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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Why do I get a numb bottom whilst sat at work all day?

    Related Topics
    Back & Neck Pain Pain
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    Hubert Huynh

    Physiotherapist

    I am a Sydney based Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapist with a strong focus on manual therapy and functional rehabilitation. I am trained in a number … View Profile

    This could be related to how you are sitting in the chair and your sitting posture or how long you are sitting in the chair.
    So as a common rule, we usually do not recommend people to sit for more than an hour. After an hour, we usually encourage them to get out of the chair, walk around and have a bit of a stretch so that they do not stay in a prolonged position for too long.

    The sitting posture is also very important. How you sit can also be compressing on different soft tissues. Soft tissue structures are nerves that can cause a numb bottom.
    If your numbness does go away when you stand up and move around, this could highly indicate that the actual activity of sitting is what is causing your problem. If numbness continues after you get up and walk around or even at rest, it is probably best to consult your physiotherapist or GP to have further tests or have examinations to see what is actually causing the problem.

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    Dr Ryan Hislop

    Chiropractor

    Ryan Hislop is the Clinical Director at the Orange Chiropractic Health and Wellness Centre. As an experienced and evidence-based diagnostician, Ryan works largely by medical … View Profile

    Most commonly, this condition involves the compression of the nerve or disruption of the blood supply to the area. This results in a temporary loss of funtion which is reversible within a few minutes to hours.

    If you numbness is not subsiding after reducing the compression of allowing blood flow to return you should see your primary care practitioner immediately. 

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  • Jodie Krantz

    Physiotherapist, Pilates Instructor

    As a Physiotherapist for many years, I have a special interest in managing chronic and recurrent pain using exercise. Our small team of Physiotherapists are … View Profile

    If you are at your desk all day you should definitely be taking regular breaks.

    It's also important that you have the right chair, correctly set up. The width, depth and shape of your chair should suit your body dimensions. Is your chair too small, or the foam too old or too thin to support your weight adequately? Perhaps you could arrange an ergonomic assessment of your chair and work station? Some Occupational and Physio Therapists do this sort of assessment.

    Here are a few tips:

    • An good ergonomic chair should have 3 levers underneath for maximum adaptability (for chair height, seat tilt and backrest tilt adjustment)
    • If you are sitting all day dual density foam on the seat is recommended - high density foam underneath with a softer foam on the outer layer to increase support while reducing pressure on nerves, muscles and circulation
    • Sit to the back of your chair then adjust your seat height so that when your hands are on your keyboard your forearms are horizonal
    • If your feet are off the ground you need a foot rest
    If a new chair is out of the questions, try an air-inflated sitting disc. These discs facilitate the mobility of your pelvis so that the pressure does not always stay in the same place. Another option could be a memory foam

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  • Dr Adam Arnold

    Chiropractor

    Dr. Adam Arnold received his chiropractic degree from Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City MO in 1995. Dr. Arnold has been practising as a chiropractor … View Profile

    In addition to the above answers, if you have adjusted your chair correctly and you are going for walks every 30-60 minutes, and this is still occuring, I would urge you to seek some help.  As Dr. Ryan pointed out this could be due to a loss of blood or nerve supply and worth looking into.  

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    Sandra McFaul

    Physiotherapist

    Do you suffer from chronic lower back pain or neck pain? Based in SYDNEY, Sandra is 1 of ONLY 15 Physiotherapists in Australia with ADVANCED … View Profile

    I would suggest that you are sitting in the wrong position.  Sitting puts lots of pressure on the back.  It would be a good idea to stand and stretch every hour or so. 

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