8 ms·

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

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 wooden dining chair. No pain. No aches. No RSI. No CTS. I've been doing this for decades and nothing seems to have gone wrong yet. I do run 2 to 4 times a week so I do wonder if that helps avoid problems? Are all the uber-expensive office chairs just snake oil? Or have I just been lucky?

elindbe2 6y ago
I've been fine using a dining chair at home too. I don't feel much difference between my office chair at work and my wooden dining chair at home. I'm a runner too, for reference. Maybe sitting in less comfortable chair is better than a comfortable one over long periods because you adjust your posture more. I personally haven't noticed this but maybe I do it unconsciously.
kleer001 6y ago
You are very lucky. Ergonomics is complex, bodies are complex. You just happened upon a setup that works for you.
kshacker 6y ago
I used the dining chair for a couple of years when I was not working. But we changed the dining arrangement and it is not the same any more. I also use a sit-stand (stand mode) for 2-3 hours, on a shop stool sitting mode ($60 odd from costco) for a bit, in my recliner for a bit, and recently tried sitting on the floor with a floor chair. It all works to varying degrees. My sit/stand is in my garage, so it does not work 3 months a year and then there is heavy reliance on inside, but for 9 months a year, it is quite habitable. No RSI/other issues to me also (knock on wood) and I am over 50 but I am starting to sense more and more that recliner (even if 4 hours) is not good and consciously try to reduce an hour or 2, but was quite hard to do that with the recent bay area heat and fires. Chairs? I am trying to move my office chair home, but that is so that I can cut down the recliner usage, but if I had a better dining arrangement (or my old dining arrangement) I probably would not bother.
wozzeck 6y ago
Ι also use a wooden dining chair. I find the simplicity and hardness of the wood quite pleasant. I do use an adjustable height standing desk, so the main potential issue of a height mismatch between chair and table isn't a problem. One small issue with the chair is that the seat has a slight upward angle, as opposed to the downward angle recommended in the article. I add a buckwheat crescent pillow, which solves this and gives me the option of sitting in a wider variety of positions.
kqr 6y ago
I haven't even turned 30 yet, so I imagine my body might well slowly be building up resentment towards me which will materialise in 20 years and I'll regret saying all of this, but... So far, my body has been happy spending extended amounts of time in any chair I set under it. Including the staple dining chair, or uncushioned outdoor wooden chair. However, I rarely sit still for long periods of time. I'm constantly shifting my position and doing all sorts of seated acrobatics to relieve tension and get variation. (I do this also in fancy ergonomic chairs.) Maybe this is what makes it work? I have no idea.
- amatecha 6y ago
  It's good to move around a lot, yeah. But in a few years you will find that the position you sit does indeed matter. It's actually super easy to sit "correctly" in a chair though, to avoid the typical problems. I wish I learned it way earlier, because my posture is terrible as a result of my years and years of slouching in chairs at a computer for hours on end. I sat on a stupid wooden chair for most of my teenage years, for literally hours and hours -- and I never sat "correctly" in that chair. Check out how these guys suggest to adjust their chair -- you can follow this with any adjustable chair and you will be 100% good to go IMO: https://www.hermanmiller.com/content/dam/hermanmiller/documents/user_information/aeron_chairs_user_adjustment_guide.pdf https://www.hermanmiller.com/content/dam/hermanmiller/docume... (PDF)
pbalau 6y ago
At the beginning of the lockdown, as I didn't have a dedicated computer desk and chair, I was working at my dinner table, sitting on a regular dinning chair. It lasted for about 1 month or so until I broke both the chair and my back (I could not move one morning and had to spend a few days in bed). It could be you have better sitting discipline (I tend to slouch when I sit), might be that you are more active (I didn't notice any issues last summer, when I was sailing every weekend, but then, I was not sitting at my dinner table for that long either), might be your regular chair is not that regular :)
ghaff 6y ago
The uber-expensive office chairs are really comfortable--if you pick one that works for you and properly adjust it. If you have an office and can afford it, it's IMO worth it to equip it with a good chair. That said, I probably only work in my office half the day and work in other spots around the house (including the dining room table) the rest of the time. (And get up and walk around quite frequently.)
2OEH8eoCRo0 6y ago
>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.
- nostromo 6y ago
  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.
  - 2OEH8eoCRo0 6y ago
    Not sure where that spine fragility myth came from. I used to have back and wrist pain. Now I do mild exercise like a brisk daily walk and 100 burpees. Basically the bare minimum to check off my exercise box. I read Sarnos book and took to heart the idea that a lot of aches and pains are not injuries but are in your head. Now I have no aches and pains ever.
  - stouset 6y ago
    General fitness and strength training is just about the closest thing we have to a miracle cure for a wide array of common issues.
    - 2OEH8eoCRo0 6y ago
      Yup. Too bad it doesn't come in pill form.
  - wojciii 6y ago
    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.
tonymet 6y ago
I prefer a bench. It helps you load weight on your pelvis and keeps your spine straight . All the soft stuff is protected
agumonkey 6y ago
I have a really bad cheap ikea desk chair and even a stool is better than that .. thing. Sitting is killing me and this chair is a catalyst.
im3w1l 6y ago
I prefer a wooden chair to an office chair, because it's so rigid. I had a one of those fancy $2000 office chairs and I would always lock it so you couldn't lean back. But even locked it would have a little bit of give to it. Here's where it gets weirder though. I used to have padding on my chair. And it was the the kind of shitty strap on padding that would slide around, and after it did, my leg would reliably fall asleep. One day I got tired of it sliding around and just removed it. My leg never falls asleep anymore. Only complaint is that leg reinforcement has an II shape instead of H, so there is a little bit of sideways instability.
krick 6y ago
Yeah, in fact I'm feeling that the simpler it is the better. All these expensive complex designs seem comfortable at first, but after a month it turns out that "ergonomic" features a chair has don't exactly fit your body anyway and it ends up with pain in the neck or something. With simple rigid chairs it's never really a problem, either you sit up straight or it just gets uncomfortable and you are forced to get up and stretch a little. I don't use a wooden chair, though, because I like the wheels and ability to rotate. But I much prefer very-very basic office chairs to all these gaming super-ergonomic overpriced whatever. I mean, they felt cool when I sat on them for the first time, but then it turns out to be fucked up in ways I admit I'll never be able to predict when buying one.
- WalterBright 6y ago
  My problem with an office chair that rotates is I inevitably spend much time spinning in place. It's not good for my image, but I can't help myself.
pottertheotter 6y ago
I used a dining chair for a while and it was ok. It got the job done. But then I got a "proper" office chair and I would never go back. My only regret is that I did not make the purchase earlier. Before purchasing a chair, I went to an office furniture and tested several chairs and had the employee point out why people preferred different chairs. In the end, I got an Aeron. Also, it comes in 3 sizes and I made sure to get the correct size for me.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
rtkaratekid 6y ago
I used a fancy chair for a bit and got neck pain. Switched to a normal wooden chair, sometimes with a pillow to sit on, and I’m doing great now. Weird but works for me I guess. I do stand quite a bit too.
mixmastamyk 6y ago
Do you have good posture?
- prox 6y ago
  I’d like to chime in here. Posture is terribly important. No chair can help fully if there is dis or misalignment (maybe even from previous chairs that gave you bad posture) It is mentioned in the article briefly, and I feel it is a missed opportunity to discuss it. I currently use a series of exercises that I designed specifically for combatting the ails of sitting, and it has been a big improvement. The chair i use matters less now.
Dumblydorr 6y ago
You're a bit lucky because the back is very likely to have pain in sedentary office workers. I think the standing and running are both key, yes, movement and change are key to keeping our fluidic bodies healthy. Then again, you are lucky because all manner of injuries, genetic weakness, and former life conditions have not all occurred, thus gotten you to this healthy spot. For instance, car or sporting accidents or falls, these could all lead to chronic weakness in the body, and luck determines their occurence.
superseeplus 6y ago
It is important that you maintain a good and ergonomically correct posture. A chair is simply a tool to help you do that. If you are average sized or close to average size, it is possible that you can find a cheaper chair which works for you. The advantage of ergonomic office chairs is that they tend to have enough adjustments for a wide range of body sizes. On the flip side, an expensive office chair is not going to solve anything unless you take the time to adjust it properly.
radley 6y ago
I love the mesh HM Aeron Chair because my clothes won't get sweaty during the summer. One of the best things about the Bay Area is that HM chairs are always easy to find used on Craigslist for ~$250 and they'll last 10+ years. That's not expensive at all. Tip: replace the wheels with "roller blade" chair wheels. They're quiet!
- analog31 6y ago
  Yes, and the softer wheels also do less damage to wood floors.
m463 6y ago
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 shoulders, your wrists at a good angle. If you're looking to the side or up or down, you're going to use muscles instead of balance to maintain your position. (Laptops are not ergonomic and are responsible for long term damage to your body - there are no osha approved laptops) If you have your wrists at a bad angle, on the hard desk or across the sharp edge of a keyboard, the little ropes and pulleys that get your forearms to move your fingers will wear out. (I use a wrist rest to maintain position, and keep everything warm and comfy)
- raindropm 6y ago
  >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...
- taeric 6y ago
  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. :(
- mihaaly 6y ago
  At 47 I like dining table chairs almost more than office chairs. Office chairs only help with positioning myself to the desk as those roll and twist, otherwise a simple dining table chair provides the same comfort while sitting. I also have a standing desk and use it often, it is good for my legs and posture. But I also do work laying down on sofa or bed from time to time when the activity and mental state asks for it. As for ergonomic gadgets those never helped, simply trying to keep myself strain free - like instead of having split keyboards holding my hands in angle over the keyboard without bending my wrist -, relaxed, but trying also holding myself not flowing down of furniture. In some kind of balance.
WalterBright 6y ago
> I do run 2 to 4 times a week so I do wonder if that helps avoid problems? I've done that for decades. I'd periodically suffer from debilitating back pain, where I couldn't even tie my shoes. I finally went to the doc, who said my problem was "weak back muscles". I pointed out the running, and the doc said "running does nothing for your back." He gave me an illustrated guide to back exercises, aka core strength exercises. I do them 3x per week, and added some more I derived from yootoob back excercise. Does it work? Hell yes. I wouldn't say my back never bothers me, but the pain has faded enough that it doesn't bother me anymore, and no more debilitating episodes. It's been well over 10 years now. I don't enjoy the exercises, but I enjoy being free of the pain.
- Green_man 6y ago
  I'm not a doctor, but running can definitely work out your back. Long trail runs with lots of elevation gain leave me with a sore lower back, mostly because "leaning into" the hill keeps my lower back muscles working to maintain posture. I've only experienced this when pushing lots of mileage on big hills, though differences in posture may result in different sorts of runs triggering this. My running buddy has complained about this on much shorter runs. It's entirely possible this is useless for preventing back pain, or may even be bad for my back, but I wanted to share.
  - danielheath 6y ago
    There might well be a benefit in the lower back, but the scapula and trapezoids are particularly sensitive to desk work , and running is not going to help them.
- AtlasBarfed 6y ago
  Sitting does two things: it causes your hip flexors to do work all day, and it prevents your gluteus maximus from doing anything at all. Doing this for hours on end trains the body tries to use its hip flexors for everything. Standing, lifting things, walking, even slow running. The hip flexors aren't meant to do this, and they are connected of course to your back muscles. But the back muscles activated in concert with the hip flexors are not the "right" ones. They contort your back and cause imbalances and eventually back pain. Running CAN help undo this. But at certain paces of running (very slow ones that aren't much more than walking), the butt still is not used well, and you're not working to undo the 8+ hours of training you've given your hip flexors. The more vigorous the running, the more your "prime path" evolutionary pathways of hamstrings, gluteus maximi, and lower back will be activated and trained. Of course the older you are, the harder it is to do these paces, either sustained or speedwork. Straight leg deadlifts can also help, but still isn't as good training for undoing the sitting position.
kranner 6y ago
I alternate between a Herman Miller Embody and a wooden dining chair. The wooden chair is good for meditation (when I need to keep my back straight and unsupported) and for when I want to be more mindful of my posture for a few hours. The Embody is great for both zoning out and just focusing on work while forgetting all about my posture. I spend more time in the Embody but both chairs get used everyday.
analog31 6y ago
I use a wooden dining chair at one computer, and one of those old wooden swivel "banker" chairs from the 1930s. I replaced its inferior wheels with large felt pads that are gentle on my floors. It creaks and has to be oiled once in a while. Like you, I exercise.
fizzled 6y ago
> 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.)
wodenokoto 6y ago
Half way through Covid I switched from a high quality office chair to a high quality dining chair (because the office chair was borrowed) I feel a major change in comfort and that I need to “offset” the discomfort prolonged hours in the dining chair gives through standing and exercising. Basically, if I am more conscious about standing and exercising I too have no problems with the dining chair - but it does require more exercise than the office chair for the same level of comfort I feel by the end of the working day. It sounds like your routine is already good enough to offset it. Regardless of what I just said, I still have a nagging feeling about long term consequences.

elindbe2 6y ago

I've been fine using a dining chair at home too. I don't feel much difference between my office chair at work and my wooden dining chair at home. I'm a runner too, for reference. Maybe sitting in less comfortable chair is better than a comfortable one over long periods because you adjust your posture more. I personally haven't noticed this but maybe I do it unconsciously.

kleer001 6y ago

You are very lucky. Ergonomics is complex, bodies are complex. You just happened upon a setup that works for you.

kshacker 6y ago

I used the dining chair for a couple of years when I was not working. But we changed the dining arrangement and it is not the same any more. I also use a sit-stand (stand mode) for 2-3 hours, on a shop stool sitting mode ($60 odd from costco) for a bit, in my recliner for a bit, and recently tried sitting on the floor with a floor chair. It all works to varying degrees. My sit/stand is in my garage, so it does not work 3 months a year and then there is heavy reliance on inside, but for 9 months a year, it is quite habitable. No RSI/other issues to me also (knock on wood) and I am over 50 but I am starting to sense more and more that recliner (even if 4 hours) is not good and consciously try to reduce an hour or 2, but was quite hard to do that with the recent bay area heat and fires. Chairs? I am trying to move my office chair home, but that is so that I can cut down the recliner usage, but if I had a better dining arrangement (or my old dining arrangement) I probably would not bother.

wozzeck 6y ago

Ι also use a wooden dining chair. I find the simplicity and hardness of the wood quite pleasant. I do use an adjustable height standing desk, so the main potential issue of a height mismatch between chair and table isn't a problem. One small issue with the chair is that the seat has a slight upward angle, as opposed to the downward angle recommended in the article. I add a buckwheat crescent pillow, which solves this and gives me the option of sitting in a wider variety of positions.

kqr 6y ago

I haven't even turned 30 yet, so I imagine my body might well slowly be building up resentment towards me which will materialise in 20 years and I'll regret saying all of this, but... So far, my body has been happy spending extended amounts of time in any chair I set under it. Including the staple dining chair, or uncushioned outdoor wooden chair. However, I rarely sit still for long periods of time. I'm constantly shifting my position and doing all sorts of seated acrobatics to relieve tension and get variation. (I do this also in fancy ergonomic chairs.) Maybe this is what makes it work? I have no idea.

amatecha 6y ago
It's good to move around a lot, yeah. But in a few years you will find that the position you sit does indeed matter. It's actually super easy to sit "correctly" in a chair though, to avoid the typical problems. I wish I learned it way earlier, because my posture is terrible as a result of my years and years of slouching in chairs at a computer for hours on end. I sat on a stupid wooden chair for most of my teenage years, for literally hours and hours -- and I never sat "correctly" in that chair. Check out how these guys suggest to adjust their chair -- you can follow this with any adjustable chair and you will be 100% good to go IMO: https://www.hermanmiller.com/content/dam/hermanmiller/documents/user_information/aeron_chairs_user_adjustment_guide.pdf https://www.hermanmiller.com/content/dam/hermanmiller/docume... (PDF)

pbalau 6y ago

At the beginning of the lockdown, as I didn't have a dedicated computer desk and chair, I was working at my dinner table, sitting on a regular dinning chair. It lasted for about 1 month or so until I broke both the chair and my back (I could not move one morning and had to spend a few days in bed). It could be you have better sitting discipline (I tend to slouch when I sit), might be that you are more active (I didn't notice any issues last summer, when I was sailing every weekend, but then, I was not sitting at my dinner table for that long either), might be your regular chair is not that regular :)

ghaff 6y ago

The uber-expensive office chairs are really comfortable--if you pick one that works for you and properly adjust it. If you have an office and can afford it, it's IMO worth it to equip it with a good chair. That said, I probably only work in my office half the day and work in other spots around the house (including the dining room table) the rest of the time. (And get up and walk around quite frequently.)

2OEH8eoCRo0 6y ago

>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.

nostromo 6y ago
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.
- 2OEH8eoCRo0 6y ago
  Not sure where that spine fragility myth came from. I used to have back and wrist pain. Now I do mild exercise like a brisk daily walk and 100 burpees. Basically the bare minimum to check off my exercise box. I read Sarnos book and took to heart the idea that a lot of aches and pains are not injuries but are in your head. Now I have no aches and pains ever.
- stouset 6y ago
  General fitness and strength training is just about the closest thing we have to a miracle cure for a wide array of common issues.
  - 2OEH8eoCRo0 6y ago
    Yup. Too bad it doesn't come in pill form.
- wojciii 6y ago
  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.

tonymet 6y ago

I prefer a bench. It helps you load weight on your pelvis and keeps your spine straight . All the soft stuff is protected

agumonkey 6y ago

I have a really bad cheap ikea desk chair and even a stool is better than that .. thing. Sitting is killing me and this chair is a catalyst.

im3w1l 6y ago

I prefer a wooden chair to an office chair, because it's so rigid. I had a one of those fancy $2000 office chairs and I would always lock it so you couldn't lean back. But even locked it would have a little bit of give to it. Here's where it gets weirder though. I used to have padding on my chair. And it was the the kind of shitty strap on padding that would slide around, and after it did, my leg would reliably fall asleep. One day I got tired of it sliding around and just removed it. My leg never falls asleep anymore. Only complaint is that leg reinforcement has an II shape instead of H, so there is a little bit of sideways instability.

krick 6y ago

Yeah, in fact I'm feeling that the simpler it is the better. All these expensive complex designs seem comfortable at first, but after a month it turns out that "ergonomic" features a chair has don't exactly fit your body anyway and it ends up with pain in the neck or something. With simple rigid chairs it's never really a problem, either you sit up straight or it just gets uncomfortable and you are forced to get up and stretch a little. I don't use a wooden chair, though, because I like the wheels and ability to rotate. But I much prefer very-very basic office chairs to all these gaming super-ergonomic overpriced whatever. I mean, they felt cool when I sat on them for the first time, but then it turns out to be fucked up in ways I admit I'll never be able to predict when buying one.

WalterBright 6y ago
My problem with an office chair that rotates is I inevitably spend much time spinning in place. It's not good for my image, but I can't help myself.

pottertheotter 6y ago

I used a dining chair for a while and it was ok. It got the job done. But then I got a "proper" office chair and I would never go back. My only regret is that I did not make the purchase earlier. Before purchasing a chair, I went to an office furniture and tested several chairs and had the employee point out why people preferred different chairs. In the end, I got an Aeron. Also, it comes in 3 sizes and I made sure to get the correct size for me.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

rtkaratekid 6y ago

I used a fancy chair for a bit and got neck pain. Switched to a normal wooden chair, sometimes with a pillow to sit on, and I’m doing great now. Weird but works for me I guess. I do stand quite a bit too.

mixmastamyk 6y ago

Do you have good posture?

prox 6y ago
I’d like to chime in here. Posture is terribly important. No chair can help fully if there is dis or misalignment (maybe even from previous chairs that gave you bad posture) It is mentioned in the article briefly, and I feel it is a missed opportunity to discuss it. I currently use a series of exercises that I designed specifically for combatting the ails of sitting, and it has been a big improvement. The chair i use matters less now.

Dumblydorr 6y ago

You're a bit lucky because the back is very likely to have pain in sedentary office workers. I think the standing and running are both key, yes, movement and change are key to keeping our fluidic bodies healthy. Then again, you are lucky because all manner of injuries, genetic weakness, and former life conditions have not all occurred, thus gotten you to this healthy spot. For instance, car or sporting accidents or falls, these could all lead to chronic weakness in the body, and luck determines their occurence.

superseeplus 6y ago

It is important that you maintain a good and ergonomically correct posture. A chair is simply a tool to help you do that. If you are average sized or close to average size, it is possible that you can find a cheaper chair which works for you. The advantage of ergonomic office chairs is that they tend to have enough adjustments for a wide range of body sizes. On the flip side, an expensive office chair is not going to solve anything unless you take the time to adjust it properly.

radley 6y ago

I love the mesh HM Aeron Chair because my clothes won't get sweaty during the summer. One of the best things about the Bay Area is that HM chairs are always easy to find used on Craigslist for ~$250 and they'll last 10+ years. That's not expensive at all. Tip: replace the wheels with "roller blade" chair wheels. They're quiet!

analog31 6y ago
Yes, and the softer wheels also do less damage to wood floors.

m463 6y ago

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 shoulders, your wrists at a good angle. If you're looking to the side or up or down, you're going to use muscles instead of balance to maintain your position. (Laptops are not ergonomic and are responsible for long term damage to your body - there are no osha approved laptops) If you have your wrists at a bad angle, on the hard desk or across the sharp edge of a keyboard, the little ropes and pulleys that get your forearms to move your fingers will wear out. (I use a wrist rest to maintain position, and keep everything warm and comfy)

raindropm 6y ago
>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...
taeric 6y ago
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. :(
mihaaly 6y ago
At 47 I like dining table chairs almost more than office chairs. Office chairs only help with positioning myself to the desk as those roll and twist, otherwise a simple dining table chair provides the same comfort while sitting. I also have a standing desk and use it often, it is good for my legs and posture. But I also do work laying down on sofa or bed from time to time when the activity and mental state asks for it. As for ergonomic gadgets those never helped, simply trying to keep myself strain free - like instead of having split keyboards holding my hands in angle over the keyboard without bending my wrist -, relaxed, but trying also holding myself not flowing down of furniture. In some kind of balance.

WalterBright 6y ago

> I do run 2 to 4 times a week so I do wonder if that helps avoid problems? I've done that for decades. I'd periodically suffer from debilitating back pain, where I couldn't even tie my shoes. I finally went to the doc, who said my problem was "weak back muscles". I pointed out the running, and the doc said "running does nothing for your back." He gave me an illustrated guide to back exercises, aka core strength exercises. I do them 3x per week, and added some more I derived from yootoob back excercise. Does it work? Hell yes. I wouldn't say my back never bothers me, but the pain has faded enough that it doesn't bother me anymore, and no more debilitating episodes. It's been well over 10 years now. I don't enjoy the exercises, but I enjoy being free of the pain.

Green_man 6y ago
I'm not a doctor, but running can definitely work out your back. Long trail runs with lots of elevation gain leave me with a sore lower back, mostly because "leaning into" the hill keeps my lower back muscles working to maintain posture. I've only experienced this when pushing lots of mileage on big hills, though differences in posture may result in different sorts of runs triggering this. My running buddy has complained about this on much shorter runs. It's entirely possible this is useless for preventing back pain, or may even be bad for my back, but I wanted to share.
- danielheath 6y ago
  There might well be a benefit in the lower back, but the scapula and trapezoids are particularly sensitive to desk work , and running is not going to help them.
AtlasBarfed 6y ago
Sitting does two things: it causes your hip flexors to do work all day, and it prevents your gluteus maximus from doing anything at all. Doing this for hours on end trains the body tries to use its hip flexors for everything. Standing, lifting things, walking, even slow running. The hip flexors aren't meant to do this, and they are connected of course to your back muscles. But the back muscles activated in concert with the hip flexors are not the "right" ones. They contort your back and cause imbalances and eventually back pain. Running CAN help undo this. But at certain paces of running (very slow ones that aren't much more than walking), the butt still is not used well, and you're not working to undo the 8+ hours of training you've given your hip flexors. The more vigorous the running, the more your "prime path" evolutionary pathways of hamstrings, gluteus maximi, and lower back will be activated and trained. Of course the older you are, the harder it is to do these paces, either sustained or speedwork. Straight leg deadlifts can also help, but still isn't as good training for undoing the sitting position.

kranner 6y ago

I alternate between a Herman Miller Embody and a wooden dining chair. The wooden chair is good for meditation (when I need to keep my back straight and unsupported) and for when I want to be more mindful of my posture for a few hours. The Embody is great for both zoning out and just focusing on work while forgetting all about my posture. I spend more time in the Embody but both chairs get used everyday.

analog31 6y ago

I use a wooden dining chair at one computer, and one of those old wooden swivel "banker" chairs from the 1930s. I replaced its inferior wheels with large felt pads that are gentle on my floors. It creaks and has to be oiled once in a while. Like you, I exercise.

fizzled 6y ago

> 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.)

wodenokoto 6y ago

Half way through Covid I switched from a high quality office chair to a high quality dining chair (because the office chair was borrowed) I feel a major change in comfort and that I need to “offset” the discomfort prolonged hours in the dining chair gives through standing and exercising. Basically, if I am more conscious about standing and exercising I too have no problems with the dining chair - but it does require more exercise than the office chair for the same level of comfort I feel by the end of the working day. It sounds like your routine is already good enough to offset it. Regardless of what I just said, I still have a nagging feeling about long term consequences.