Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

newyorker.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 71 posts

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#51

Post by Gravey »

I have had a rather non-conventional experience working from home this past year.

Pre-covid, I had my desk lowered to the perfect height (coworkers would joke about how low it was), adjustable seat, monitors aligned with eyes, split keyboard, ergo mouse, etc. Even with all this I would frequently have pain in my shoulder joints and under my shoulder blades (especially when drinking coffee). I stretched regularly, but the only activity I found to really help was boxing.

During the first month of covid I refused to believe it was nothing more than temporary, so I would work from my couch, with laptop on my coffee table, no mouse, laptop keyboard. Sometimes reclining, and supporting myself with blankets/pillows. Surprisingly none of the usual pains came up. This is still how I work day to day.

What’s interesting is I will occasionally play video games with friends on my office PC. When I do this the shoulder pains never fail to come back.

I’ve been considering buying one of those lie-down battlestation type setups, but I probably won’t.

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#52

Post by klondike_klive »

Another recommendation from me - over the course of maybe a year I went from sleeping with two pillows, to one tucked into my neck, to none at all, and found my longstanding cricked neck problems pretty much went away.

For ages I had suspected that something was wrong in my bed, but couldn't work out what it was, the only way I could describe it was I felt like I was "wallowing". Getting a soft mattress topper turned out to be a costly mistake, so instead I went the other way.

I was aiming to get such a comfortable bed that I wouldn't have to move. I think this was a misconception and that moving during the night is actually a necessary part of healthy sleep.

Although as a father of a toddler I have only a tantalisingly theoretical grasp on what healthy sleep is any more.

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#53

Post by y-c-o-m-b »

treespace89 wrote: post #20

Off topic: The pandemic has been wonderful for my gi tract. Constipation driven by office bathrooms problems where a regular concern. I would really try to time bowel movements so that they would happen at home. And would get constipated if I missed my window. Not having to worry about this has been a huge quality of life improvement.

Seconded. In addition to a shy colon, I have a shy bladder. It was pure hell working in an office, physiologically speaking.

Ever since I started working from home regularly, my GI system has never been better. I went from having the worst GI issues in my household to having the best GI system. I'm sure having less stress in general from not having to go to the office is a huge help. It's also great that I can freely pass gas as needed instead of holding it in for hours which caused tremendous pain as the day went on.

My back is actually doing much better too. I designed (using that term loosely, more like jury-rigged) a wooden chair with a tailbone cushion, open back so my spine doesnt have any pressure on it, and a swivel keyboard/mouse tray aligned with my arm-rests so it puts almost no strain on my wrists. It's basically like this - https://imperatorworks.com/index.php/iw-r1 - but no monitor attachments, it's made out of an old wood rocking chair, and it's ugly as sin. Does wonders for my back though

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#54

Post by y-c-o-m-b »

throwaway53453 wrote: post #6
dusted wrote: post #4

pandemic and lockdown has changed literally NOTHING for me, except not having to endure the walk to the car to drive to work

Well I'm glad things are going good for you. Some of us are still struggling. Many people are too poor to splurge 1K on a luxury office chair. This article is about those people.

1K on luxury office chair? What kind of office were you working in? I'm a software dev and every company I've worked at had those horribly uncomfortable mesh chairs. You can find low priced - if not entirely free - decent office chairs off Craigslist. There's entire wharehouses full of office equipment priced less than $100 that will have the same ergonomic effect if not better than an average office in my experience.

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#55

Post by EricE »

klondike_klive wrote: post #52

Another recommendation from me - over the course of maybe a year I went from sleeping with two pillows, to one tucked into my neck, to none at all, and found my longstanding cricked neck problems pretty much went away. For ages I had suspected that something was wrong in my bed, but couldn't work out what it was, the only way I could describe it was I felt like I was "wallowing". Getting a soft mattress topper turned…

I agree - I've been sleeping without pillows for over 20 years now and I rarely have back or neck issues. Not that they were common before I stopped using them (I would have occasional issues), but then again I was a lot younger back then too ;)

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#57

Post by xxxyyj5 »

idkwhoiam wrote: post #32

I never had back problems but lockdown is doing its thing. I used to be involved in all kinds of indoor team sports (soccer, basketball, volleyball) & was a regular visitor to a gym. I don't move much nowadays. I go for a walk every evening. I have a pair of dumbells. Needless to say it does not replace a fully equipped gym. There's no room for a proper power rack in my tiny apartment. So yeah, I hope this pandemic e…

> So yeah, I hope this pandemic ends before I develop health issues from sitting too much.

Never mind physical health, we've got a world where mental health has gone in the gutter.

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#58

Post by xxxyyj5 »

throwaway53453 wrote: post #6
dusted wrote: post #4

pandemic and lockdown has changed literally NOTHING for me, except not having to endure the walk to the car to drive to work

Well I'm glad things are going good for you. Some of us are still struggling. Many people are too poor to splurge 1K on a luxury office chair. This article is about those people.

lol getting downvoted for expressing misery - no complaining, citizen!

It's basically a blaring bourgeouis flag if the past year has been pleasant for you.

The less well-off and young are suffering greatly.

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#59

Post by graeme »

jahewson wrote: post #49
graeme wrote: post #21

Having dealt with RSI and having worked at home for a long time, my list of tips that helped the most. Ordered for importance to me personally rather than cost or other factors: * Sit stand desk. Not just for standing: lets you adjust height while seated to ideal level * Placing keyboard/monitor at proper ergonomic heights to one another. This implies arranging keyboard height then having a separate monitor raised up…

100% yes. I evolved pretty much the same setup over the years and it’s essential. I also have a trackpad on the left and mouse on the right to share some of the burden.

Oh thanks. I should add I actually have both a left and right hand handshoe mouse, so I can alternate if my right arm is acting up.

Interesting to hear you hit on the same setup. I think anyone new to WFH has to give serious thought to getting a good work environment.

Re: Posture: Is the Pandemic Breaking Our Backs?

#60

Post by graeme »

mft_ wrote: post #30
graeme wrote: post #21

Having dealt with RSI and having worked at home for a long time, my list of tips that helped the most. Ordered for importance to me personally rather than cost or other factors: * Sit stand desk. Not just for standing: lets you adjust height while seated to ideal level * Placing keyboard/monitor at proper ergonomic heights to one another. This implies arranging keyboard height then having a separate monitor raised up…

Can you recommend a trusted source for working out what the ideal ergonomic setup is for an individual?

Actually wait, yes. Back when I was at the worst of it, I spoke to some people at Ergo Canada: https://ergocanada.com/

They steered me towards the handshoe mouse, and also guided me through trying those dome type keyboard. (Didn’t work for me but the staff were super helpful)

I don’t know if they do US sales but they have every class of ergonomic product under the sun and fantastic experts who were focussed on helping rather than selling. They may point you to a US partner, a consultant, or be able to ship to the US.

(If they do give you advice about products I’d try to buy with them rather than shop elsewhere, they’re very helpful)

Post reply on HN