Last January, I was laid off from my full-time writing job at an office. At the office, I sat at a desk and I had access to beanbag chairs, etc..
Although I'm happy to report that I'm not a full-time freelancer working from home, I have some issues that have been bothering me.
For hours on end, I sit with my legs tucked under me on the couch. It's my most comfortable position, although I know it's probably not great for my posture or circulation. I move around the house here and there, but I mostly sit in that position until I get off of work.
I also sleep in fetal position, and when I wake up, I have a cramped feeling in my left leg.
Anyways, for the past few months, I've experienced pain in my outer thigh, pain behind my knee, pain in my calf, and pain in my butt. It's particuarly painful behind my knee and lower calf right now, and I have some concerns that it could be a blood clot (I'm a worrier).
Have any other freelancers experienced this? What are your tips for working from home? Does anyone have any special desks/chairs that they'd like to recommend? I can't live like this for the rest of my life!
*Edit* I am a full-time freelancer --- I mean't to say now instead of not!
Fist stop should be a chiropractor. The simplest reason for your pain could be hips/back out of alignment or locked SI joints. In any case, a chiro can fix you in 10 seconds to a few weeks, depending on cause. I've had this problem for decades. The only time a chiropractor didn't work was when I had a very bad case of sciatica (lower back through hips and glute, down the leg) that was caused by a bone spur crushing my sciatic nerve root at L4/L5. My neurosurgeon removed the spur and did a decompressive laminectomy...same day surgery, no hospital stay, pain gone instantly, no brace, no rehab. Easy.
Start least invasive. Don't jump to morbid conclusions. STOP GOOGLING!!!! Geez...only give you panic attacks...LOOK AT DATES!!!...most of that stuff is a decade old!!! And no drugs!!! Do not get hooked on Neurontin (gabapentin) and Lyrica. Find the root cause of your problem and get it fixed. Don't treat symptoms!
PS: Been in IT for 47 years...still work full time. The absolutely best chair I have EVER found in all those decades is the Freedom With Headrest model from HumanScale. Very bizarre looking chair but AMAZING for posture and the back. Took me a day or two to get used to it since it forces correct posture...and we rarely have that automatically. Long-term? Incredible chair!!! Absolutely worth every dime...the last chair you will ever use...
DVT would be red, swollen and hot to touch. My husband has lived with a DVT for 15 yrs. Initially, they give Heparin for several days to dissolve the clot but that didn’t work. He takes a blood thinner, Eliquis to prevent further clots. DVT runs in his family…grandfather, father & sister all had DVTs.
Chances are it isn’t a DVT but the result of sitting in such an awkward position putting a lot of pressure on the calf & knee, stretching the quad and pressing on either the burser or sciatic nerve in the butt. Men can get sciatica just from sitting on a wallet in their back pocket (presses on the sciatic nerve)
Agree with poster above that alignment of hips could be an issue. Chiropractors put me in pain. A good osteopathist or a physical therapist trained in nerve release works much better for me.