[HN Gopher] Important Coding Habits
       ___________________________________________________________________
        
       Important Coding Habits
        
       Author : tagawa
       Score  : 216 points
       Date   : 2023-07-22 14:56 UTC (8 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (puppycoding.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (puppycoding.com)
        
       | natsucks wrote:
       | I'm hoping that a potential transition from monitors to AR
       | glasses will substantially alleviate some of these issues.
        
       | sharperguy wrote:
       | I think regular sports involving use of muscles really helps with
       | this. Either weight lifting, with an emphasis on squats and
       | deadlifts, bouldering, certain forms of yoga, calisthetics etc.
       | Keeping your overall muscles strong supports the rest of your
       | body throughout the day while you work.
        
       | MeteorMarc wrote:
       | Alas, too late. Add half our walks after lunch and diner, in
       | addition to the other habits mentioned.
        
       | lordnacho wrote:
       | Weirdly I don't seem to have the two main problems that coders
       | report: back pain and hand/wrist pain.
       | 
       | I always keep a straight posture. Either I'm standing, or I'm
       | sitting with my back straight. I make sure I don't slouch,
       | because that's what causes pain. Used to feel natural to slouch,
       | but now it feels natural to puff my chest out. Also, walking on a
       | treadmill while reading makes it impossible to slouch.
       | 
       | With my wrists, I'm not sure I get it. Surely people are not
       | actually typing all the time? I spend a lot of time looking at
       | the code by using the touchpad. A lot of slidey-two-fingers to
       | scroll the text. But also I hardly type much when coding. I type
       | in something, let smart complete fill in the line, hit tab. But
       | it's not even that much text to type in. Most of the work is
       | looking at things and thinking. Perhaps it's the height of the
       | table, I have a movey-up-down table that I adjust so I'm not
       | uncomfortable. But basically I never have wrist pain, whether I'm
       | standing or sitting.
        
         | zeroonetwothree wrote:
         | I stopped having back pain when I started working out. Hand
         | pain I don't actually get from typing, but trackpad use is
         | rough. I use a mouse now and it's much better.
        
           | threetonesun wrote:
           | I've found some wrist stretches from yoga practices that have
           | helped after a day of too much trackpad use, but I agree
           | avoiding it as much as possible is better. If you have to use
           | a laptop frequently, getting used to doing everything by
           | keyboard will save your wrists some work.
        
         | segfaltnh wrote:
         | Some people are certainly more predisposed to things than
         | others.
        
         | bathMarm0t wrote:
         | I've had both.
         | 
         | The back pain was instigated by moving, driving across the
         | country, helping someone out with yard work slinging rock, and
         | then going for a post-thanksgiving run, which broke this
         | camel's back. Lumbar shaping is very, very important for the
         | lower spine. You can do it with muscles, or you can do it with
         | things. I used a 10 dollar IKEA chair + grippy bottom + a
         | rolled towel. You roll the towel until it's the right size to
         | create a slight arch. No rulers or drill sergeants necessary.
         | It's also important to note that the drive to/from work is
         | doing just as much damage as being at work, so using the towel
         | in the driver's seat is a godsend.
         | 
         | The wrist pain was instigated by working on a laptop during a
         | 1+hr train commute. I kind of looked like Groot (Despicable Me)
         | prancing around, minus the prancing. I tried pretty much
         | everything, but what stuck was the Evoluent mouse. It allows
         | you to use the mouse without arm pronation (pronation forces
         | the carpal region into a binding/constricted position). It's
         | ~100 bucks but a single doctors visit costs more than that.
         | 
         | Happy coding.
        
       | synergy20 wrote:
       | I rarely use my laptop as a coding device, must have external
       | monitors and keyboards, otherwise my neck hurts quickly.
       | 
       | the laptop by design is too close between its keyboard and
       | monitor, I wonder how others can use it continuously.
       | 
       | I hope in public areas we have some monitor+keyboard+mouse there
       | for use(or rent, like the EV chargers to-be-built-more or the
       | gas-stations-everywhere), everyone just brings his/her laptop, or
       | even a little raspberry pi or intel NUC, or cast their phone
       | screen, then plug and get work done.
        
       | agentultra wrote:
       | Too true. I've come to particularly dislike the way we design
       | computing devices and interfaces. They ruin our bodies and
       | require exceptions to accommodate people with different
       | capabilities. And to afford those accommodations is a privilege
       | many do not have access to.
       | 
       | The best thing we can do is spend less time in front of them.
        
         | bhdlr wrote:
         | > Too true. I've come to particularly dislike the way we design
         | computing devices and interfaces. They ruin our bodies and
         | require exceptions to accommodate people with different
         | capabilities. And to afford those accommodations is a privilege
         | many do not have access to.
         | 
         | > The best thing we can do is spend less time in front of them.
         | 
         | While I think this is great advice, the author of the article
         | lost all credibility as soon as he mentioned a chiropractor
        
           | bigmattystyles wrote:
           | Same here - how they are allowed to continue to be a trade is
           | beyond me. My friend is a neurosurgeon and has more than a
           | few stories about times she's had to fix or more often,
           | mitigate, damage done by chiropractors. But at the same time,
           | nothing is done about other quacks like supplements,
           | homeopathy, etc...
        
             | plagiarist wrote:
             | Be careful, if you get too close to supporting medical
             | regulations and evidence-based medicine, you will awaken
             | the crowd who thinks vaccines are poison and quacks should
             | be allowed to sell ivermectin for every ailment. Surely Tim
             | Ferris should be allowed to sell supplements because the
             | free market is absolutely perfect (unless a member of the
             | free market is deciding to enforce masks as a condition of
             | entry or something).
        
               | damagednoob wrote:
               | I don't want to ban things like homeopathy and
               | chiropractors but I have seen them attached to government
               | hospitals in the UK. Chiropractic treatment should not be
               | funded by the public.
        
       | newaccount74 wrote:
       | I think that working in the same position every day, for hours,
       | is going to have bad effects even if you are in the best
       | position. If you always stress exactly the same muscles, it's
       | going to start hurting at some point.
       | 
       | So my solution is to change it up. I often change the setup of my
       | screens, I switch between keyboards and mice, sometimes I work on
       | my couch on my laptop, sometimes at the office, occasionally at a
       | standing desk.
       | 
       | I think the variation helps.
        
       | zer8k wrote:
       | Can someone explain to me how you can slip a disk typing? I can't
       | contort myself in a way I feel anything more than the occasional
       | back muscle pain. Is the author unusually weak or something? I
       | exercise frequently so perhaps my back is stronger than usual.
       | Still, it seems extremely odd to me you can hurt yourself in that
       | way just simply sitting. Hunched or not.
        
       | 634636346 wrote:
       | This post, along with the rest of the blog, has a strong vibe of
       | being AI-augmented, if not outright AI-generated. The "about"
       | page lists a first name only, with a photo that yields no matches
       | on Google image search. No CV. No link to any GH or other project
       | page. I checked the WHOIS, and the domain was only registered in
       | March, 2022, and has zero Wayback machine copies.
       | 
       | And the post being discussed, besides having low information
       | density, contains ridiculous recommendations (meme stretches
       | instead of resistance training) and embarrassing admissions (the
       | author, besides not getting any exercise, goes to a
       | _chiropractor_ ). Why is this on the front page?
        
         | moneywoes wrote:
         | Thanks for confirming my suspicion
         | 
         | Unfortunately, this trend is only going to get worse
        
           | tagawa wrote:
           | Author here. It's hand-written, not AI-generated, although
           | the header images are (Stability).
        
         | Delgan wrote:
         | There is also a linked Youtube channel.
         | 
         | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gi7nMuyUc4
         | 
         | He looks real.
        
           | tagawa wrote:
           | Yes, real. It's me.
        
           | 634636346 wrote:
           | I stand corrected. However, I still think he's using GPT to
           | generate much of his content, and at most doing some post-hoc
           | editing of it.
        
             | tagawa wrote:
             | It's hand-written by me although I'm sure the writing style
             | could be improved a lot. My process for the tutorial posts
             | is to come with the simplest functional code I can
             | (admittedly using ChatGPT to double-check it), and then
             | write the text around the code examples. I try to keep the
             | text relatively short and simple so that a) the code does
             | the talking, and b) non-native English speakers can still
             | understand.
        
         | frob wrote:
         | The articles dated July 2 and 6th are both about how to hide
         | api keys and say basically the same thing. The header images
         | all look like they came from the same base prompt. And, just
         | for icing, the rest of the posts are all about how to use
         | chatGPT
        
           | tagawa wrote:
           | Author here. I did the first API key hiding post (and
           | accompanying video) for local code, but got a question about
           | how to hide API keys when deploying code remotely. I couldn't
           | update the original video so I decided to create a new one
           | instead, and accompanying post, and then link them to each
           | other.
           | 
           | For the header images, I use Stability and yes, use the same
           | base prompt so they all have a consistent feel.
           | 
           | The posts so far are about using the GPT API because there
           | was a positive reaction to an initial post I put out, so I
           | expanded on that. I wanted to have a specific focus rather
           | than just learning Python in general. It's still early days
           | for the site so I'm still finding my way.
        
         | tagawa wrote:
         | "Dimwitted" author here. Sorry for making people upset. The
         | text content of the blog is all hand-written by me, not AI,
         | although I do use AI (Stability) to create the header images.
         | 
         | I started the blog recently because I wanted to separate out
         | coding stuff from my personal blog (link in profile if you're
         | interested) into its own place. I prefer to list just my first
         | name only but my surname is Davis if that helps with
         | investigation. My wife took that photo a couple of months ago
         | for my profile so no, it's probably not in image searches yet.
         | I don't link my CV because I'm not looking for work and don't
         | want to share too much info.
         | 
         | As for the post, I live in Japan and go to a Jie Gu Yuan  which
         | I assumed was chiropractor, but maybe osteopath is a better
         | translation. I didn't realise there was a difference and should
         | have researched before posting. Sorry. I've updated the post.
         | 
         | I still stand by the recommendations though, as they've helped
         | me overall, and I've suffered from not following my own advice.
        
           | metadaemon wrote:
           | Just what an AI would say... /s
        
         | reustle wrote:
         | I know the author personally and he is in fact very real, and
         | very well intentioned.
         | 
         | Take it easy!
        
           | tagawa wrote:
           | Thanks, I appreciate it!
        
         | jamilton wrote:
         | IIRC, chiropractors empirically can/do provide short-term pain
         | relief, just not long-term fixes. And short-term pain relief is
         | a reasonable thing to want.
         | 
         | It's on the front page because it was upvoted and other things
         | were upvoted less at this time.
        
       | pininja wrote:
       | At first I thought this would be about technical habits, but I'm
       | glad it's actually about longevity.
        
       | underdeserver wrote:
       | Do the exercises, not just the stretches. Squats and situps or
       | planks. The difference between no exercise and little, but
       | consistent, exercise is ridiculously large.
        
       | Thoeu388 wrote:
       | This article is pretty clueless, as most people.
       | 
       | Backbone is hugely supported by muscles. Slipped disc basically
       | means there were no muscles to prevent it. Posture, healthy
       | lifestyle etc is hugely irrelevant. Also typical exercise like
       | running, lifting etc does not help.
       | 
       | As a developer, you should train torso muscles to protect your
       | backbone. Pretty complicated regime, you need good personal
       | trainer for that.
        
         | dilyevsky wrote:
         | Are you saying deadlifts don't train torso muscles?
        
           | Thoeu388 wrote:
           | No, I am saying it does not help typical developer. My
           | personal opinion is that it is damaging joints (including
           | spine discs). My trainer also does not recommend it. But I am
           | not really qualified on this subject.
        
             | dasil003 wrote:
             | Squats and deadlifts are unequaled in terms of core
             | strength development, and they are also some of the most
             | natural human motions that any toddler naturally picks up
             | as they learn to walk upright. I agree doing them with
             | heavy weights can be risky for a typical sedentary adult,
             | but they need not be feared. Performed correctly, the load
             | goes into your muscles, not joints, but you have to learn
             | how to engage your core muscles and maintain tension
             | through the whole kinetic chain. The best way to do this is
             | to get a knowledgeable coach and build up slowly starting
             | with no weight until you have the basic movement and
             | coordination well established.
        
             | dilyevsky wrote:
             | > No, I am saying it does not help typical developer.
             | 
             | What's a "typical developer"? If we are talking today then
             | typical developer is just typical white-collar employee. I
             | see many of those in my gym, some of them even use it
             | correctly (that is they get in, do deadlifts, and get out
             | =))
             | 
             | > My personal opinion is that it is damaging joints
             | (including spine discs). My trainer also does not recommend
             | it. But I am not really qualified on this subject.
             | 
             | Well you should get a second opinion. Obviously I don't
             | know your personal history but for most "typical
             | developers" if you get some coaching, use trap bar, don't
             | go to failure or 1rm and don't use straps, it's super safe.
        
       | littleroot wrote:
       | I found my neck and shoulder a lot less tense since I started
       | using split keyboards, and my overall posture also improved. The
       | downside is trying (and building!) new split keyboards starts to
       | become an addicting hobby, and I keep finding my next keyboard
       | with fewer keys than the previous. Settled with a 36-key Skeletyl
       | for now.
        
       | fleaaa wrote:
       | Using laptop is a last resort...
        
       | rideontime wrote:
       | Insta-closed when I saw that hideous AI "art" at the top. How is
       | that at all better than nothing at all?
        
         | wsintra2022 wrote:
         | Eye of the beholder and all that, I found it rather charming.
         | The defects that exist in generative images I find to be the
         | true beauty in AI art.
        
       | woodruffw wrote:
       | Posture is very important. What's _also_ important is not
       | trusting a chiropractor, like this article (previously) stated:
       | chiropractic is a quack medicine[1] that ranges somewhere between
       | harmless (but falsely advertised) massage and dangerous,
       | sometimes fatal, spinal manipulation[2].
       | 
       | Edit: Amended to reflect the fact that this was likely a
       | translation error.
       | 
       | [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiropractic
       | 
       | [2]:
       | https://web.archive.org/web/20100516074554/http://jrsm.rsmjo...
        
         | therealdrag0 wrote:
         | I agree the fields origins are quack and much of ongoing
         | proceedings are quack, but IME many of them have just as deep
         | anatomic knowledge as the PTs and have cross training in the
         | same studies and theories as PTs. I think the field is trying
         | to legitimize itself and many practitioners are involved in
         | gyms and sports where real results matter and where they rub
         | shoulders with other therapists and doctors picking up the good
         | ideas and "best practices".
         | 
         | All that to say I wish the field would die but the amount of
         | quackery can vary very widely between chiros from little more
         | than a pop factory to essentially the same experience as an
         | average PT.
        
         | schlowmo wrote:
         | > What's also important is not trusting a chiropractor
         | 
         | While I totally agree I would extend this recommendation to not
         | trust anyone who does spinal manipulation without proper
         | knowledge, since practioners of quackery use a lot of job
         | titles.
         | 
         | This especially includes osteopathy (maybe with the exception
         | of the US variant "Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine", I only know
         | the european kind) - damaging the spinal cord or big blood
         | vessels with slow motions doesn't make it less damaging.
         | 
         | As a rule of thumb: If it looks like a quack, swims like a
         | quack, and quacks like a quack, then it probably is a quack.
         | 
         | There may be anecdotal evidence for it being some kind of
         | miracle cure, but I can also tell anecdotes of people getting
         | bonus stays at the local hospitals stroke unit after visting an
         | ostheopath.
        
         | tagawa wrote:
         | Author here. I may have made a mistake. I live in Japan and go
         | to a Jie Gu Yuan  which I assumed was a chiropractor, but maybe
         | osteopath is a better definition? I've updated the article to
         | reflect this. I didn't realise there was a difference - lack of
         | research on my part, sorry.
        
           | woodruffw wrote:
           | Thank for you responding! Translation is hard, and there's
           | nothing to apologize for -- I've also edited my comment.
           | 
           | (FWIW, "osteopathy" is also a quack practice, in the US. It's
           | distinct from osteopathic medicine, which is an actual
           | medical science. But it might be hard to translate that
           | distinction; if your practitioner has a medical degree, then
           | they're the "real" one.)
        
             | tagawa wrote:
             | Thanks. I'm learning a lot all of a sudden! The profile on
             | the wall of the clinic looked OK to me, but I'll read more
             | carefully next time I go.
        
         | sedivy94 wrote:
         | The chiropractor's assessment, as mentioned in the article, is
         | consistent with the research I've gathered over a decade of
         | amateur bodybuilding and powerlifting. I would bet many
         | athletes will disagree with the above sentiment surrounding
         | chiropractors. I personally haven't met one practicing holistic
         | medicine. What I primarily see in practices is active release
         | therapy (ART), Graston, cupping, along with traditional
         | physical therapy - an aggregate of effective soft tissue and
         | joint manipulation techniques. Back cracks just happen to come
         | with the package.
        
           | woodruffw wrote:
           | The assessment might be correct; this does not make a
           | chiropractor qualified to make it.
        
         | spondylosaurus wrote:
         | Thank you! It shocks me how many people don't know this.
         | 
         | If your back is giving you hell, you don't want a chiropractor,
         | you want an orthopedist. And that orthopedist will probably
         | refer you to a physical therapist, which is where the magic
         | really happens.
        
         | TheAceOfHearts wrote:
         | Sometimes on social media I get shown videos of chiropractors
         | practicing on babies which looks really scary. If there's such
         | a high risk factor I don't understand how it can remain legal
         | and not be scrutinized more closely.
         | 
         | As for the field as a whole, I don't fully know what to make of
         | it. My understanding is that some fairly large and prominent
         | companies (think Fortune 100) keep multiple chiropractors on
         | retainer for their employee's benefit. Is it possible that
         | there's something of value there which isn't fully understood
         | or are these companies just acting irrationally? Worded a bit
         | differently: if it's a scam, why are so many big companies
         | paying for these services?
        
         | thepostman0 wrote:
         | Obligatory bullshit episode:
         | 
         | https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0771272/
        
           | overlordalex wrote:
           | Obligatory Behind the Bastards podcast episode:
           | https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-behind-the-
           | bastards-29236...
        
       | simonbarker87 wrote:
       | Gosh that MRI looks just like mine from 2016. Herniation of the
       | L5S1 disc, minor slip/misalignment of the vertebrae and some
       | tearing of the longitudinal posterior ligament.
       | 
       | Mine was caused by poor squat form due to a lack of ankle
       | mobility + sitting badly.
       | 
       | Took me 3 years to rehab it fully, with no need for surgery with
       | a mix of standing desk, regular physiotherapy, changing movement
       | patterns and time.
       | 
       | There is clear evidence that so long as the hernia isn't causing
       | imminent danger to bodily functions then the recovery path for
       | having surgery and not having surgery is basically the same.
       | 
       | Also, chiro's are quacks - their core thesis is treating (from
       | memory) luxations, of which there is no evidence of existing. If
       | you have an injury, find a physio who isn't afraid to work on you
       | with manipulations, massage, cupping, scraping, dry needling,
       | mobilisations AND prescriptive exercises for mobility and
       | strength work.
        
       | tru1ock wrote:
       | I only use a kneeling chair. Also daily short 15-20min HIIT with
       | pull ups have resolved all my back problems. I highly recommend
       | the simple and sinister daily energizer approach. After work when
       | you are tired and mentally drained is the best time to exercise.
       | This gives you energy to do your own things for the remainder of
       | the day.
        
       | vmoore wrote:
       | I never liked the seated, sedentary nature of programming. Over
       | time though, I've forced myself to take regular breaks, say every
       | 10 minutes to straighten out my spine, and every 60 mins I go for
       | a longish walk to clear my head and repair my back. Any hard
       | problems or puzzles I encountered usually get solved when
       | walking, as my brain is in a different state and can problem-
       | solve better.
       | 
       | There are ergonomic items you can buy for a home-lab situation or
       | maybe the office splurged out on Herman Miller chairs, but no
       | amount of ergonomic items (Vertical Mouse etc) will solve the
       | sitting down problem. You have to do pattern interrupts and
       | frequent (reparative) breaks.
       | 
       | This is known to increase productivity. If you're in your
       | twenties you can probably get away with long sessions sitting
       | down without major issues, but over time, sitting /will/ affect
       | you if you're not doing interrupts and exercising/repairing
       | yourself.
        
         | pydry wrote:
         | I've started doing this every time I complete a problem and
         | close the browser windows or if I'm stuck.
         | 
         | I find that if I continue to sit after this it's often when the
         | procrastination kicks in because I'm not sure what to do next.
         | 
         | Whereas if I start walking it kicks my brain into deciding what
         | to do next or solving the problem I'm stuck on.
        
         | Given_47 wrote:
         | > There are ergonomic items you can buy for a home-lab
         | situation or maybe the office splurged out on Herman Miller
         | chairs
         | 
         | I got a nice condition used Steelcase Leap v1 several months
         | ago for about $120 and that thing has been an absolute godsend.
         | Excellent for the back, adjusting the armrests to relieve
         | pressure from shoulders, seat tilt, I can barely sit in other
         | chairs for prolonged periods now lol
        
         | cuddlecake wrote:
         | What do you do, when you straighten out your spine? I mean in
         | terms of movement, or do you just change your posture?
        
           | fifilura wrote:
           | Basic yoga moves are fantastic for this.
           | 
           | Sun salutations with downward and upward dog. They also
           | strengthen your core.
           | 
           | There are more moves in the Ashtanga sequence, whenever I do
           | it I get a feeling of my discs being stretched and exercised
           | like a rubber ball.
        
           | idle_processor wrote:
           | Stuart McGill recommends periodically standing and stretching
           | your arms over your head a couple times. You can see the
           | motion demonstrated here:
           | https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bcbuhePZZj0&t=459s
           | 
           | He also recommended doing the cat-cow from yoga, and there's
           | a set of exercises referred to as the McGill big 3.
           | 
           | I've seen some positive references to the McKenzie method
           | book, Treat Your Own Back. I haven't tried it specifically,
           | but had good luck with their equivalent book for neck
           | treatment.
        
           | bloopernova wrote:
           | Not the original commenter, but I've started doing basic
           | piriformis stretches. Even just the first one on this list
           | has noticeably helped my back/sciatica pain.
           | 
           | https://health.clevelandclinic.org/piriformis-syndrome-
           | stret...
           | 
           | I've added it as a goal in the Finch app, so I get a little
           | dopamine reward when I do it.
           | 
           | Plus owning a dog helps too, getting regular exercise even if
           | it's just walking.
        
           | molsongolden wrote:
           | One of the best back stretches that I've found is hanging
           | from a pull-up bar (wall-mounted, removable door frame bar,
           | power rack).
           | 
           | The recent version of Stretching[0] also has computer-
           | specific stretches in it. I was recommended this book by a
           | physical therapist and it's great.
           | 
           | [0]https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/561546
        
       | danjc wrote:
       | Keen to here whether anyone here uses a exercise/sitting ball at
       | a desk as a way to improve posture?
        
         | Given_47 wrote:
         | Yea I've always been curious about those. Any time I've tried
         | one out, I end up sitting all hunched over, so I'm obviously
         | doing something wrong but wondering as well
        
       | block_dagger wrote:
       | I was confined to a supine workstation for a similar reason.
       | Thankfully, changing my habits allowed a nearly full recover,
       | albeit years long. I wrote about my setup, only slightly out of
       | date: https://medium.com/@jcraigk/healthy-hacking-diy-supine-
       | works...
        
       | baremetal wrote:
       | I do body weight exercises and stretch every day. They are easy
       | to do during breaks from coding, and don't require any special
       | equipment.
       | 
       | I am really fond of the L-sit as it works so many muscle groups
       | and makes for a strong core. It's something you may have to work
       | up to though.
       | 
       | I also meditate. It is great for concentration and overall well-
       | being.
        
         | progbits wrote:
         | https://stretch15.com/ is nice low effort way to start
         | stretching.
         | 
         | It was on HN few months ago and since then I do it almost every
         | day. I've been going to the gym for a long time but proper
         | stretching is something I never paid attention to.
        
       | necessary wrote:
       | As someone who has been feeling various back pains at the ripe
       | old age of 25, I appreciate this article greatly.
        
         | locuscoeruleus wrote:
         | I had all sorts of random pains throughout my back/arms. After
         | I started climbing almost everything disappeared. Being forced
         | to stretch your hands above your body a few days a week is
         | probably healthy for a programmer.
        
         | the_only_law wrote:
         | I don't know what happened, but a couple weeks ago, I was
         | sitting on the couch when I suddenly had a sharp pain shoot
         | through the right side of my body. It subsided after a few
         | seconds, but for a week I had a persistent pain in my side,
         | around my right rib cage and behind the shoulder blade.
         | 
         | At first I thought it was something really bad, like an organ
         | issue. It hurt just to lay down in bed at night. Only thing
         | that seemed to give any relief were really tense stretches. It
         | ended up going away after that week, and at this point I assume
         | I must have just pulled some muscle in a bad way, but I
         | certainly didn't think I was old enough to have back issues
         | like that.
        
           | techno_tsar wrote:
           | Sounds awful. I've done the same once, in college, reaching
           | for a shower curtain. I genuinely thought I was too young to
           | experience issues like that.
           | 
           | Could also be a nerve thing. Sometimes my upper back and
           | shoulders compresses a nerve and it ends up shooting into my
           | elbow.
           | 
           | I herniated a disc at 21 and that was just from bad posture,
           | I was sitting on the couch as well and as I was getting up I
           | felt a terribly electric pain shoot from my lower right back
           | to my leg. It took years for it to be better and I've
           | aggravated it several times. On one occasion the pain was so
           | bad it requires a hospital trip, where their best advice was
           | physio and to stay active. Rest and a sedentary lifestyle is
           | disastrous if you're prone to back injuries. Even now,
           | although I'm very active, just sitting in the same spot for
           | an hour triggers piriformis syndrome. Quite literally a pain
           | in the ass that affects my hips.
        
         | malux85 wrote:
         | Standing desk
        
       | yellow_lead wrote:
       | > According to my chiropractor, sitting for long periods of time
       | had led to my stomach and thigh muscles being relatively unused,
       | and therefore unable to assist my back in supporting my body,
       | putting it under extra strain.
       | 
       | This is reasonable - getting up often and walking or stretching
       | is good for you. However I wouldn't rely on chiropractors for
       | medical advice.
        
         | tagawa wrote:
         | Thanks for the tip. I think I used the wrong term in the post
         | (now updated). I live in Japan and go to a Jie Gu Yuan  which I
         | assumed was chiropractor, but osteopath is probably a better
         | translation. I should have researched before posting.
        
         | PartiallyTyped wrote:
         | And you know ... working out, lifting weights, walking for a
         | while.
        
         | winrid wrote:
         | You need to work out or you'll turn into a potato that can't
         | support your own upper body. You'll end up with all kinds of
         | medical and joint issues.
        
       | nivenhuh wrote:
       | I am using the Herman Miller Embody and Envelop desk with a foot
       | rest. Being able to pull the desk in/out, switching between
       | reclined / upright, etc.. is great for varying seating positions
       | throughout the day.
        
       | gukoff wrote:
       | The only habit you need are the regular strength exercises,
       | especially for the stability of the back muscles.
       | 
       | Please, please forget about the stretches or "ergonomics" if you
       | don't excersise. It will not help you in the long run.
        
         | jaggederest wrote:
         | I've found no research that indicates static stretching does
         | anything except increase your tolerance for static stretching,
         | anyway. No reduction in injury, no increase in range of motion,
         | no functional benefits. Do it if it feels good, otherwise don't
         | feel obligated.
        
       | laeri wrote:
       | Totally agree, either physical or mental health problems is the
       | most dangerous risk we face. Doing or not doing something over a
       | long period of time can have serious consequences.
        
       | planetjones wrote:
       | I have suffered the same. The pain from the sciatica was unlike
       | anything I had ever experienced. Excruciating doesn't even begin
       | to describe it.
       | 
       | The McKenzie exercises every morning since have undoubtedly
       | helped my recovery. As has giving up running.
        
       | AnimalMuppet wrote:
       | Don't forget your hands! You don't think of programmers as
       | "people who work with their hands", but we really are. (So are
       | surgeons, by the way.)
       | 
       | I typed too hard for a few decades because I began on some really
       | stiff keyboards. That has not been good for my fingers. You
       | shouldn't hit keys harder than you need to, because if you
       | multiply that by a few decades the impacts on your joints and
       | tendons add up to damage. If your fingers hurt after a day of
       | coding, _pay attention_.
       | 
       | Wrist angle matters. Carpal tunnel is no fun. (So far, I have
       | been spared that.) Pay attention to strain on your wrists as you
       | type. If there is some, think about your geometry, and how you
       | can change it.
       | 
       | One of the things I despise about laptops is that their keyboards
       | are too small for my hands. For serious work, I need a full-sized
       | keyboard.
       | 
       | So when you think about ergonomics, don't forget your hands.
       | 
       | (And don't forget your eyes. Look away from the monitor to
       | something at least 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds,
       | regularly. I forget what the recommendation is - every 20
       | minutes, or every 2 hours, or something. But regularly.)
        
         | hommelix wrote:
         | I can recommend workrave. It reminds me to take breaks and
         | propose stretching or looking further than the monitor.
         | 
         | https://workrave.org/
        
       | avalys wrote:
       | I've been programming for ~20 years and I sit very slouched, with
       | my butt resting at the at very forward lip of my chair.
       | 
       | This is very comfortable and relaxed and puts no pressure on my
       | back at all. I keep my monitor high up so my head is elevated. If
       | the need arises, I can do this for 12 hours a day without being
       | uncomfortable or sore at all by the evening.
       | 
       | Sitting ramrod straight in the proper "ergonomic" position seems
       | like a disaster waiting to happen. It's super uncomfortable and
       | stresses my back, my arms, my neck.
        
       | precompute wrote:
       | - exercise! - use an external monitor, stop squinting at a 15"
       | screen.
       | 
       | There you go.
        
       | colordrops wrote:
       | I've had pretty bad spinal issues for the last 19 years, starting
       | with my neck, but more recently with my lower back. Both have
       | caused excruciating pain, with the neck being chronic mid-level,
       | and the lower back putting me in bed for weeks and unable to walk
       | for over a month.
       | 
       | I've dialed down the pain to background through several
       | activities. First I went through physical therapy for both the
       | neck and back issues, and did the prescribed exercises
       | religiously. Finding a good therapist is crucial - some just give
       | you pre-packaged sets of exercises, but good ones will be
       | constantly evaluating and customizing your exercises and
       | movements.
       | 
       | For my daily routine, I do 1 hour of Mysore Ashtanga yoga. It has
       | dozens of cobra poses (urdva muka svanasana) to reverse the
       | stress on your neck.
       | 
       | I also do the 12 minute Foundation Training routine, which
       | strengthens the lower back. [1]
       | 
       | For ergonomics, I'm using a standing desk _all day_. It only
       | takes a couple weeks to get used to, so you might need to take
       | breaks while getting adjusted. Make sure to not lock the knees,
       | or you can alternate which knee is locked. I like to stand in
       | tree pose, alternating legs every once in a while. Make sure to
       | have a standing pad to prevent leg issues.
       | 
       | I've also got a mini treadmill under the desk. I try to walk for
       | 5-7 miles a day. It's not as hard as it sounds to get used to,
       | and I'm actually able to code while doing this. Precise mouse
       | movements can be difficult, but luckily my setup is Neovim +
       | SwayWM + Vimium on the browser.
       | 
       | If i absolutely must sit, I use an exercise ball on top of a foam
       | swimming noodle that has been glued with epoxy into a circle to
       | keep it stable. The exercise ball keeps the spine in a good
       | poster. It's difficult and painful to slouch on an exercise ball.
       | 
       | For my keyboard, I use a Glove80 split ergo. It's a brilliant
       | setup that has gone through tons of a/b testing to fit most hands
       | without needing to move your hands and wrists into awkward
       | positions.
       | 
       | [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI
        
       | source99 wrote:
       | I have a very similar issue and likely the same cause. What has
       | helped for me: Cortisone shots (temporarily relief but not a
       | fix), losing weight, core strengthening activities and switching
       | to a standing desk 100% of the time. YMMV. 43yr old male,
       | lifelong developer.
        
       | pkkm wrote:
       | > laptop
       | 
       | The author buried the lede. Using a bare laptop all day will
       | damage your health. To achieve an ergonomic posture [0], you have
       | to be looking straight forward (or close to that) while your
       | elbows are low and bent at an obtuse angle. This is impossible
       | with a laptop, unless you basically turn it into a desktop by
       | connecting it to an external keyboard, mouse, and monitor(s).
       | Theoretically, you could use a laptop stand instead of an
       | external monitor, but I've found that the letters on a laptop
       | screen are small enough that they make me reflexively crane my
       | neck forward.
       | 
       | Time spent using a laptop without external peripherals should be
       | limited just like vibration and noise exposure is. You're always
       | straining either your shoulders, your neck, or both.
       | 
       | It's surprising to me that the author is looking into niche
       | products like sit-stand desks before having addressed the obvious
       | problem that would be pointed out by any ergonomics resource on
       | the Internet. It reminds me of the phrase, "don't major in the
       | minors".
       | 
       | [0] https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/7-things-you-need-
       | fo...
        
         | inhumantsar wrote:
         | It's funny to me that you're calling sit stand desks niche and
         | suggesting that it shouldn't be one of the first things to look
         | at when the second item the wirecutter article talks about is a
         | sit/stand desk.
         | 
         | Besides, standard external keyboards are not much more
         | ergonomic than a laptop keyboard. They're typically only a
         | little wider so the wrist placement is often still pretty bad.
         | 
         | An external screen at the right height is going to be far more
         | impactful than the keyboard until you get into ergo keyboards.
        
           | me-vs-cat wrote:
           | While it's possible to use the laptop keyboard while looking
           | at an external monitor, I don't think it's nearly as easy or
           | beneficial as both an external monitor and a separate
           | keyboard. The reason is because you're still going to use
           | that screen, which leads to the original problem, or you
           | won't use it and it gets in the way of the external monitor.
           | Or even worse, you put it off to one side and the external
           | monitor to the other side.
           | 
           | So even if that separate keyboard is no better ergonomically
           | than the laptop keyboard, it's still highly recommended. And
           | let's be honest, it's hard for a non-laptop keyboard to not
           | be better to use at a desk than even some of the best laptop
           | keyboards.
           | 
           | Not defending the other poster. Sit/stand desk shouldn't be
           | the first adjustment you make, but it should be considered
           | soon after the first.
           | 
           | I emphasize the same for my team: get an external monitor,
           | get a separate separate keyboard & mouse, and then either
           | setup the laptop at a good height to be just another monitor
           | or leave it closed while connected to the dock. (We provide
           | this in the office, but we only provide a laptop & dock when
           | they work from home.)
        
           | pkkm wrote:
           | I didn't say that sit-stand desks are useless, I just think
           | they aren't low-hanging fruit like external peripherals are.
           | It's a sizeable piece of furniture, so you're looking at more
           | money and more trouble than just buying an external monitor,
           | for benefits that are more uncertain (not everyone is helped
           | by standing while they work). I'm not sure what you're
           | objecting to here.
        
         | kwanbix wrote:
         | I connect my ThinkPad P51 to two external monitors, an external
         | trackpoing keyboard 2, and a logitech trackpad. It works
         | perfect, and if i need to work on the road, I just disconnect
         | it and take it with me.
        
         | powersnail wrote:
         | > To achieve an ergonomic posture [0], you have to be looking
         | straight forward (or close to that) while your elbows are low
         | and bent at an obtuse angle.
         | 
         | Curious: what about reading and writing posture? Traditionally,
         | we look downward when reading and writing at a desk, rather
         | than straight forward. Is that also non-ergonomic? I know that
         | books can be supported up by a stand, but is there something
         | for writing?
        
           | pkkm wrote:
           | I'll be honest, I haven't done any research about the
           | ergonomics of handwriting because I don't do it much anymore.
           | I just know that when you're referencing paper documents
           | while using a computer, a document holder is often
           | recommended.
        
           | mturmon wrote:
           | This guy gets it: https://sawbridge.com/product/historic-
           | jefferson-lap-desk/
        
         | [deleted]
        
         | r00fus wrote:
         | The #1 thing that bothers me is that almost ALL desks are 30"
         | height in the US. Completely unergonomic for anyone not 5'10"
         | or taller.
         | 
         | For example, the Ikea FLISAT desk still fits my teen kids even
         | though it's for smaller kids (TBH I actually find it
         | comfortable to work on occasionally).
         | 
         | For my laptop, I do set my screen resolution much lower
         | (doubled/retina) than my large monitor. Less real estate, but I
         | don't have to squint when not using a monitor.
        
           | coldtea wrote:
           | Isn't the chair + desk combo that matters? That is, can't you
           | compensate the higher desk with adjusting the chair height or
           | getting a taller chair?
        
             | r00fus wrote:
             | After 15 years of trying I have to say that it just doesn't
             | work. Your sitting body is not at rest; you fidget, move
             | around, your legs need to be planted so you can reposition
             | easily...
             | 
             | So raising your chair and then putting a footrest seems
             | logical but just doesn't work out unless you teach yourself
             | how to adapt to it.
        
             | eBombzor wrote:
             | Then your legs aren't being supported.
        
           | spondylosaurus wrote:
           | One of the best things about sit-stand desks isn't even the
           | standing part, imo, it's being able to set the sitting height
           | exactly where you want it. I have the same issue where most
           | static desks are an inch or two higher than I'd like them to
           | be.
        
         | iman453 wrote:
         | Curious why you say vibration exposure should be avoided?
        
           | dnissley wrote:
           | Hand arm vibration syndrome
        
           | pkkm wrote:
           | Vibration White Finger / Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome. Not
           | really a concern for the occasional DIYer, but it can
           | definitely happen to people who use tools like the hammer
           | drill for hours per day.
        
       | politelemon wrote:
       | I think there's on assumption being made here which ought to be
       | challenged. Laptops are widely used, but they are not great
       | coding environments. They were created to enable portability, but
       | the way it mostly gets used promotes terrible habits, posture,
       | handpositions, viewing angles, all of the above. If given a
       | choice I would opt for a desktop and live with the portability
       | restrictions it comes with. Of course it is an increasingly
       | uncommon choice. The next best thing is to use the laptop docked
       | but closed, and have separate peripherals: monitors, keyboard,
       | mouse.
        
         | Snild wrote:
         | > The next best thing is to use the laptop docked but closed
         | 
         | That's what I do, combined with a 64-thread/128GB build
         | machine.
         | 
         | In fact, I'm so happy with my discontinued HP UltraSlim docks
         | mounted vertically on the side of my desk/divider that I went
         | to IT and special-ordered the last model that fit those docks.
         | My new laptop is five years old. Worth it! :)
        
           | tempest_ wrote:
           | These port replicators are easily replaced by a monitor with
           | a high-speed usb c hub now a days.
           | 
           | I have not needed one in years, power, peripherals, and
           | networking all go through the single usb-c connection.
        
             | Snild wrote:
             | But I can't hang my laptop from a USB cable. :)
        
           | jrib wrote:
           | As someone whose desktop is showing its age and no longer
           | games much, I'm curious about your build machine.
           | 
           | Do you have a physical build machine? Or in the cloud? And
           | did you build it or order it from somewhere?
        
             | Snild wrote:
             | Physical machine, in a server room at Sony's Lund office.
             | Custom order of several machines from Compliq, a small
             | local shop.
             | 
             | It's a Threadripper-something, 128GB RAM, and nvme disks
             | totaling 9-10 TB (plus a sata SSD for the OS, and maybe a
             | big HDD for the mirror). I use btrfs' raid to join the repo
             | disks, while others use other solutions (e.g. ext4 on top
             | of mdraid). I also run btrfs compression, which saves a lot
             | of space for very little cost (iirc, something like 1%
             | extra time for a full Android build, but ymmv).
             | 
             | Most of us share the build machine with 1-3 other
             | engineers, which is fine because we rarely need to make
             | (big) builds at the same time. Android is not small, and
             | having multiple copies of the complete history for multiple
             | people would be impractical, so we have a custom git/repo
             | mirroring solution that keeps our various checkouts from
             | growing out of hand.
             | 
             | People use whatever tool they like to connect to the
             | machine. I've seen remote desktop of some sort, xpra,
             | mosh... Personally, I'm using ssh and screen, with some
             | ssh_config aliases for quick access to specific product
             | branches.
             | 
             | When it's time to flash a build to a device, rsync is
             | great. I believe AOSP aims for hermetic/reproducible
             | builds, which enables big speedups from rsync.
        
             | plq wrote:
             | It's just a guess but this sounds like a physical machine
             | with threadripper 3970x (128gb memory is the max it can
             | handle without memory bandwidth contention) though I'm also
             | curious about the details.
        
             | inconceivable wrote:
             | i have a similar setup with an amd threadripper
             | thinkstation.
        
         | lacrimacida wrote:
         | Yeah, I agee with the problems laptop use can create. I do use
         | a decent laptop but use it as a desktop with eye level monitor
         | and external keyboard attached. I found that positioning the
         | keybord close to my body with a table height slightly above my
         | sitting thighs such that the elbows are close to the body is
         | the best ergonomics I could find and any back/neck/shoulder
         | aches I used to get in my 20s and 30s have nearly vanished
         | completely. My only problem is my butt getting tired of sitting
         | on a chair and use it as an excuse to take breaks. Not sure if
         | this position is universal, I did find it through
         | experimentstion and I encourage evryone to test out various
         | positions and to avoid using laptops for extended periods of
         | time, it is really bad and could also create poor sitting
         | habits that extend beyond the computer.
        
         | jauntywundrkind wrote:
         | Laptops are actually kind of ok just not how people use them.
         | ;)
         | 
         | Elevate & decoupled! Raise the screen. Use a Bluetooth
         | keyboard. Stop staring down!
         | 
         | Ideally one can rig up a way to get the keyboard under the
         | laptop. That's rough though, not always easy (some soda cans &
         | cardboard... Where there's a will!). Often I end up with my
         | laptop on my adventure pack and the keyboard in front (or on my
         | lap). I used to just use tablet style 2-in-1's, which rock: the
         | Tryone gooseneck arm (or many others) let's you hover the
         | screen in really nice position, wherever you want.
         | 
         | I was pretty fine having a decently hidpi 11-12 inch screen
         | positioned close in, but I have really wanted a bigger 2-in-1 I
         | could work with. I miss 2013 when there was the bigger bigger
         | bigger push for tablets: we are creeping back up, but the bold
         | 18.4 beasts of that age were I hope only a bit too soon.
         | 
         | It all comea down to!:
         | 
         | > _Improve your coding environment_
        
         | bdcravens wrote:
         | There are many great options for a stand if you want to use the
         | screen. My current setup: standing desk, external keyboard and
         | trackpad, 2 monitors raised to comfortable viewing height, and
         | laptop on stand where the screen is aligned with the larger
         | monitors.
        
           | vanviegen wrote:
           | I don't understand why people insist on using more than one
           | monitor.
           | 
           | Downsides: - Looking sideways is bad for your neck. - Looking
           | from the one to the other and refocusing probably takes more
           | time than using a shortcut key to switch between virtual
           | desktops or something similar. - Consumes additional space,
           | energy and money.
           | 
           | Upsides: - Looks cool and professional, I guess. - ??
        
             | recursive wrote:
             | I'm not expecting you to understand but I find it less
             | disruptive to look to the side than switch windows or
             | desktops.
        
       | scubbo wrote:
       | Let me just drop in to recommend the Kinesis Advantage 2, a
       | keyboard I bought about 6 years ago after first noticing wrist
       | pain. It's probably my only purchase that beats Factorio in
       | "benefit-per-dollar". I absolutely love it. Haven't used the 360
       | (it wasn't available when I bought it), but that looks even
       | better.
        
         | fredrikholm wrote:
         | Similar praise to the unfortunately named Ultimate Hacking
         | Keyboard.
         | 
         | Split keyboard that can be rotated and titled exactly to fit
         | your needs was the difference between bilateral pinky side pain
         | radiating to my elbows to absolutely no pain in a matter of a
         | few weeks.
         | 
         | That, and it's a damn fine, steel cased macro-able keyboard.
        
       | ecshafer wrote:
       | I don't understand how people use laptops for extended periods of
       | time. The only comfortable way to use a laptop is with an
       | external monitor, keyboard and mouse. The author talks about
       | ergonomics but still uses a laptop. Laptops are for doing work on
       | a plane or taking to a hotel room when traveling, not for being a
       | daily driver in my book (at least not without peripherals). The
       | keyboard on laptops is too close together, the screen is at the
       | wrong height and angle. Trackpads are disastrous. Using a laptop
       | for 8 hours feels like the day after running a marathon but
       | without any of the good parts.
        
         | dividedbyzero wrote:
         | I use an external Apple trackpad and it's been a relief for my
         | right arm, I only use a mouse for gaming anymore as game-
         | specific muscle memory doesn't seem to translate well. It does
         | feel very ergonomic to me, almost on par with a vertical mouse,
         | but those are always too big for my hands.
         | 
         | I get why people wouldn't want to do that with Windows laptop
         | trackpads though, not to speak of Linux, which seems to really
         | struggle with trackpads.
        
         | nordsieck wrote:
         | > Trackpads are disastrous.
         | 
         | Why do you say that? I know quite a few people who use an
         | external trackpad with a desktop setup and they seem to do
         | pretty well with it.
        
           | ecshafer wrote:
           | I don't know about an external one. But the standard track
           | pad is in the center of the screen/keyboard layout and quite
           | close to your body. Its non-ergonomic.
        
             | coufu wrote:
             | I've been using trackpad primarily with my thumb for about
             | 6 years now. Obviously I have to use other fingers
             | sometimes to scroll and drag though. I find a mouse slows
             | me down when I have to take my hands off the keyboard to
             | use the mouse. This is coming from a vim enthusiast (worth
             | mentioning in this context since a big benefit of using vim
             | is how much time is saved by not taking hands off the
             | keyboard).
        
       | jauntywundrkind wrote:
       | > _Don't code late at night_
       | 
       | Big disagree fore. For me, code comes much easier in the deep of
       | the night. I can just write, and it's fine, where-as during the
       | day I get distracted by side quests & perfectionism.
       | 
       | I think regularly of PKD writing I think in VALIS trilogy about
       | the heat of the palm tree garden (of Eden), waves of heat making
       | us languid. And then the night, the absence of god's light,
       | humans unwatched, free, unburdened. The contrast has resonated
       | with me for so long, the relief from pressures of the day,
       | unburdened freedom. I feel it, I feel freer, as I code deeper
       | into the night.
        
         | eyelidlessness wrote:
         | I think it might be better generalized as "don't code for some
         | daily period of extended downtime", or even more generalized as
         | "take one very long break between work days". Even that won't
         | necessarily apply to everyone, but for most people it's a more
         | healthy habit than cranking for >10 hours a day or similar
         | overwork.
        
         | PartiallyTyped wrote:
         | What I love the most about coding at night is that I am more
         | creative, and everything flows better.
        
       | dreamy_hoover wrote:
       | For me the best option is a floor desk. I found sitting on the
       | floor challenging at the beginning. I even had to re-learn how to
       | get down to and up from the floor properly. But with time (and
       | yoga/stretching exercises) my core has gotten stronger and my
       | joints feel great and I can withstand any amount of time sitting
       | on the floor. I'd say the amount of times you get down and up
       | count as mild exercise. I have had no back or any other kind of
       | pain whatsoever, even after longer sessions. A great thing is
       | that you keep changing posture naturally and you have many more
       | ways you can sit or squat on the floor than on a chair. I don't
       | see this mentioned often, but to me it makes a lot of sense.
       | Children prefer sitting on the floor (they haven't experienced
       | any mobility loss yet), hunter-gatherer tribes sit on the floor
       | for most of the day [0], older people in Japan (and other
       | cultures) sit on the floor without much problem, etc., just to
       | mention some examples.
       | 
       | [0] https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/sitting-all-day-
       | bad-f...
        
         | celeritascelery wrote:
         | Do you sit on cushion or mat? Or just on the floor directly.
         | And are you sitting cross legged or some other method?
        
           | dreamy_hoover wrote:
           | No mat or cushion for me, I've come to appreciate the
           | grounding feeling of sitting on hard wooden floors. I sit in
           | as many positions as I can come up with and alternate between
           | them almost unconsciously now. In a few months of using the
           | floor desk I went from thinking myself unable to sit in half
           | lotus to actually finding that position very comfortable.
           | Some examples of floor sitting postures:
           | 
           | https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32131303
           | 
           | https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/813533120161288900/
           | 
           | I use a laptop either directly on the floor or on top of a
           | small table or elevated surface. You can of course also add a
           | monitor, wireless keyboard with touchpad, etc., and that
           | gives you plenty of new posture options.
        
       | brycelarkin wrote:
       | I try to incorporate deadlifts into my workouts twice a week to
       | prevent this.
       | 
       | Lower back pain is scary. During covid, when the gyms were
       | closed, I couldn't do deadlifts and felt the back pain coming.
       | Thankfully everything opened up.
        
         | exhilaration wrote:
         | Deadlifts are the best, not just for the back benefits but for
         | hand strength as well - my wrist pain is a distant memory now.
        
         | moneywoes wrote:
         | Ironically I hurt my back attempting dead lifts. Perhaps the
         | form was poor
        
         | bdcravens wrote:
         | I also have a medical condition that has caused degenerative
         | arthritis in the lower back. I find that if I'm seated in
         | anything but an Aeron I can't remain seated for long. I suspect
         | it's less the brand than the mesh with some give. However,
         | since I know the brand, I happily spent the $1300 for my home
         | setup. (I also sprung for an Uplift standing desk)
        
       | BodyCulture wrote:
       | Just a little thing but it would help a lot if terminal input
       | lines were at the top of the screen by default.
        
         | gjvc wrote:
         | pressing ctrl-L often helps with that
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | GuB-42 wrote:
       | I never really understood the appeal of standing desks. Standing
       | still seems less natural to me than sitting, and I don't think it
       | is particularly healthy, unlike moving. Personally, I can walk
       | for hours, no problem, but I can't stand still for more than a
       | few minutes at a time. Most jobs that require standing usually
       | involve some moving around. A clerk for instance may leave the
       | counter to bring the things you bought.
       | 
       | Out of all the usual recommendations, like better (sitting)
       | posture, regular walking breaks, exercising, etc... Extended use
       | of a standing desk seems like the worst to me, though alternating
       | between sitting and standing seems like a good idea.
        
         | Lukas_Skywalker wrote:
         | The thing I like about my standing desk is that I am unable to
         | stay in the same position for more than 10 minutes. I always
         | shift my weight, move my arms, walk a few steps to the left or
         | right. I am forced to have breaks much more often than when I
         | am sitting.
        
         | bad_username wrote:
         | Alternating between sitting and standing is the only correct
         | way to use a standing desk. Prolonged standing is as harmful as
         | prolonged sitting.
        
         | abdullahkhalids wrote:
         | Stephen Wolfram has a sling that he can use to work on his
         | laptop while out on a walk [1].
         | 
         | [1] https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2019/02/seeking-the-
         | prod...
        
           | moffkalast wrote:
           | That seems like a good fit for some times of the year, but
           | given that IP68 laptops aren't a thing yet (somehow?) it
           | limits you to days of good weather and not too much sun or
           | your screen at max brightness will drain the battery in
           | record time. Quite a hurdle for forming a habit around it.
           | Maybe with a waterproof tablet + bluetooth keyboard + beefy
           | powerbank or solar panel setup if your work can be done in
           | the laughably limited confines of a mobile OS.
           | 
           | Something like the treadmill setup he tested would make more
           | sense for daily use, but the heart rate data he mentions
           | makes it sound completely useless.
        
       | teekert wrote:
       | The best posture is your next one.
       | 
       | Just keep moving guys, and train those core muscles that keep
       | your back straight.
        
       | parasti wrote:
       | I tried a standing desk. It boosted my productivity for sure -
       | when I wanted to procrastinate instead I just switched between
       | sitting/standing and kept working.
       | 
       | It also created a couple of health problems.
       | 
       | First, I started to feel pain in my left shoulder. After a while
       | I realized that it's caused by leaning on my left arm as a way to
       | let my feet rest.
       | 
       | Then, I started to feel tingling/numbness in one of my knees. It
       | persisted for weeks until I stopped using a standing desk.
        
       | dkjaudyeqooe wrote:
       | I use my computer lying down. Once you discover the utility and
       | comfort of this approach, you'll never want to give it up.
        
       | sudosteph wrote:
       | Quick question I like to ask to remote workers who have worked in
       | office environments before:
       | 
       | Do you find your ergonomics are better or worse since switching
       | to working at home? Or the same?
       | 
       | I've heard it both ways, but for me it's been harder to keep up
       | healthy ergo habits at home. Not sure if it was peer pressure in
       | the office that kept me using my standing desk better or what,
       | but I definitely have slipped and my posture is noticeably worse
       | lately.
        
         | isoprophlex wrote:
         | At home I can fuck off on a walk whenever I want, or do calls
         | walking, I have a nice standing desk, the food is always
         | healthy, I can take a hot shower when my neck hurts or go on a
         | run when fidgety, the chair is always set up correctly if I
         | want to sit, there's nice window blinds against glare, there's
         | a balcony to inhale fresh air and look in the distance...
         | 
         | Whereas office means trains, so cramped seating and touching a
         | laptop, or driving a car thru obnoxious traffic jams. I think
         | WFH is much healthier for me.
        
           | sudosteph wrote:
           | Ah, the commute may be the thing I'm not accounting for. My
           | last office jobs were about a mile walk from my apartment, so
           | I actually got more movement and fresh air as part of my
           | daily routine. Agreed that car and train time seem less than
           | ideal.
        
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