue for me for quite a while despite frequent stretching. I’ve seen it repeated so many times that sitting in a chair in front of a computer is a major reason why we are all so inflexible in this area. So I’m wondering if anyone has any recomendations for ways to setup my computer at home to get around this problem. I’m open to all sorts of methods, from sitting in different ways to setting up the computer on the floor, ceiling, etc.
What suggestions do you have, and what has worked for you?
I can’t see why there’s an issue if you’re frequently stretching. Are you sure it’s your hamstrings? Tight hip flexors can cause a lot of pain if not attended to.
Sitting in a chair puts your hammies in a shortened postion, and do it for extended periods yup that’ll cause stiff hammies… sit on the floor with your back again a wall or some other support with you keyboard on your lap and your legs straight with your feet no wider then just outside shoulder width or you’ll get a wicked cramp in your hip flexors.
put your legs up on a desk, or on top of your computer monitor.
Or up on a stool that’s the same height as your chair. That way you can at least sit with your legs straight. Lean forward every so often and you get a good stretch in your hammies.
[quote]Sxio wrote:
I can’t see why there’s an issue if you’re frequently stretching. Are you sure it’s your hamstrings? Tight hip flexors can cause a lot of pain if not attended to.
[/quote]
I don’t get how moderately tight hip flexors would cause too many problems. Hip extensors on the other hand…
My hammies have always been tight relative to everything else.
[quote]SWR-1222D wrote:
put your legs up on a desk, or on top of your computer monitor.[/quote]
On top of the monitor?!? While operating a mouse/keyboard? You’re one flexible mofo! I do try to put my feet up a lot, but then I end up with a slumped back. I need to work on that.
The past few days I’ve been experimenting with a lot of positions and I think I’m going to continue and make a point to just switch positions constantly. I have a semi portable “laptop” so I can move somewhat although it is heavily teathered with wires and cables of various sorts and I need to use an external mouse (for sanity’s sake).
Has anyone tried one of those “alternative” chairs? Like the kneeling ones for instance…
Whenever you sit down on a couch or easy chair try to prop your feet up. However, whenever I am using my computer I sit to the side of the desk and prop my feet up on the other side of the desk. The keyboard just rests in my lap. You need to push your chair a little farther from the desk for this to work.