Desk Job = Bad Back

beancounter

I'm reposting this here in the hope that there may be a good number of commuters doing desk jobs like myself:-

I have persistent lower back problems for which I see a chiropractor regularly.

I have never suffered any major back trauma but 30 years of desk jobs have taken their cumulative toll. Thankfully I can still cycle regularly without major discomfort.

I wonder if anyone here has any expertise in the area of properly designed office seating, or could offer any recommendations for a properly supportive office chair?

e.g. are Herman Miller worth the (considerable) expense?

Many thanks for any help

bc

Moodyman

Just like cycling, many physical ailments associated with desk jobs can be sorted by proper fitting.

Get your chair set up right to support your back and sit upright - back and buttocks needs to be at right angles as do the quads and calves - with feet firmly on the floor.

The centre of the PC screen must be level with your eyes.

Once set up, discourage other people from sitting in your chair or at your PC if you can.

Shem

I was having trouble with back and neck pains from being sat at the PC for a large slice of my day in the office. I tried many options; changing chairs, taking regular walks around the office and even adjusting all of my desk from day to day.

My final solution was to create a standing desk area without a chair around 3 months ago. It's really helped my back problems and especially my neck as I'm no longer slouched over all day.

I do 14km each morning on the way and will have a sit down for 10 minutes once I arrive to cool down and obviously sit down to eat lunch/ dinner but other than that I'm standing all day.

It can ache the legs for the first week or two but after that it causes no stress at all. It's not for everyone but is a solution to try if all else fails.

beancounter

Thank you very much for the replies.

Moodyman, you're quite right and I've already got my current office chair set up as best I can, and I'm also using a lumbar support. I'm sitting the best I can at the moment.

Shem, great idea about standing rather than sitting and something I started trying yesterday afternoon, and also this morning. I can manage about an hour before my back feels tired so hopefully I can build this up over time.

Thanks again for your help.

bc

Gizmo_

For me the biggest cause of sore-back-itis is my tendency to put things on the desk in front of the keyboard. So I shove the keyboard back, then I lean forward to type, hunching my shoulders... I'm my own worst enemy.

I love the Aeron chairs but find they don't support me enough.

beancounter

Gizmo_ wrote:

I love the Aeron chairs but find they don't support me enough.

Have you found anything which does support you better?

bc

Gizmo_

beancounter wrote:

Gizmo_ wrote:

I love the Aeron chairs but find they don't support me enough.

Have you found anything which does support you better?

bc

Using an RH Logic 400 at the moment - it's pretty good although my ar$e goes to sleep if I sit in it for too long.

Andyt1054

Although I dont have a bad back per se i have to wear a stab vest at work (the ballistic type :-( ) for anything upto 12 hrs at a time, over the years it gives me chronic lower back pain regularly. Ive found if i sit at a desk and have the chair a little higher than normal, with the back straight up, it relieves a fair bit of the pain.

Ive noticed most people sit very low in the chairs in the office - try sitting a little higher if you can adjust the seats, it seems to do the trick for me.

Andy

Giraffoto

Get everything the right height. This may involve shoving bricks under the legs of your desk (my option for a few years) and will involve several changes of book/pile of paper under your monitor. Start with the right-height-for-everyone guidelines but they're only guidelines - right height for me is with the desk higher than it should be. Lots of trial and error

Don't go to a chiropractor, go to a physio (get your GP to recommend one) and get a course of exercises to get your back sorted out. Chiropractors and other non-proven* treatment tend to generate regular business for themselves, you want someone who'll cure you without having to go back every few months


(*Non-proven: not proven in a properly orchestrated clinical trial. Anecdotes are not proof, even if they contain the phrase, "I don't care what anyone says . . .")

Gizmo_

Agreed - get your posture right and half the time your back will sort itself out. (He says, sitting up properly).

Feet flat on the floor, knees at slightly over 90 degrees, back vertical. (And therefore, seat squab slightly sloping down). Relax your shoulders, put your elbows by your sides, and touch the F and J with your index fingers (move the keyboard until this is true). Now stay there.

beancounter

Gizmo_ wrote:

Agreed - get your posture right and half the time your back will sort itself out. (He says, sitting up properly).

Feet flat on the floor, knees at slightly over 90 degrees, back vertical. (And therefore, seat squab slightly sloping down). Relax your shoulders, put your elbows by your sides, and touch the F and J with your index fingers (move the keyboard until this is true). Now stay there.

Yep, always do all of that - except for the bit about the keyboard, I hadn't realised I had it way over to the left...

bc