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The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

theguardian.com

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Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#131

Post by stouset »

nostromo wrote: post #51
2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I do run 2 to 4 times a week so I do wonder if that helps avoid problems? I think there are a lot of stressed and unconditioned office workers who want some magical device to solve everything. Vertical mice, split vertical keyboards, expensive chairs. None of it replaces exercise. Might be a controversial opinion.

This is my experience. I had lower back pain while sitting at a desk when I was younger. Once I started lifting weights, and specifically doing heavy deadlifts, I've never had back pain again. Interestingly, a lot of people are afraid deadlifts will cause back pain, but in my case at least, it cured back pain.

General fitness and strength training is just about the closest thing we have to a miracle cure for a wide array of common issues.

Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#132

Post by paulryanrogers »

_se wrote: post #121
yodsanklai wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know lifting weight is a big thing in the US, but not so much in my part of the world. Sometimes my impression is that many guys primarily want big muscles and conveniently convince themselves it is the way to go to be in good health. Not saying it's not but because it looks unnatural and isn't functional (I mean, have homo sapiens ever needed that kind of muscles?), I'm just wondering if it's really that healthy.…

Yes, there are many. It's quite easy to find the answer to that question. We're not talking about crazy hypertrophy type lifting - bench 135, squat 185, deadlift 225 and you will not have rsi problems.

I do wonder if all these easily found studies have accounted for survivorship bias. I.e. those who can achieve those goals are those most likely to not develop RSI.

Ironically my RSI began within a few months of starting weight training.

Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#133

Post by raindropm »

m463 wrote: post #107
mattlondon wrote: post #16

Just out of curiosity, am I the only one that seems to be happy to just sit on a dining chair when at my desk? When the WFH wave hit, people seemed to be going mad buying webcams and office chairs. Loads of people I work with spent a lot of energy researching and discussing chairs etc. I have a sit-stand desk and I stand for perhaps 2 to 3 hours any working day. But the rest of the time I just sit on a normal old woo…

I found youth will overcome a lot of bad ergonomic habits. You are doing well by standing. Keeping your core strong will help. The thing you have to ask yourself is - are you using willpower to overcome bad seating? If you have good ergonomics you will maintain good posture even when you're tired. The idea is to balance your body so it stays in place. Keep your head balanced, your arms relaxed without hunching your s…

>I found youth will overcome a lot of bad ergonomic habits.

So true. You can sit on anything with any awkward position you want, sleep 3 hours a day, and don't feel a thing.

Then you turn 30...

Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#134

Post by joeyjojo »

scrooched_moose wrote: post #54

If anyone is looking for a better chair, we found this was a great time to pick up Herman Miller Aerons off of craigslist. There's a steady stream of small-to-medium offices in our area closing, and they're all liquidating office furniture. We picked up 2 for $500. They're a massive improvement over my $80 chair that was fine for a few hours a week pre-WFH, and my back is feeling much better.

I have sat many hours in an Aeron (and am sitting in one right now), but am not sure why I don't hear more about the Herman Miller Sayl Chair. I find it vastly more comfortable.

Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#135

Post by fizzled »

mattlondon wrote: post #16

Just out of curiosity, am I the only one that seems to be happy to just sit on a dining chair when at my desk? When the WFH wave hit, people seemed to be going mad buying webcams and office chairs. Loads of people I work with spent a lot of energy researching and discussing chairs etc. I have a sit-stand desk and I stand for perhaps 2 to 3 hours any working day. But the rest of the time I just sit on a normal old woo…

> Are all the uber-expensive office chairs just snake oil? Or have I just been lucky?

Depends on your physiology.

I've been sitting at a computer desk for close to 40 years. In my late 30's early 40's I started to suffer from several degenerated disks, and really, all my life I've had upper and lower back issues. In most of my jobs, I usually had those big puffy office chairs with a few knobs. Those kinda helped, but it wasn't until I switched to an Aeron 7 years ago and it was a game changer: the webbing is more comfortable than cheap foam cushions and the seat tilt adjust fits just right. It is is the most comfortable seat in my house (I can't slouch on couches anymore :( ... ).

So for me, yes. It made a huge difference. But if you've got a spine like a cat, probably no biggie.

(Although: I have the Aeron model with cables, which was redesigned from the original one with linkages, and the first one broke the day I received it: they couldn't walk me through the repair because the cables required a special tool so they delivered a new one.)

Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#137

Post by taeric »

m463 wrote: post #107
mattlondon wrote: post #16

Just out of curiosity, am I the only one that seems to be happy to just sit on a dining chair when at my desk? When the WFH wave hit, people seemed to be going mad buying webcams and office chairs. Loads of people I work with spent a lot of energy researching and discussing chairs etc. I have a sit-stand desk and I stand for perhaps 2 to 3 hours any working day. But the rest of the time I just sit on a normal old woo…

I found youth will overcome a lot of bad ergonomic habits. You are doing well by standing. Keeping your core strong will help. The thing you have to ask yourself is - are you using willpower to overcome bad seating? If you have good ergonomics you will maintain good posture even when you're tired. The idea is to balance your body so it stays in place. Keep your head balanced, your arms relaxed without hunching your s…

I want to agree. But I turned forty a few years ago, and I'm in the same boat as the top post. Either using a dining chair or a workout bench as my sitting option.

That is, I can't lean on youth. But I also don't have near the pains mentioned on so many message boards.

Now, do I have trouble staying focused? Oh yeah. Staying motivated? You bet. Haven't exactly been a pleasant year. But my seating seems to be the least impactful thing going on right now. :(

Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#138

Post by visarga »

adamnemecek wrote: post #2

The worst chair in the world is the American high school/college desk+chair combo like this one https://www.schooloutlet.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/Screen... The people making and buying these place are committing crimes against humanity.

> The worst chair in the world is the American high school/college desk+chair combo like this one

How do left handed people write in those chairs?

Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#139

Post by raindropm »

For anyone that have sore butt syndrome, here's my personal tip: improve blood circulation of your...butt!

I bought Steelcase Think six month ago to replace my $50 chair, and while it is good chair with good price and comfy-but-firm seat cushion, it cannot solve my chronic "sore butt" problem. Half and hour in the chair and my butt soreness begin to appear. Doesn't help that I'm the type that sit in front of monitor all day. I know I need to move more frequently, or did some light exercise or stretching, but when you need to work, you need to sit anyway.

Then I read that the soreness is the result of lack of blood circulation, so I decide to give thing that improve it a try: a beads car seat. You know, the vintage-looking one taxi driver use.

THE SORENESS IS GONE. It's been several months since. Now I can sit all day long without feeling a thing.

Note that the version I use is the 'beads mat' with rubber texture on the bottom(This is important because it help prevent the beads seat from slipping)

Re: The tyranny of chairs: why we need better design

#140

Post by wojciii »

nostromo wrote: post #51
2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I do run 2 to 4 times a week so I do wonder if that helps avoid problems? I think there are a lot of stressed and unconditioned office workers who want some magical device to solve everything. Vertical mice, split vertical keyboards, expensive chairs. None of it replaces exercise. Might be a controversial opinion.

This is my experience. I had lower back pain while sitting at a desk when I was younger. Once I started lifting weights, and specifically doing heavy deadlifts, I've never had back pain again. Interestingly, a lot of people are afraid deadlifts will cause back pain, but in my case at least, it cured back pain.

Deadlifting incorrectly will most likely fuck your back. :)

I have been most happy (backwise) while running and doing a light version of cross fit (where correct lifting was a part of) couple of times every day.

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