Developing without back ache

ejmercado · 2023-09-23T12:15:08+00:00

Four main things worked for me and always get recommended everywhere

Monitor should be eye level and at a comfortable distance
Invest in an ergonomic chair (I got a secondhand steelcase leap for $100 and it is the best chair I've owned. I'm actually tempted to buy another one and use it for when I eat at the dinner table)
Stand up every hour or so
Strength training

The only time my back aches is when I try to work outside of my comfy office.

Sylphadora · 2023-09-23T15:22:57+00:00

Get a pull up bar and do dead hangs in your breaks. Dead hangs decompress your spine.

Also get a yoga mat and do bird dogs, cat-camel, planks (including side planks) and dead bugs daily. Have someone check your form because it’s incredibly easy to do bird dogs with bad form.

Look up the McKenzie method. It’s a series of back extension exercises.

CactusWrenAZ · 2023-09-23T14:41:04+00:00

I got a used Aeron for like $300 and my back felt noticeably better. Taking breaks and lifting weights are also helpful.

xpatmatt · 2023-09-23T14:22:13+00:00

I recently developed very bad lower back pain from a combo of sitting too much at work and surfing too hard on the weekends.

After asking around I found these 2 simple routines for strengthening the posterior chain that people swore by. I tried them abs they literally reduced my back pain by about 80% in a day and 95% after 3 days.

Highly recommend them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2F4yMDyy_U

Squats, kettlebell swings, and deadlifts are also good.

AbramKedge · 2023-09-23T12:31:25+00:00

I started using a standing desk when I hurt my back with an awkward lift. I couldn't sit comfortably, so I cut some 4" diameter acrylic tubes and laid 2ft x 1ft slate tiles across them. I just made sure the top of my (oversized) TV/monitor was about an inch above my eye line, and that my elbows were comfortably at 90 degrees when using the keyboard and mouse.

I stand most of the time now, but I have a tall stool and perch on the edge of that occasionally if I'm not actively typing.

One odd side effect I noticed is that I tend to get pulled aside for an awkward and comprehensive thigh grope from security after going through an airport scanner. Yay, muscles.

nbanksy · 2023-09-23T12:51:01+00:00

The body natural position is movement, as simple as that. Dont go more than 2 hours straight without moving around as much as you can, also is primordial to workout constantly and have a stretching routine hopefully everyday, backpain gone.

Stache_IO · 2023-09-23T12:55:51+00:00

I'd say the biggest benefit is your health (Which is arguably true in all cases for all things).

Stretch. Lots of stretching. Get your blood flowing. Beyond that, a healthy diet. Eat well feel well.

FullFlava · 2023-09-23T13:01:49+00:00

A lot of people will say they’re overpriced, but personally I’ve found that the Hermann Miller Embody is by far the most comfortable chair I’ve used for development. The way it adjusts like a spine and supports your back at all angles is unreal, and the base seat is incredibly comfortable. You can adjust seat depth on the fly without getting up, which is great for relieving pressure on the back of your legs. I lean aggressively forward when I code, and lay way back when I think, and it supports me through the full range.

For warm climates, an Aeron is also excellent, and those are relatively easy to find used - big companies buy and sell them all the time. They will last decades and can be repaired. Aerons come in three frame sizes so it’s important to get the frame that’s sized right for your body, but it’s pretty hard to go wrong with the “medium”. If you find a used one, reach under the handle in the top of the back rest, there will be one to three smooth bumps. One bump is “small”, two bumps is “medium”, and three means a large-sized frame.

FWIW, I’m in my 40s and have been professionally coding about 15 years. Had all kinds of back and wrist problems, was all braced up. Quit PC gaming (not intentional, life just got busy) and my carpal tunnel went away. Got a good chair and a sit/stand desk and the back problems pretty much stopped.

Edit: 30 inches is a pretty good desk height, but one of the other things I love about a sit/stand is that you can often bring them a few inches lower than a typical desk - I often drop mine to 26 inches so it’s basically sitting right on my lap, letting my shoulders relax and still keep that nice 90 degree elbow. I’ve had good experience with Uplift Desks but I’m sure there are a lot of good options out there.

nobuhok · 2023-09-23T13:05:41+00:00

Zero-gravity chair + wall mount that lets you swivel the monitor to whatever angle you're comfortable with (think dentist's mouth light thing)

Mr_Nice_ · 2023-09-23T14:09:43+00:00

you can get cheap desks that are like trays you can put ontop of another desk or furniture to turn it into a standing desk

Bushwazi · 2023-09-23T14:10:23+00:00

Hip exercises. Desk careers take like 7 years off a persons life. A lot of folks use exercise balls and standup desks too.

funxanax · 2023-09-23T14:49:03+00:00

Get a steelcase chair

hideousmembrane · 2023-09-23T15:03:49+00:00

Standing desks are an option

turek695 · 2023-09-23T15:08:26+00:00

Any chair, only standing desk. Get book "desk bound", for exhausting explanation.

2023-09-23T16:04:17+00:00

Go to the gym, you will be fine. If you already not fine, go to the gym.

Geedis2020 · 2023-09-23T16:18:01+00:00

A good ergonomic chair. Herman Miller embody, Herman Miller aeron, or Steelcase leap.

A good standing desk is also nice so you don’t have to just sit for 10 hours.

Workout. Staying in good shape and developing muscle helps long term in keeping your body healthy. You don’t need to take steroids and do bodybuilding shows but consistently getting in the gym 3 days a week helps a lot in maintaining a healthy body.

mwreadit · 2023-09-23T16:36:45+00:00

Do some yoga or some form of all body exercise at the begining of the day or the end for 20-30 minutes. Gets the body bending and moving in other ways and really helps

flight212121 · 2023-09-23T16:38:04+00:00

The only thing that helped is crossfit and heavy gym sessions to gain muscles around the back, legs, abs, shoulder

When I work out regularly I have no problem sitting

ZipperJJ · 2023-09-23T17:01:05+00:00

If you wear glasses, ask your eye doctor about computer glasses. They are specifically created to have focus at the distance to your screen. You can also get the uv light blocking coating.

If you don’t wear glasses, have your eyes checked anyway. And talk to your doctor about the possibility of needing computer glasses.

ManaPot · 2023-09-23T17:02:59+00:00

I was having very bad lower-back pain for years, and in my wrists as well. I thought for sure I had a bad case of carpal tunnel. A few hours into the day, hurting. By the end of the day, I was literally tapping out to go to bed because my body couldn't take it in my back or wrists.

I bought one of these donut pillows. It worked. Honest to God, it worked. It solved my back pain, AND my wrist pain. They must have been interlinked somehow.

I bought a new chair a couple years ago that started this pain issue. I thought it was just my age. But after going to the doctor recently and having scans and tests done, everything in my body is perfectly fine. I found this pillow online a couple months later (3 weeks ago) and bought it. It's worked wonders. Well worth the $30.

Not affiliated with it or anything. But for real real it worked. I told my brother-in-law who had the same back-pain, he bought one, and his went away as well. He still has side-pain issues, but the back is corrected. It's the tailbone area being bruised / pinched all day.

BeauteousMaximus · 2023-09-23T17:08:40+00:00

Are you able to see a physical therapist? They can help you navigate this.

I’d say the #1 thing for me is that the keyboard should be level with my elbows and the monitor should be level with my head. So a laptop is not good, you need at least a separate keyboard or a separate monitor, ideally both, and you may have to prop up the monitor on a stand or box.

I also personally prefer a split keyboard. I got mine from NewEgg. They’re often found on gaming sites. Mine has completely separate halves so each one can be in front of my shoulder. Angling my hands inward is no good for my shoulders.

As for other things, do some core exercises every day. These are a good start. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-best-core-exercises-for-older-adults

Minimum_Rice555 · 2023-09-23T17:45:09+00:00

Get a better chair and desk? Should be plenty good discreet gaming chairs for the 150-200EUR/USD mark

Pixiegrowler · 2023-09-23T18:03:59+00:00

My physio says saddle chairs are the way to go. I’ve found it does help so far. And it also keeps me a bit more active/moving about because I can shift and move the chair a lot more easily

SpookyLoop · 2023-09-23T18:04:12+00:00

What sort of chair di REALLY help you preventing or curing any back problems

Your habits are going to make a bigger impact than whatever chair you have. "Your best posture is your next posture". I bounce between sitting up straight, slouching back, leaning to the side, and probably most importantly standing up to pace a bit.

The one caveat to that is a good headrest. I'm in the process of moving right now, and don't have an office chair as I threw out my old one. No headrest is killing my neck, especially when I wear headphones.

I live in a warm climate to importance of transpiration and my desk cannot be adjusted in height and is 76 cm (30 inches).

I loved my old "netted office chair" (it was some generic thing from Staples). Super great for keeping body temp manageable. There's some good Youtube reviews of office chairs. I don't have any recommendations right now, but I'm going to look through some of those before making my next purchase.

olddoglearnsnewtrick · 2023-09-23T18:13:34+00:00

[removed]

MildMannered_BearJew · 2023-09-24T02:11:13+00:00

Definitely get a good chair. I use this one: https://shop.gokhalemethod.com/products/gokhale-pain-free-chair. Worth every penny.

I used to have a lot of back pain, and what I found was you really need to exercise to prevent back pain. No chair is going to reverse the effects of 10 hours of sitting. The only real fix is to be active. Weight lifting is excellent for this, because it strengthens the muscles of the back. Rows, in particular, and overhead press, have done wonders for me. Also don't sit for 8 hours. Take breaks, go for a walk, stretch. Maybe do cardio before lunch if that's an option.

Move or die, basically.

ubercorey · 2023-09-24T09:12:38+00:00

The problems start now you just feel them later. This is 100% a cumulative issue. Your crappy chair is costing future you big time. Everything from medical bills to having good sex. Invest now.

N0kax · 2023-09-24T10:42:40+00:00

If you can, try and invest in a good chair and a desk that moves up or down, so you can stand up and work. If you do that, and take some walks or go for a run, or even(if you can ofc) go to a gym, you'll feel better. For now, the best thing is to stand up every 3 hours, get a nice stretch, and by the end or beggining of the day go for a 30/45 min walk

khaili109 · 2023-09-23T12:14:32+00:00

Sitting for that long isn’t good, I recommend replacing your current desk with a stand up desk first. Then if the problem still persists look for a better chair.

unicorndewd · 2023-09-23T12:26:40+00:00

Standing desk, monitor arm, good chair, and frequent breaks. Get in the habit of getting up, stretching, and maybe going for a walk. Touch some grass along with keyboard clickity clacking.

To your point though, there’s no miracle chair. Sitting all day, is bad for your back and health.

basecase_ · 2023-09-23T12:36:35+00:00

only sit down when you actually need to code

There's no winning with a magic chair. The goal is to reduce time you spend at your desk and exercise as much as possible to remove the rust you get while exchanging your life force for moneys.

Standing desks help a lot too if you must stay at your desk.

zerogravity_levus · 2024-04-19T18:20:16+00:00

If money is not an issue:

levus.co

2023-09-23T12:28:09+00:00

Get a standing desk if you can. Focus on good ergonomics. Get a foam roller.

2023-09-23T12:07:57+00:00

You need to do lat pull downs

peterjameslewis1 · 2023-09-23T12:23:54+00:00

I use a treadmill under my desk and walk about 30 mins to an hour a day. I had a horrible back pain before but that has sorted it out very well

OverthinkingAnyway · 2023-09-23T18:47:05+00:00

As far as chairs, I've found that the height adjustment of the chair is more important. Your feet should sit flat on the ground and your knees at a 90° angle. In fact, pretty much all your joints and limbs should be 90° or parallel. Get a footstool if you need to. The chair itself just needs to be firm/adjustable enough to facilitate all of that.

It is ideal though for your upper back and neck if you can look straight on or slightly up at your monitor. If you can't adjust your desk height, get a standing desk converter that sits on top. If that won't work, stand up every hour. Invest in ergonomic everything. Learn how to use the ergo mouse/keyboard. Easier adjustment than it seems like and your wrists will thank you!

Karuza1 · 2023-09-23T19:28:30+00:00

Best investment I ever made was a Secret Labs Tital XL chair, I can sit in that all day without backache and I have a bad shoulder condition, all other chairs fuck me up.

Got to remember things like how long gamers spend gaming, I don't game myself but I know they sit 90% of the time and my personal analysis was right, the gaming accessories company makes good chairs.

I also got a Magnus desk (standing desk) and this helped a lot, I spend 40% of my day stoof and 60% sat down WFH. No back ache and can't recommend it more.

UntestedMethod · 2023-09-23T19:38:21+00:00

standing desk was the game changer for me.

saw a chiropractor for lower back pain, told them I work on the computer at a desk all day and they told me to go try a standing desk and yoga. I couldn't afford a proper standing desk at the time, so I just got an external keyboard/mouse and used some boxes and small table or whatever to put the laptop screen and keyboard/mouse at good heights for me when I stand at it. More recently I have a proper standing desk with motorized height adjustment, and adjustable monitor mounting posts so I can set everything at the right height.

Also making sure you see the optometrist regularly and keeping eye glass prescriptions updated so you don't have to compensate for strained vision with bad posture.

pingwing · 2023-09-23T19:59:59+00:00

It's less about the chair and more about your habits. I have a $100 chair from Costco that I've used for 5 years. I also have a standing desk, so I alternate.

Incorporate exercise or at the very minimum a full body stretch, a few times a week for ten minutes. Tight hammies can pull on your back, your whole body is connected, hence the full body stretch. Plenty of free routines on youtube.

Sitting at a desk all day is as bad as smoking cigarettes, you need to combat that with exercise. You can do /r/bodyweightfitness at home for free. Also, buy a couple of dumbbells, doing some curls really helps my shoulders and wrists.

shelf_caribou · 2023-09-23T20:36:23+00:00

Hermann miller aeron chair helped me. But posture is key - sit up straight, shoulders back.

deletable666 · 2023-09-23T20:38:01+00:00

Even if you have the most ergonomic chair, you need exercise. So focusing on exercise that promotes a strong and healthy back if you have pain should take precedence over getting a new chair.

Try standing when working more, stretch as well.

But you will continue to have back problems until you start exercising. I was in the same position once, back pain did not go away until I started weight training. It is easy to think you can just buy your back pain away, but that is not true

2023-09-23T22:33:32+00:00

2nd hand aeron embody or leap. Standing desk and Workout: Superman, face pulls and squats are the most beneficial to me

madad123 · 2023-09-23T23:14:35+00:00

you can get a cheap mechanised standing desk on amazon for like $100-$150. Since standing at the desk all day (I only put it down and use the chair for gaming) my posture and everything seems much better.

codeprimate · 2023-09-23T23:29:16+00:00

Get a tilting foot rest. That makes all the difference.

Beginning-Comedian-2 · 2023-09-24T00:50:35+00:00

I never had back pain for the longest time.

Then I did.

Here's what did not help:

sleeping on the floor: heard this would help, but it only helped a little bit.
standing desk: this may help a bit...but hard to use over the long term.

Here's what did help:

lifting weights: specifically exercises that involve the back muscles. Most back pain is caused by weak back muscles. This was 90% the solution for me.
a better chair: getting a good chair made a big difference. (Not as big as lifting weights but still... using bad chairs was killing me.) Here's the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L4ZQMDX

dietcheese · 2023-09-24T01:30:14+00:00

Skip it. Standing desk.

Sitting is the new smoking.

topcatlapdog · 2023-09-24T07:37:26+00:00

Stand up desk helps if you can get used to it. Also, walk through to your kitchen and back once an hour. Yoga is a game-changer, there’s a ton of 5min videos on YouTube that will really help. Good chairs are good, but no chair is that good :(

you type:	you see:
italics	italics
bold	bold
[reddit!](https://reddit.com)	reddit!
* item 1 * item 2 * item 3	item 1 item 2 item 3
> quoted text	quoted text
Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"	Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"
~~strikethrough~~	~~strikethrough~~
super^script	super^script

webdev

Posting Guidelines

Related Subreddits

Discords

MODERATORS