Sitting too much...

So as a game developer, either an artist or programmer you have to sit for long periods. And this is not very healthy for you. And you can get all sorts of problems. Like a sore ass! Or a hunch back.

Does anyone have any good tips for comfortable sitting positions or alternative ways to program such as standing?

Perhaps with Google glass and a portable keyboard we could program while jogging. A bit dangerous though!

 

Some people get special desks built to be used while standing. So you basically do everything on your computer while standing the whole time.
Personally, I think a much more sane approach would be to just get a more ergonomic chair and take occasionally breaks to stretch and move around.

 

Yeah I get this problems everyday, I'll sit on computer for 14 hours a day working on my game and not get up except to get something to drink or smoke a cig every couple hours.

I find ways to fix my hurting back and stuff. Like I may lift one foot onto my chair, i find ways and it helps LOL.
But boy I tell you what, after these long days and getting on the bed to go to sleep, you feel so relaxed laying on the bed LOL.

 

Get a decent chair, dont slouch.

I spend 12hrs a day easy sitting in front of a pc, and the only time I get issues is if I slouch (butt forward on the chair, leaning back). I dont think ive ever gotten a sore ass. The odd bit of RSI, and back issues, but those are all triggered by bad posture

 

I've worked at a standing desk and my feet and back hurt more than using a chair! And these are the most comfortable shoes I've ever had.

When I switched to working in an office on a computer from a different career I got a pilonidal cyst on my tailbone that was the most foul thing you can imagine (google "pilonidal excision" and go to images) it's out of this world, after getting it removed I was standing for a while lol.

 

You could try one of those exercise devices that go under the desk.

 

Get an Aeron Chair

Only about $800, but not a bad price to pay for good support.

 

For a little more you could do:

 

Hahahahaha that would be the life huh lol.

 

Are we talking before or after the shipping costs?

 

I used to work sitting all day and had an awful pain on my lower back because of that. The pain was making very difficult to drive and even sleep. Changing my chair was my first option, then I started reading about standing desks and their benefits, but since they get pretty expensive here in my country my solution was to use my old drawing table from when I was at school. It’s one of those foldable tall tables that come with a tall chair. It measures about 130 cm wide (about 4 ft), so it’s not the biggest table but it’s better than nothing (it can fit two 27” monitors though).

Now I work alternating between standing a couple of hours and then sitting another couple. The pain on my back is completely gone and I can now stand for long periods of time at the bank or at events without getting tired :3. Also I tend to move more while listening to music and walk around the room when thinking about how to solve something, so the difference for me has been great.

 

nah..you dont need all those useless expansive chair..
that's the proper way to sit

 

The new ikea bekant sit/stand desks seem great, was planning on getting one when I move. Only a couple hundred bucks for motorized sit/stand plus cable management etc.

 

yeah you generally spend more for an easily convertible desk but its worth it. Get a desk that allows you to alternate between sitting and standing.

 

A good chair and stuff is (very!) important. But you should really go to the gym and make sure you get a strong core.
When we sit as much as we do while developing games exercise is just so freaking important.

 

Make sure to go outside and walk a few miles each day. It makes a big difference.

 

Our desks convert to a standing position. Also, take up smoking, it gets you outside for some fresh air and a nice break from your monitor.

 

Fresh air and smoking , isn't this kind of paradoxal ..

 

Oh god that chair would hurt my ass.

 

And hard liquor, so that you have a social time.

 

My plan for this is to get a dog.

 

No, just a mix. You get fresh air in-between drags.

 

And teach him to smoke!?!

 

To fetch my shoes and smokes.

 

Look for a really comfortable chair like an Iron Horse chair.

 

I use this exact chair - mine has lost the arms in its lifespan but I tell you what - comfortable as can be! soft flexible back support and rear end support. Well worth the 800 smackeroos!

EDIT: quoted wrong post

 

Workouts !!!
Posture
Back Support Belt

I thought Sinbad over at Ogre had to bow out a while ago due to back issues.

 

Do they have a 3rd mode as a car or giant robot too?

 

This. Saved my life (and my neck).

 

You know what, there is kind of surgery called "knee replacement", but I've never heard about "sore ass replacement" surgery. I suggest you continue to sit.

 

Legit.

 

I'm guessing the most healthy situation would be to do the same amount of standing and sitting (or crouching) as our hunter gatherer ancestors did. I would like some sort of screen as in Minority Report which seems to be a good workout for your arms as well as making you stand. Although that would tire out your arms.

The worst is to use a laptop which is very bad for your neck if you have to look down at the screen. Can't believe they haven't invented raisable screens for laptops yet(!!!)

Somehow if we could make programming resemble hunting animals more then our problems would be solved. Perhaps each animal could be like a c# command that you have to spear in order to form scripts.

 

So there is not cure for sore ass? That doesn't bode well.

 

+1 for Aeron. Solved all my problems, yes they are expensive but you can get them cheaper second-hand from office clearances. IIRC mine was about $400 less than retail and was in brand new condition.

Also, just some info if anyone does get one, the chair causes some people's legs to go numb. If this happens to you, you have to remove the piece of foam at the front of the chair, all good after that.

 

I've been using a standing desk for about 6 months now and I totally love it. 20+ years of sitting at a computer desk was just getting to be too much. Now I feel soooo much better.

Not only does standing help out physically and health-wise, but it also changes the way I work, in a really positive way. I don't spend anywhere near as much time poking around on the web wasting time, I don't eat at my desk, I work more "deliberately", and... I can dance while I work. And that is awesome, let me tell you. Seriously, I move around so much more standing at my desk. There were times in the past where I would sit in the same position for hours working on something, and when I moved it was like... OUCH. Not anymore.

I'm in crunch mode right now on a game and I've been standing here (I work at home) for about 14-15 hours every day for a month. And I feel great. Standing rocks.

 

Well, I work a manual labor/physical job and this plopped in front of a computer stuff is a actually a rest for me.

So, maybe if you worked out an hour before starting your work, it wouldn't be an issue? I've never had any of these problems.

This standing desk thing seems like a great idea. If there was a desk that could roll around like a giant baby walker, that would be the best solution.

 

Motorized, of course.

 

Perhaps an inverted pendulum, Segway style motorized giant baby walker with dual monitors and a Guinness keg+tap.

 

I guess you'd have to be a mobile WiFi hotspot, as well. Laugh all you want but it's actually doable.

 

This. And take walk breaks every couple of hours from your work, too.

 

There's a fairly cheap stationary bike that has a hard foam area to hold a laptop / keyboard. I like developing on laptops because you can recline in bed via pillows behind you to some optimal angle for your spine and then comfortably program for however many hours.

 

I think it is important to take frequent breaks. Every hour or two I get up and walk around. Sometimes I even closed my office door and knocked out a couple sets of crunches and push ups. But definitely getting up and moving around is important. Improve blood flow. Get a bit of exercise. Also gives the eyes a much needed break. These days I work from home but still take the frequent mini breaks. And in some ways it is easier instead of doing push ups in the office and having a co-worker drop by.

 

martial arts solves the problem. Practice every day for 2 hrs when ur stuck on a code block or out of ideas for a model.

 

take a hike

 

Put some meat on that ass, do squats with weights or bands. It's the best exercise for a strong core, strong core support aligns everything, eliminating back pain. It only takes 5-10mins every other day.

 

Not everybody can be beeficleese, man.

 

A decent chair... I never thought it could be so important. But it is. And it does affect your productivity and motivation significantly.

 

Hmmm. I'm going to try this standing thing you talk of. I might have to build a 20 high pile of books to put my monitor on though.

Another thing I tried once was just to use the regular couch/settee and try and use the TV as the monitor, but that didn't seem to work as the TV just seems to far away to work. I really need my nose right up against the monitor!!

What would be good for eye strain maybe is if these VR googles could project the code into the far distance so it's like you're reading massive letters projected onto the sky.... In 30 years young people are going to look at us like "What? You used to spend all your time looking at a small rectangular screen?" as they plug their game consoles directly into their brains.

 

Life-time investment:




http://geekologie.com/2013/06/im-in-the-future-21500-computer-work-sta.php
(also seen in movie "grandmas boy)