I’ve had a sore hip all week, and it’s caused me to skip the gym. Worse still, it changed the way I walk and now I’ve hurt the ball of my foot somehow, which causes me to limp even more, exacerbating the original problem. And I think my chair has something to do with it.
It’s a perfectly nice office chair. As far as I know, I’ve adjusted it properly, but I spent more time than usual in it last week, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Other people have used this chair in the past without complaining, and really, there’s nothing wrong with the chair. There’s something wrong with me, is all.
I’ve come to realize that I have a unique combination of characteristics that make this chair a bad fit for me right now. Some of them are tied to my posture, my bone structure, and the fact that I habitually carry a heavy satchel on the same side as my sore hip, creating an imbalance. There are other issues as well, I’m sure. If an omniscient being would take a glance in my direction, the reasons for my chair-hip mismatch would be obvious, but I need to reflect deeply to even scratch the surface.
And even with that knowledge, guess what I’m sitting on right now? The reality is, we all have trade-offs between what’s harmful (but can be dealt with) versus the need to get things done. If you’ve ever had a lousy meal at a food court because it’s convenient, you know what I’m talking about.
But other people eat at the food court every day. And other people use chair just like mine. And they seem to be able to manage just fine.
No matter what it is you’re doing, your particular set of circumstances, and yes, your set of weaknesses, is going to be different than those of others around you. This is where a direct comparison breaks down, and it’s similar to the dangers of copying only what you see, but requires a closer look at your own back end (no pun intended.)
If you’re modelling after someone else and not getting their results, it might be your own set of weaknesses that are getting in the way. In my simple example, I suspect my chair isn’t giving me the results it’s given other people. So I have two options: get another chair, or get stronger.
Getting another chair is an easy way out that still leaves me vulnerable in the future, so I’m getting some resistance bands and starting a regimen of hip strengthening exercises. They’re boring, but I know I’ll get some serious results that affect the bottom line, and while I’m doing them I might think of some other areas that need work as well.
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