4 ms·
Ask HN: Any programmers with long arms?
Responding to an old thread by @tboyd47 on May 1, 2017: Yes, I have long arms and most desk/keyboard setups don't work for me because my elbows are nearly at my hips. In regards to armrests, I recieved an ergonomic assessment through my employer and found out that it's better not to have them at all. I've solved the issue of "parallel arms" by making sure that I have a sliding keyboard tray mounted under my desk that nearly sits my lap. I've also gotten a standing desk, and but have to move my keyboard into the lower tray when I transition to sitting. Anyone else out there with "long arm" issues?
- tboyd47 8y agoWow, I can't believe you took the time to reply to a question of mine from two years ago! Ultimately I ended up with the same solution. The keyboard tray under the desk made a huge difference. You have to sit as if you're riding on horseback to really make that work.
- SenHeng 8y ago> You have to sit as if you're riding on horseback to really make that work Well then, we have JUST the thing for you here in Japan, a rodeo dieting machine! https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B073QGLP1F/ https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B073QGLP1F/
- julesnew 8y agowhat the...?
- tboyd47 8y agoThat looks funny, but really you'll want something like this drafting stool: https://images.globalindustrial.com/images/275x275/NOS_B1691-CS.jpg https://images.globalindustrial.com/images/275x275/NOS_B1691... Notice the height and the circular foot bar around the base. Hooking your feet underneath the seat pushes your center of gravity under your trunk, allowing you to sit in a balanced, relaxed posture with a straight back at the edge of your seat (important to prevent your legs from falling asleep).
- julesnew 8y ago#longarmsolidarity :)
- cimmanom 8y agoIf you also have long legs, have you tried raising both your chair and your monitor so you’re sitting higher relative to the desk? (I’m short, so I have the not quite opposite problem of desks being too high when sitting with the chair low enough for feet to be flat on the floor. The solution was a sit-stand desk with a very low minimum height.)
- julesnew 8y agoI don't have particularly long legs. I usually need a higher chair to have the correct desk height, and then also need a foot rest, lol.
- cimmanom 8y agoyup, then you don't have long arms, it's just that most desks are too high for computer work unless you're super tall. Can you get a lower desk?
- julesnew 8y agoProportionately they are -- my wingspan is a little longer than my height (my physical therpapist calls this my "ape index", ha!). If you look at the typical ergnomic desk setup (like this one: https://airawear.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1-desk-height-v2.png https://airawear.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1-desk-heigh...) my desk would basically have to be in my lap to be elbow height, which is why I need the hanging keyboard tray. I would love a lower desk, or one that lowers! But not possible right now...
- wmf 8y agoI have slightly long arms and I ended up with similar solutions. Now instead of a tray I just lower my desk to almost touch my legs. These days I don't use armrests although at IBM they gave me an ergonomic chair and I pivoted the armrests outward and lowered them so that only my elbows rested on them; this looked strange but it was comfortable.
- julesnew 8y agoI envy that you have a desk that can go lower!
- heyjudy 8y agoLook into Marfans related and CTDs. My elbows nearly reach my hips and I cannot use chairs with arms or desks that are "normal" height.
- julesnew 8y agoInteresting...! I have some "hints" of some of these symptoms (including fatigue), but believe I still fall within the normal range. I'm 5'5", and I think my wingspan is slightly over 5'6". Thanks for the awareness.
- nicolashahn 8y agoTry a split keyboard. For me the problem is that my arms come in at a high angle horizontally to meet at the keyboard, and my wrists try to correct. Split the keyboard and you no longer have that constraint.
- julesnew 8y agoThat's actually a good call! I just inherited something that's not quite a split keyboard -- it's one of those "ergonomic" keyboards from a colleague who left, and it basically forces my elbows out so that I can still keep my traps relaxed & wrists straight, even when my keyboard is higher than I would typically have it.
- sethammons 8y agoI got a desk where the table surface is about 24 inches off the ground. I thought I'd have to build one, but found an electronic standing desk that would go low enough. I keep the table as near to my knees height as possible. The desk can raise if wanted for standing. I also remove arm rests or, with my current chair, flip them up. Edit: oh, also I use the classic Microsoft ergonomic keyboard.