"GET ON THE BALL"

To Orwell Today,

***IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE RAMBLE***

As of late I have not been as mobile. And I've spent a lot of time in front my TV, or at our computer. (Too much).

Then it became apparent last week that my left foot had become a bit swollen. So at an already scheduled doctor's appointment we brought this fact up. And apparently, if ANY person sits for too long they can develop blood clots in their legs. (This can also happen to people taking long flights). And if it does, these clots can potentially move up and into a person's lungs, creating other very serious and obviously unwanted problems.

Now as it turns out, this was not the case with me, I only sprained my ankle. (Who sprains their ankle and doesn't know it?)

Now I like to think of myself as a some what informed person, but I never knew about this. And from what I gather it is far more common in people of any age than we realise. (I always thought the only dangers of sitting around were getting fat,(er) or getting your hydro cut off.)

But apparently not so.

So if you find yourself sitting for long periods of time at home, or at work, and you start to feel your ass going numb, make sure to stand up every once in a while, take a short walk, or maybe just jiggle you're legs around a bit.

Do it for me.
Mother Dave

Greetings Dave,

Glad to hear all you had was a sprained ankle (duh, no wonder your ankle was swollen eh?).

Thanks for passing on your words of advice to we who spend much time at our computers or couch watching TV (or reading).

A couple of years ago I read an article about how good it is to use an EXERCISE BALL as an office chair as it forces a person to sit with proper posture. So I went a grabbed my exercise ball from down in the wreck-room and put it here at my desk. Now I'm a total adherent to the idea and my old swivel chair is in the corner gathering dust and cat hairs.

All the best,
Jackie Jura

PS - I still sometimes play your Moon Hoax Song as I really like the music and I like the chance to listen to the little snippet of JFK's voice

PPS - Here's a recent article about the benefits of being, literally, on the ball:

Active sitting "on the ball". Globe & Mail, Apr 1, 2006
Active sitting isn't just 'one of those weird things that people who make their own yogurt do.' It's the perfect exercise for our multitasking lives. Core training isn't just the buzz at the gym, it's becoming a goal at the office too, as the fitness-savvy trade in their $1,000 Aeron chairs for $40 stability balls. "Balancing on the ball encourages spinal alignment and continuously engages back and abdominal muscles," explains Jane Clapp, co-author of Working on the Ball (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $13.95), a frisky new guide to exercising in your skirt suit at your cubicle. "The effort is subtle, but the results accumulate. Long term, posture definitely improves." ...The ball forces you to sit up. And if it's been a long day, hey, you can bend over backwards and stretch out."...You're not likely to get abs of steel, but your back pain might vanish. Tom Carter, registered physiotherapist and manager of the Canadian Back Institute's Woodbridge, Ont., clinic, stands behind the ball as therapy: "If people adopt a more arched position for the back while seated, they feel better. On the ball, they're able to roll their hips backwards slightly and maintain that arch, typically for between 10 and 30 minutes. What people will do is alternate or get up and move around. If you have a work structure such that you're moving around on a paced basis, great."...The ball is the most popular way to engage in active sitting...

Jackie Jura
~ an independent researcher monitoring local, national and international events ~
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