Ask HN: How do you prevent slouching at your desk?

I've had a couple herniated discs in my lower back for over eight years now, so I've spent significant time focusing on improving my posture while sitting.

Here are a few tips:

1. Use a lumbar roll -- you place this in your lower back and it forces you to maintain a lordosis (curve of the spine) by keeping it in position. This will be tiring for the first couple of weeks, but eventually it will feel natural.

Here is a link to a lumbar roll similar to what I've used: http://www.amazon.com/Original-McKenzie-D-Section-700-Lumbar...

2. Monitor height -- you want your monitor to be positioned so that you are looking straight ahead, rather than down, towards your monitor. If you are forced to look down there is a better chance of leaning forward instead of maintaing good posture.

If you're using a laptop, consider buying a laptop stand to increase the height of the laptop. http://www.amazon.com/AliMed-Smart-Stand-Laptop/dp/B003T1LWW...

If you can't get your monitor high enough relative to your position, you'll need a taller desk. -------------------------------------------------------

Those are my two biggest tips, but there are others:

Chairs are not made equal... different chairs have definite discrepancies in the amount of pain they cause me on a day to day basis. Even expensive ones will send shooting pains down my leg within a few hours of sitting in them. If you can test some new chairs out for a day or two at a time, I'd recommend doing so.

Get up, walk, and/or stretch regularly for a couple of minutes. At work I use a small cup for water, which requires me to refill every 45 minutes or so. A quick 2 minute walk to the water tank for a fill-up is a refreshing break for our backs.

You probably have too-small a screen or too small letters on your screen, though for what it's worth there really i no ergonomic way to use a laptop that doesn't involve at least one of an external keyboard or screen. Increase your font sizes, and you may not feel the need to lean in so much. (And/or see an eye doc.)

And working at home (or in a startup you run, I guess) means you can do things to help your health and productivity even if they might seem ridiculous, like take naps and walk while you type. Yet another reason I don't see myself ever having a 'normal' job again. (And most people seem to think my treadmill desk is pretty cool, fwiw.)

(At the risk of sounding like a broken record...)

(At the further risk of alienating everyone younger than me; I'm only barely old enough to remember records, and never actually owned any...)

Get a standing desk. No slouch. Good stuff. Treadmill gizmo is completely unnecessary.

The only thing that has improved my posture (other than concentration and awareness, which are usually engaged with other things) is exercise. For me, running helps a little, but the best by far is lifting weights. After I lift weights, my posture takes care of itself for the next 12-24 hours. Lifting weights also helps me learn what a strong, healthy posture feels like, so when I consciously try to stand up straight, it's easier to achieve a relaxed, natural-feeling position instead of straining and feeling unsure.

I expect this advice only applies to exercises done on your feet with free weights, such as squatting and overhead pressing, not to bench pressing or machine work.

I've found the absolute best thing you can do is to switch positions frequently. I've got terrible posture - I'm frequently curled up & twisted in my chair - and yet have never had RSI or back problems, probably because I don't hold that posture for long. At work, I usually migrate between my desk, the futon, a beanbag, and the massage chair. At home, I switch between couch, floor, bed, and balcony, with frequent breaks to get up and pace.

When I don't get up and switch, I frequently do have problems, like I threw out my shoulder leaning on the couch while reading the NaNoWriMo forums last night. Vegging out can be hazardous to your health...

I found that using a Kinesis freestyle keyboard improved my sitting posture a lot. The keyboard is split in half and connected by a wire and I have them set up about shoulder width apart. With a normal keyboard I pull my shoulders inward which causes me to slouch. Now I can lean back while typing.

Holding an upright posture requires exercise. It IS exercise, actually, which is why it is hard to maintain for a while. So for that aspect of the problem, one part of the solution == training, strengthening back muscles, yoga, meditation, etc. By this, I mean as a extra-curricular activity.

As for posture itself, there is no simple answer. The way you sit, the placement of your peripherals, how much time you spend sitting, these are all factors. In order, then, and in brief:

Rolling your hips forward pushes the spine up. This is fundamental, literally. Try a sitting position where your legs decline from your butt at a downward angle. Sitting "indian style" on a decline is a good place to start (or the "beaver" stretch position, with flat feet together. Obviously, your average chair is not conducive to this. ALternatively, you could sit on a pillow on the floor. You can sit with the lower half of your ass off a flat chair, with legs tucked under, but it is not the best for circulation.

Your workspace is all important. If you're a pro programmer, it's worth every effort to make your workshop (or command center, if you prefer) as close to some ideal as possible. For instance, putting your monitor above the parallel plane of vision is probably a big deal. Parallel plane = straight ahead. Ergo(nomically): you should look upward to your monitor. This will encourage your posture.

Again, since maintaining the position is actual work itself, it follows that your should take regular breaks, stand up, walk away (or pace), return after a few minutes, and get back to work. This also helps circulate blood. A programmer I work with espouses the Pomodoro Technique, which is a time-on/time-off regimen for deep cycle work flow. The effect is you set a timer, and follow basic rules without fail. It's also good for your eyes to to turn away from the screen every 45 minutes.

Bonus: breathing is life. Breathe deep for a deeper life. Regulate breath, keep yourself extra-oxygenated. This is good for awareness and staves off fatigue, which are critical for not recessing down into a slouch.

I'm a pretty tense (high-strung) guy when it comes to being in one place for a long time. To help with the slouching, and also with the Restless Leg Syndrome (http://www.rls.org ...yes, we have our own damn foundation!), I have to use a chair which feels optimally comfortable when sitting back and IN the chair (with each part of your back and posterior being supported by the chair). There's the initial investment of testing several chairs to find the one which fits your shape and comfort, but pressing myself into a chair which is comfortable to sit in and supports how I sit was 90% of the battle.

I keep my contrast up -- my screen has a horrible problem with the contrast and subpixel organization. It just makes it harder and harder to read over time.

I've also change my interface fonts... My monospace font has gone to a 12 point Monofur, which makes a very readable font imo, and for my normal font I've moved to a 14 point Verdana. I have also found putting my chair higher made a HUGE difference.

high contrast white-on-black and green-on-black works better for me than other color schemes, so that's one big thing.

I boosted my desk and now stand up. When I feel like sitting down, I have a stool. Having no back to your seating will improve your posture if you consciously think about sitting up. I was on the crew team in college and working out my core muscles every day did more to improve my posture than anything I've ever done.

Rethink the treadmill desk. Bodies are not designed for sitting all day. Building a treadmill desk was probably the best single thing I've done for both my health and productivity. Either that or take half-hour breaks to do vigorous exercise throughout the day.

This week I have been house/cat sitting for a friend. While reading on their computer my posture would begin to hunch, followed rapidly by a cat leaping onto the area behind my neck.

Sitting up straight solved the cat issue. Maybe a cat will solve your slouch issue.

I lean back, put my feet up on my desk or the computer underneath, put my keyboard on my lap, and increase my font size till I don't have to strain to read it. :)

"Treat Your Own Back" by Robin McKenzie was recommended to me by a physiotherapist and my grandfather. General advice to consult your own GP or physiotherapist applies.

http://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Back-Robin-McKenzie/dp/0958...

You could try this:

http://www.nadachair.com/

It feels good for my back, but everybody is different.

I agree with rjett about not having anything to lean on. It really does improve your posture. I sit on a balance ball at my office, and have consistently for about 10 months. It's really hard to slouch on a balance ball. It's improved my overall core strength considerably, and I don't think I ever slouch.

What I just discovered recently that has made all the difference is: Keep your feet flat on the floor. It makes it much easier to sit up straight; or, perhaps, sticking your feet out in front of you or tucking them under your chair makes it much easier to slouch.

Perhaps you need glasses? I've read recently that slouching is actually easier on the back than sitting straight, however, I think that was about slouching away from the screen. I tend to do that - of course a lot of employers are not very thrilled about it.

While we're on the topic, anyone have tips for having a good posture, but packing your setup in a bag? I want to work remotely but not kill my back in the process.

So far the best suggestions seem to be to use a nada-chair and a laptop stand + light external keyboard.

Years ago I tried a kneeling chair (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kneeling_chair). It was quite pleasant, although I've never spent an extended period of time with one.

Put something moderately sharp (but rather blunt still) on the edge of your desk? So leaning on it is uncomfortable but not damaging to your clothes?

Also, tell your optometrist about this. It really sounds like something is wrong with your vision.

I would recommend a standing desk. The Ikea utby (105 cm) is great. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49843462

I use a swopper chair at home, and at work I stick a bunch of reams of paper under my monitors to make sure they stay up.

Next on my home list is to buy either a laptop stand or get a good monitor+stand.

I strongly recommend leaning back, with the legs propped up. I don't even know what back pain is anymore, and I only realize how comfortable it is when I sit at someone else's desk.

Anyone had any good experiences with those saddle and/or kneeling chairs? I find it odd that I get less backpain riding a motorcycle all day than sitting at a desk ...

Use a Swiss ball for a desk chair.

Squat, deadlift.

Lean back in your chair.