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

Supine Computing (2019)

mgsloan.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 52 posts

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#41

Post by mgsloan2 »

bee_rider wrote: post #17
frereubu wrote: post #2

This reminds me of when I did something nasty to my back and could only lie down - instead of mounting my laptop I hooked it up to a projector I already had for films and pointed it at the ceiling. It required low light, but it was what I had available at the time and worked for the length of time it took for my back to get better. However, I have to quibble with the "Healthy Hacking: DIY Supine Workstation" article…

I've never been a dancer, just not my thing, but with a standing desk and headphones I find myself code-dancing constantly.

Hell yeah! I particularly find it easy to move around with my keyboard strapped to my belt - https://mgsloan.com/posts/tree-based-computing/

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#42

Post by mgsloan2 »

boomskats wrote: post #8

Some notes from someone who has experimented with this for years - with zero gravity chairs, beds, floors... - having your hands elevated above chest height sucks after a few minutes. The Altwork and Ergoquest workstations suck for that reason, and you _need_ a split keyboard if you don't want numb fingers. - not moving sucks. I think I've hurt my neck and back (and throat) more by doing this than I'd like to admit -…

Glad you enjoy todoist-shortcuts!

Very interesting about hands elevated above chest height. I also thoroughly agree about using a variety of postures. I think for a lot of folks supine / reclined might be too relaxing for work. I find it to work decently for an hour or two before feeling lazy

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#43

Post by mgsloan2 »

jtlienwis wrote: post #15

Have you tried the simple solution of putting an ice pack on your back? Also, stop driving in your car with your wallet in your back pocket. Also, avoid hot tub as this will make it worse. Don't sit for long periods. Get up and walk. You look young and healthy and these are the solutions I had when I was younger when I had back pain.

Thank you! I appreciate your tips. Yes, I move around a lot, I practice acrobatics at least a few times a week :) I think the original injury may have something to do with doing back bends improperly years ago, or snowboarding.

I recently went to one session with a PT to diagnose it, since it's returned again this year. It's probably chronically strained quadratus lumborum or some other muscle involved in spinal extension. Avoiding upright sitting as much as possible definitely helps. I've recently moved closer to things so that I can bicycle to most things instead of driving, and I think that's helped too.

The PT thinks the solution is to train my movement patterns to use more core / glute stabilization rather than dumping the responsibility on the back muscles. There are various exercises to help train those patterns and strengthen then muscles involved.

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#44

Post by mgsloan2 »

dashezup wrote: post #39

It's too comfortable while laying down, I usually fell into sleep when I was laying down on my bed to take a rest. I guess this could also happen with such setup. I think it's better to find a comfortable chair instead, unless you don't have choice but laying down. It's important to keep the laying down pose dedicated to sleeping/resting, do some exercise at other time and this could boost your productivity.

I think there's quite a bit of variety in people's alertness in reclined / supine postures. Personally I have trouble sleeping unless conditions are really good for it. This sucks, but I think related to this trait is that it takes quite a while for me to feel sleepy as a result of supine / reclined postures.

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#45

Post by mgsloan2 »

derefr wrote: post #11

IIRC, the lowest-back-muscle-tension recline angle isn't actually 180° (laying completely flat) but actually 135° (legs forward, back and neck against a wedge. Or probably—in the ancestral environment—against the base of a tree.) Anyone got a good ergonomic setup for achieving 135° recline, no-neck-flexion computing? (Besides buying that one ridiculous $5000 chair, I mean.)

Interesting! I haven't tried it yet, but perhaps foam wedges would be a cost effective approach? (typically used as yoga props)

For positioning the laptop, suspending it works pretty decently for laptops that have a large range of motion in the hinges - https://mgsloan.com/posts/suspending-laptops/

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#46

Post by mgsloan2 »

literallyaduck wrote: post #38

Awesome article, I'd turn into a human from WALL-E after a few months of it. How do you avoid water outside? Between neighborhood kids playing with squirt guns in the pool next door and the sweat from outdoor temperatures it seems hazardous. Another problem I had was screen brightness, the sun always found a way to make the screen unreadable or get in my eyes.

For a while I had a misting setup during the summer, at my deck desk. I didn't have any trouble with electronics. These days I'm in Colorado which tends to be relatively dry.

One solution to sun is to use shade strategically - https://mgsloan.com/posts/tree-based-computing/#handling-the...

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#47

Post by mgsloan2 »

pjs_ wrote: post #9

This was all pretty mundane until he pulled out the belay glasses - this guy is living

Hah, yes experimenting in life is good :)

If you want to see more wildness, a couple of my other posts are more unusual:

* https://mgsloan.com/posts/polarizer-glasses/ * https://mgsloan.com/posts/tree-based-computing/

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#48

Post by mgsloan2 »

swagasaurus-rex wrote: post #32

I've struggled to find split keyboards that work for laying down. Most split keyboards have a cord that runs between the split even if they're advertised as bluetooth.

Some have swappable cables! Ergodoxes typically use TRRS audio cables. Keyboardio uses ethernet between the two halves.

There are also some fully wireless split keyboards like the southpaw centromere. I found the thumb keys to be too inward / too few for my taste.

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#49

Post by mgsloan2 »

bee_rider wrote: post #22

It is weird to me that somebody could be so enthusiastic about finding different ways to lay on things, but could have a hammock with a spreader bar. Sleeping hammocks are generally known to be much better, right?

That is true, this is my parent's hammock. I own a dutchware chameleon hammock - see this post about using it for computing https://mgsloan.com/posts/ergo-update-hammock-under-deck/

Re: Supine Computing (2019)

#50

Post by code_duck »

medstrom wrote: post #37
code_duck wrote: post #14

When I spent a lot of time laying in bed using a laptop, my typical position was to put my knees up and open the computer at an obtuse angle on my stomach. The only problem I’ve had with this was one time when I shifted positions and my MacBook fell forward, striking the bridge of my nose with the edge of the lid. We all know how sharp the edges are on MBPs, right? It left a 1 cm scar on my nose.

What, you still have the scar?!

Yes, if you look carefully you can see where it was, 9 years later. My skin heals strangely, perhaps. I was just looking at a dark spot from a small burn I got cooking last summer and wondering if that's normal.

With how severe the corner is on the MacBook, I’d compare the impact to being whacked with the back of a 4 lb butter knife.

Post reply on HN