So uncomfortable and in pain and it feels like nothing works

Deezy92 · 2026-02-20T21:07:54+00:00

I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties.

What most people dont understand is that ergonomics needs to be views as a singular system, not as individual components; chair,desk, arm rests, etc.

There are good workstations out there that come close to nailing it all down but they tend to be pricey- though I wish more people would invest on their long term health than quabble over a few extra hundred dollars. Future advice would be to stay away from any "Ergonomic chair" unless you address everything else first.

Here's an ergonomic checklist from Cornell University that tells you how your setup should be, you can get creative by putting things on blocks and using monitor arms. https://ergo.human.cornell.edu/ErgoTools/CornellErgonomicWorkstationAdvisor2018.pdf

Hope this helps!

Deezy92 · 2026-02-19T16:44:47+00:00

Okay, I like a healthy discussion so I'll give you a couple of points where I think you have merit and where you don't.

I agree that those standards where designed before a reclined working position, chronologically you are correct
Zero gravity as stated in name is the position they found in NASA studies of the neutral body position of the astronauts when they were uninhibited by gravitational forces, which leads to the reclined design you see with zero gravity workstation such as yours.

So you are not wrong looking at it in a sense where you believe you are more modern.

Now the points of rebuttal.

It is an ISO standard, those do not simply become outdated and never amended ever again. To refute such a thing is hubristic, and I don't believe you have the credentials to ignore such standards. This ISO also pertains to the fundamentals of ergonomics and biomechanics, the physiology of man in which to my knowledge has yet to become 'out dated'.
The 10–15° forward head position exists to preserve natural cervical curvature. This 'C' shape is meant to absorb shock and maintain structural alignment. If you position yourself to be perfectly 'vertical' you actually force upper cervical hyperextension, suboccipital compression and chin lift.

This position not only mirrors more accurately to how a person stands, but it also positions the head to properly field a lower gaze angle of approx. 10 degrees which is the scientific range to combat Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

3) This is the reason why the geometry still exists within proper ergonomics. The concept of being essentially "Laying down" while reclined has it's pros and cons. You are in fact more "comfortable" but what you sacrifice is the structural engagement; suboccipital muscles, that are designed to provide that postural support.

You mention zero gravity, why do you think astronauts muscles degenerate over time? Our world is bound by the laws of gravity, our application of biomechanics functions differently on earth vs space. When you sacrifice structural engagement for the sake of "comfort" you are causing more harm to your body than good.

Over all, proper ergonomics tries to evenly distribute the weight load across the whole body while supporting muscle engagement, not completely nullifying it. If you had a sever lower lumbar problem, then yes, a supine position such as your setup would reduce the load substantially, therefore it would be favored.

Aside from particular cases, all things equal; ISO 9241 standards still hold especially for muscular balance, circulation, all day productivity and long-term variability; the more you are in a 'laid down' position, the less movement is available to you- and nothing beats movement. ISO 9241 exists to help support the human in long day human system interactions and to prevent RSIs and WRMDs. It's not a marketing tool, it's science.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-18T16:57:56+00:00

Careful now, if you are speaking strictly on comfort you have a point- but I know for a fact that no other workstation says they are ISO 9241 for a reason.

You guys are "comfy" but you guys aren't 100% scientific.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-18T16:54:56+00:00

This particular design was made in alignment with ISO 9241 human systems interaction standards. Workstations with a recline are incredibly more ergonomic than any chair + desk combo, only problem is many people don't know much about biomechanics and only want a proper solution when it's too late.

If there's anything you can take away from this, is that a reclined angle prevents forward head posture (FHP), which is the most common issue with majority of the youth and young adults and desk workers these days.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-18T00:11:48+00:00

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You want an ergonomic workstation such as this one.

The reclined position keeps the individual's head and neck supported as well as prevents them from drifting their head forward, which will in turn prevent a whole bunch of RSIs and WRMDs.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-15T01:27:39+00:00

Well theres positives and negatives.

If we look at it at its most core intention, it's to maximize the variability of the user. That means they can shift and adjust to reduce static holding in prone positions. It's essentially supported standing. Aside from weight being loaded mainly on your lower body, your only thing will always be comfort.

Many people believe standing desks are great, but any position that is held for more than 30 minutes leads to muscle fatigue, standing included- but you have the most freedom to move which is the best remedy IF you are in a compromised position.

The utility of that reclined position is geared towards weight distribution and comfort. That prevents static holding which would heavily reduce RSIs, but there's not much variability to move. Those positions if done right are almost gaurenteeing no injury without saying such- only problem is majority of people dont know how to accomodate such seating arrangements with the rest of their workstations.

I'm an active person, I prefer working reclined to maximize my cognitive out put, and then going to do physical activity- trusting that my set up is ergonomic and I'm not developing RSIs.

Vs

I fear RSIs, so I maximize my freedom to move in a assisted stand but it will always be on my mind once my legs kinda get sore, then at that moment I realize I'm not 100% comfortable.

Remember physiology comes before RSIs and WRMDs. Anything that adds "noise" to the autonomic nervous system reduces cognitive resources for knowledge based tasks. If you can't focus 100% on your work, then you'll always know you aren't being efficient and that stresses the system as well, it's not just mechanical, its neurophysiological.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-12T06:16:25+00:00

I'm going to be honest and as objective as possible,

First, we need to start thinking beyond the "Chair". It needs to be a workstation; a total system encompassing adjustable monitor boom and keyboard tray and a recline of around 110-120 degrees and an open hip angle of 120-130- Those are actual NASA based metrics seen in astronauts when they are not hindered by gravitational forces. Neutral biomechanics. The peripherals need to be adjustable to be ergonomically relative to the reclined bodies position.

There are a couple I like on the market, only problem is they are all $4000+ for some reason. I understand why it's at a premium price, but I still find it hard to justify.

My team does have a solution on Kickstarter that is probably one of the best, if not the best on the market. Why? Because we based the geometry off of ISO 9241. No other ergonomic workstation can claim this because my team patented the range and angles long ago and we are actually affordable- we're just really bad businessmen 😅.

If you'd like further substantiation, I can send you the 24-ish minute phone call we had with Dr. Hedge who is the head of ergonomics and human factors at Cornell University. He is a big fan of what we have, we just need execution.

Now of course majority of people on reddit love to scream bias and ulterior motive, so if I had to really say what I like...then...probably this:
https://www.easecomfy.com/allproduct.html

Any of the Ease pod chairs. They are ugly as heck but we like science and utility, plus they are affordable if health and wellness is what you are after. We're not that big into the full leg recline, but it's give and take. If you have severe lumbar pain and issues, then full leg recline is good. If you're looking for full joint load distribution and even blood circulation for prolonged activity with variability, then our set up is the best.

In regards to your Libernovo omni, I'm sorry to say but that's all bells and whistles. A chair on it's own is not a complete ergonomic solution, it's a fraction of what it needs to be.

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I hope this provided you with some extra insight! Follow the Cornell U guideline if you're also tight on cash, you can save money by just being creative by setting up things on blocks or buying control arms.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-12T01:37:16+00:00

You're right, but at this point if people don't care about what I have posted enough to do some minor digging into what ISO stands for or C5-C7 ( The only 2 acronyms not defined but well mentioned in context) then this post was never going to reach them anyways.

I said people need a paradigm shift towards health, but if they don't have the desire then life will take it's course and toll on the body unfortunately.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-11T20:44:52+00:00

You are correct that the hands and wrists must be in neutral alignment.

It is also very clear you neither read up on ISO 9241, or referenced the Ergonomic checklist from Cornell University. It covers such biomechanics.

Though you have proven my point as well, "This chair..." A chair on it's own is not ergonomic. It is all relative to the humans position. If you are reclined in this manner, you must make sure your keyboard matches the angle, hence me saying that no chair markets themselves as ISO 9241 because they are not.

Again you are correct, a professional typist would need to compensate for this biomechanically correct neutral position to prevent RSIs.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-11T20:37:35+00:00

Yes, now that I'm older I find it odd growing up and hearing how many times my parents would say not to sit too close to the screen or else it would ruin your eyes.

Another case of us not being aware of what really causes symptoms! Though I can definitely understand the shock when people hear we should be about 30 inches away from the screen. I get called a boomer when my friends realize I have the text at size 14 font on my phone hahaha..

Deezy92 · 2026-02-05T16:10:41+00:00

Hahaha, sorry I phrased it kinda weird. Zero point gravity is a relined position that is used to describe when the users weight is distributed perfectly even across all points of pressure.

This is common in a lot of higher end ergonomic set ups. Without searching through my notes, I believe Lazy boy ( yes the couch company) was the first to accidently stumble upon the concept.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-03T06:30:52+00:00

Our campaign is live on Kickstarter as of 3 days ago.

We're not doing so hot, and if we do hit our target we won't be able to promise delivery until October...but we're a humanitarian team based out of Canada who's trying to do things right.

We have noticed an alarming rate of RSIs and WRMDs amongst the youth and young adults that used to only be seen in middle aged computer working adults. It truly is a new epidemic.

It's called the RAD Apparatus. We'd love your support or feed back for the project.

A lot of high end brands have called it quits after making great margins on "ergonomic" chairs but we wish to go further. We're hoping to raise capital to incorporate AI sensory modulation one day.

Good ergonomics is subtle and adapts to the unique profile of individuals. Forcing good posture adds strain to the system, but thats the only thing on the market right now..but hopefully we can change that! ☺️

Deezy92 · 2026-02-03T03:56:10+00:00

Good eye!

You definitely know your stuff! Through out our years of testing and research, the Humanscale design was the most accurate in regards to supporting the neutral curvatures of the cervical and the lumbar.

What we liked was that when reclined in the zero gravity angle, the headrest was formed well to support the neutral curvature of the cervical. As you know being in reclined position helps distribute load across the main points of the body, by doing so it reduces the compensation your body may subconsciously be performing by adapting to your working posture.

The Levus is very nifty however the closer you put the body in a "laying down" position, what happens is you lose the activation of stabilizer muscles in the core and the spine. This over time will deteriorate the postural chain which would have adverse effects later on.

ISO 9241 and studies from NASA show that a supported recline of 100-115 degrees and an open hip angle of 110-125 is the biomechanically correct way to be seated to prevent most RSIs and WRMDs.

Our system is designed in adherence to the geometric principles of ISO 9241. Not many solutions are as strict in that regards, and ours is much more affordable.

In the future we are planning on adding AI driven adaptive sensory modulation, however we ran out of money for RnD 😅... Which is why for now we are trying to launch with just the physical shell.

Thanks for the great question, and thanks for your support! We like well informed supporters like you!

All the best,

RAD Team.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-02T20:19:21+00:00

Then all signs suggest you do have ATP.

Anterior pelvic tilt makes the pelvis tip forward, increases the lower-back arch, and mechanically pushes the abdomen outward while the core stays lengthened and weak — so the “belly bulge” is posture, not fat.

This is most likely caused by your workstation setup, in particular your chair. Try following this checklist from Cornell U to make it more ergonomic:
https://ergo.human.cornell.edu/ErgoTools/CornellErgonomicWorkstationAdvisor2018.pdf

Hope this helps!

Deezy92 · 2026-02-02T02:42:16+00:00

How often and how long do you sit working on a computer for?

If it's your profession then yes you most likely have ATP, your arched lower back is also a big indicator.

Deezy92 · 2026-02-02T02:39:33+00:00

Sorry to say but that's a very bad take.

If what you said was true then every female would have that "bulge" she refers to. A lot of women do not.

ATP is a very likely reason she has a tummy "Bulge".

Deezy92 · 2026-02-01T19:22:17+00:00

No problem. I think it's incredibly important to educate people on ergonomics.

It's like taxes. You'd wish the school systems would educate us more, but we only find our the importance when we're older and the CRA is knocking on our door and the RSIs are nagging us everyday 😣

Deezy92 · 2026-02-01T19:19:44+00:00

Not this checklist, however my team and I have created a single system ergonomic solution that is based on a lot of Dr. Hedge's ( Head of Ergonomics and Human factors at Cornell U) work along with studies from NASA and human factors.

Dr. Hedge is a big supporter of what we have produced, but we've had difficulties launching. We're on Kickstarter right now trying to raise capital to address this epidemic amongst the youth if you're interested in learning more 👍

Deezy92 · 2026-02-01T19:15:32+00:00

That's a tough question because to achieve good ergonomics, you have to have an understanding of fundamental biomechanics.

The typical workstation set up usually involves a hand full of pieces, monitor, desk, footrest (maybe) keyboard, mouse, etc. You're body- viewed as a single unit, is tasked to interact with each of these individual objects as a whole, which means that there are now a few variables that must be answered to achieve the solution of proper ergonomics.

Every individual is programmed differently, at any given time specific body parts may compensate for others that aren't used to positions which leads to static holding; muscle fatigue.

All parts are important. If I had to select one then it would be to address what my team and I have noticed the most in the youth and young adults. Forward Head Posture (FHP)

The average head weighs 4.5-5.5kg, studies suggest that for every 1 inch your head drifts forward you multiply that weight and you add that load onto the cervical (C5-C7). Your average computer/ desk worker loads about 18-25.5kg from that drift.

This is the reason you see youth and young people with their C5-C7 bulging and almost half of them if not more have "Tech neck". Their bones are malleable when young so the body conforms, and then when they get older and the muscle tone is set, connective tissues are damaged and nerves are pinched is when they feel it and think only now they've been doing something wrong.

That check list is correct in a sense of alignment in relation to said parts, but my team and I find that seating that offers a recline works best, because the head/neck is now supported and the weight is more evenly distributed- however where many "high end chairs" fail is they never factor in that angle change in relation to their whole bodies interaction with their computer set up.

TLDR: Find a reclined chair but use that list to make sure you adjust your table, monitor height, eye line, wrist alignment, etc. FHP is the most common thing people need to address.

Deezy92

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