If you work at a desk, chances are that you are sitting down… a lot. I certainly do so in my at home work. I am often in front of the computer selling items on eBay or Amazon or writing articles like this. And I realized that I needed to compensate for all that sitting I am doing.

For example, I developed a bad habit of crossing one leg over the other as I was sitting. I would cross my legs one way and then the other – because my legs were bored with just the feet being on the ground. They got restless and uncomfortable. I would cross my legs unconsciously and lean this way and that – stressing my knee joints in odd ways. I knew my knees were being over-stressed because at the end of the day or when I was ready to go to sleep – my knees hurt. It took me a while to figure out what the cause was.

By observing myself overtime, I discovered that after particular days that I spent away from the computer or on days when I forced myself to not cross my legs when sitting – on those nights my knee pain was gone or much diminished. But on those days when I couldn’t concentrate when seated unless my legs were crossed all day long – those were painful knee nights.

I had to stop crossing my legs when I was working, at least, most of the time when I was sitting. But my legs and more importantly it seems my feet needed to do something. And that leads me to my first tip. Note: Since I work at home, I usually am not wearing shoes…

Tip #1: To stop the bad habit of crossing your legs, give your feet something to do… Get a box!

My solution to keeping my feet occupied was to take a small cardboard box – the size you would ship a book in: 8″ x 10″ x 3.5″ and fill it with packing materials (bubble wrap). By then taping the box closed with sturdy shipping tape, I created a small platform that easily fit on the floor under my desk that I could rest my feet on. This platform has give in it and the box is small and light enough to push and slide around the floor with my feet. The sides are two different lengths allowing me to press against the sides of the box with my feet two different distances apart. The box can be flipped and generally played with.

Using this very inexpensive box for my feet to play with, I have cut way back on leg crossing and the stress on my knee joints.

The box does get squished over time and may need to be refilled a bit and re-taped.

Left: Battered, but still usable foot box || Right: Typical box ready to be packed and taped.

Now, you may have been hearing the medical news that the mere act of sitting too long is not good for you. That is what I have been hearing, anyway, which leads to my next tip.

Tip #2: After sitting for a while – stand up and move around. Any excuse will do to stand up and walk someplace, at least, once an hour. Get a cup of coffee, go the restroom, go to talk to your spouse or office co-worker… you get the idea. The important thing is to put your body into motion for a minute or two or longer.

And speaking of moving, one of the things you are not doing when you are seated and that is walking. Whenever we walk we are aiding the circulatory system, by swinging our arms, pressing our feet against the ground and moving in general. Particularly, when you walk, blood is squeezed into the tips of your toes and then released over and over again. That seems like it might be important and that leads me to my final tip for you.

Usually I sit at a desk, I rarely sit in the wild these days…

Tip #3: Clinching your toes. I recommend you clinch your toes, like you would clinch your hands into a fist and then release that clinch. Alternate this action tightening the toes one on foot and then the other for at least twenty-two times or more. Clink and release left toes – 1, then right toes – 2, then left toes – 3 and right toes – 4 and so on. Do this many times a day – whenever you remember this exercise. It is quick, easy and you can do it with your shoes on, but it is a little easier when your shoes are off. You can do this sitting down and laying in bed.You can even do this toe exercise standing up, but I prefer being seated.

The whole idea of squeezing and relaxing your toes, is to help push the blood through the tiny capillaries in this area that might otherwise tend to stay longer than it should because your are sitting. I certainly have found my feet seem happier since I have added toe exercise through out the day.

I hope you find these tips useful. Tip #1 is fun, but you can try something other than a box. Tip #2 has had several medical studies supporting it. And tip #3 is so easy to do. But as with any health advise check with your doctor and use your common sense to not hurt yourself.

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