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You don't have to like your job, but it's perfectly reasonable to expect equitable treatment and a non-hazardous work setup. Injuries from bad ergonomics are r

You don't have to like your job, but it's perfectly reasonable to expect equitable treatment and a non-hazardous work setup. Injuries from bad ergonomics are real. I am dealing with a pinched nerve in my neck from 10 years of this and some days can barely sit up straight. I get that there are people starving in China. It's not an issue of wanting a perfect job. I actually used to really enjoy my work before the pain started, and it all could have been avoided. I don't blame my employers for my injury, but I do wish ergonomics had more importance in dev culture.

selectodude 9y ago
The number of $1000+ Herman Miller chairs and standup desks I see tells me that they pay more than lip service to ergonomics.
- tboyd47 9y ago
  Your company sounds like an exception, although I'd argue that "just stand up, then" is more of a cop-out than a solution.
retSava 9y ago
The author says she didn't bring it up since she was afraid it would negatively impact her career. While I can certainly understand this is a real fear that is grounded in reality, I also feel that she has a responsibility to lift the issue internally to get appropriate furniture, tools (eg ergonomic keyboard), and treatment.
- tboyd47 9y ago
  You can only expect to be taken seriously for requests like that if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition. By then, you've already experienced significant pain, so the damage has been done. Ergonomics for developers is difficult. Damage sets in so slowly that you don't really notice it until it's too late.
  - dkersten 9y ago
    By the time you've been diagnosed, its possibly already too late. I bought a Kinesis Advantage2 (and foot pedal) earlier this year and after a few months of using it, I wish I'd got one years ago. I feel much less typing strain.
  - BeetleB 9y ago
    >You can only expect to be taken seriously for requests like that if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition If their default setup is bad (crappy chairs, etc), and they have the attitude you mentioned, do not work there. For me, it would be a condition of employment to get me a proper chair and desk.

selectodude 9y ago

The number of $1000+ Herman Miller chairs and standup desks I see tells me that they pay more than lip service to ergonomics.

tboyd47 9y ago
Your company sounds like an exception, although I'd argue that "just stand up, then" is more of a cop-out than a solution.

retSava 9y ago

The author says she didn't bring it up since she was afraid it would negatively impact her career. While I can certainly understand this is a real fear that is grounded in reality, I also feel that she has a responsibility to lift the issue internally to get appropriate furniture, tools (eg ergonomic keyboard), and treatment.

tboyd47 9y ago
You can only expect to be taken seriously for requests like that if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition. By then, you've already experienced significant pain, so the damage has been done. Ergonomics for developers is difficult. Damage sets in so slowly that you don't really notice it until it's too late.
- dkersten 9y ago
  By the time you've been diagnosed, its possibly already too late. I bought a Kinesis Advantage2 (and foot pedal) earlier this year and after a few months of using it, I wish I'd got one years ago. I feel much less typing strain.
- BeetleB 9y ago
  >You can only expect to be taken seriously for requests like that if you have been diagnosed with a medical condition If their default setup is bad (crappy chairs, etc), and they have the attitude you mentioned, do not work there. For me, it would be a condition of employment to get me a proper chair and desk.