I havent gotten my surgery yet but I am trying to get more activity into my life, that sadly consists of 10 hour workdays and 30 minute lunches, to be ahead of the game for surgery in September/October.

Does anyone have any good suggestions of what to do while chained to a desk? I try to get up and walk at least every hour but I cant be away from my desk for more than 5 minutes before the search party comes to find me. I walk for 20 minutes of my lunchbreak but even that is starting to lose its effectiveness. Ive started to walk on my regular breaks but again, its just not enough time to feel like it is effective.

Any and all suggestions are very, very much appreciated!!!

Small increments in walking are just fine. You do what you can. Google office yoga/ yoga in chairs - and consider "mindful breathing". Google ujjayi breath or ocean breath - a beautiful, powerFULL thing to do at your desk.

I once went to a class on office exercises and they gave us the elastic bands. You can do leg stretches with them, leg lifts, arm presses, quite a few exercises for various parts of the body.

I sympathize with you -- I'm an office geek and you're right about the chained to the desk thing. I have to really find ways to get out of my chair and move because all my work is on this computer. But I'm convinced we can do SOMETHING!

Stretching exercises? How about removing your trash can? I do that so I have to walk to the other end of the office to throw something away. Same for food, opposite end of the office. Bathroom too.

That being said it doesn't help my edema, but at least I can walk still for now.

When I worked in an office, I was lucky enough to have an adjustable desk...I would stand and pace at my position for half my shift. Also..I brought small dumbbells in (I worked the late shift in a call center, and there weren't many supervisors around at night). Desk yoga is wonderful.

Thank you all for your replies!

I printed off a few yoga workouts and mindful breathing exercises to try today. I found a great deal on a set of "desk" fitness bands that I ordered off of amazon also!

I work in an odd office building where the bathrooms and breakrooms are on the opposite side of the world, so I get in some good walking whenever I need to take that walk to the ladies or get some more water. I just feel like such a slacker sometimes. I want and need to move more, I guess I'm still just finding out how to make my days more active!!

I will keep looking for new and more exciting things to try and if I find anything good I will pass it on!

Forgot one -- when you have a tcon or long phone call, stand up and pace. I try to do that sometimes and at least you aren't sitting.