I'm only 33 but never had any issues with joint pains or anything like that whereas my peers, some younger and some older struggle with this and use various methods like ergonomic keyboards, massage sessions, stretching, etc to help ease the pain.
I've used a traditional mouse and keyboard since I was around 7 and can easily spend a whole day in front of my computer.
Lately I've been wondering if it's simply just my inability to sit still which has helped me so far. I feel like I always need to change my sitting position. I can sink down in my chair, put my legs up on something, move my feet, lean on my desk in awkward positions, stretch and twist my body and so on. Not because anything hurts, but because I just feel restless.
But sometimes when I've been intensely in the zone while programming, I don't move as much and then I might start to feel some stiffness in my arms, fingers, etc. I would also notice my eyes get sore, maybe because I don't blink as much?
I am 36 and I subscribe to notion that no desk or ergonomic chair will help.
Only thing that helps is excercise.
I go to the gym at least 2x a week.
When gyms were closed during lockdowns I did not excercise or had much of movement anyway. Then I got my back hurting and other stuff.
Now I am back at the gym and all issues went away. Also I don’t lift super heavy but moderately like I don’t bench press 100kg so I finish at 70kg usually. So it more important to move than lift heavy. All gym bros will tell you to put on more weights but you don’t have to if it is not your goal. My goal is to be healthy.
Also timers; reminding to constantly switch up positioning. Standing, sitting (especially with legs up), now and then lie down position even (e.g. for when reading specs/documentation).
Switching chairs is another one for me. I do have a HAG Capisco at my fully ergonomic standing desk setup but also work from the couch or kitchen table in between.
But yes, exercise is the main pillar; and AFAIR ergonomics basically means no repetitive or same posture or movement over longer stretches of time; body wants to change position and move about.
Lastly, breaking habit of overwork if current work phase allows (always questioning if the case / if working efficiently).
Exercise helps a lot. Sitting at a desk long-term will destroy your body after decades. Taking breaks and moving your body is important. Things like walking meetings and doing squats and bodyweight exercises are a good investment in your physiology and health.
Rowing is fantastic for this. There is a good balance between cardio workout and strength. If your day job involves sitting in a chair for eight hours a day then the all over effect finds those muscles that you don't use very often and tones them up.
I benefited greatly from an ergonomic chair. The biggest benefit to it is the max height was maybe 3 inches higher than my prior chair, which was enough to change my forearm from being angled upwards to being angled downwards.
Ergonomics are a reasonably complex topic that’s its own speciality and there’s not much in the way of one size fits all solutions.
Some additional notes from reading other comments. I feel the way I wrote the post make it sound as if I'm fine with any setup which is not true.
- Lower than normal desk height is more comfortable.
- Lower than normal chair height is more comfortable.
- Using a laptop is tiring unless it's on a desk.
- Using a laptop on my lap in a couch gives me neck pain.
- I should preferably not have to tilt my neck to look at the center of a screen.
- Using a macbook trackpad over extended periods of time can give me some wrist discomfort. I find myself often twisting and cracking my wris if I don't use a mouse because of the discomfort.
- Some chairs work better than others but I'm not sure what it is. Price does not seem to correlate at all.
Somewhat related:
- Sleeping on a pillow that is too tall gives me neck pain and headache. (from staying in hotels, friends, family, etc)
- Sleeping on very hard mattresses is preferable over soft. (seems more common in asia)
I think it's also just individual differences. Some people are naturally more prone to RSI than others.
I get a bit of pain from long typing, especially writing prose, but it usually resolves itself pretty quick. However I knew a guy during my PhD who was like 30, used arm braces, a standing desk, ergonomic keyboard and mouse and took regular break on a timer AND was under lots of pain. That's bad genetic luck.
The basic advice I got to avoid RSI (from an ortho) was dynamic movement. Move. Change position a lot. Sit back, forward, turn, get up, yell at the neighbors, etc. Any movement is the point, as it activates your tendons and joints. Seems to work.
I coded professionally for more than 10 years without thinking about ergonomics, and without any problems. But then I started to feel pain in my arms, and it took a lot of effort to get it under control. In the end, what helped me the most was using a break program (to remind me to let go of the keyboard, and to do stretches), in combination with an ergonomic keyboard and mouse.
I've used a traditional mouse and keyboard since I was around 7 and can easily spend a whole day in front of my computer.
Lately I've been wondering if it's simply just my inability to sit still which has helped me so far. I feel like I always need to change my sitting position. I can sink down in my chair, put my legs up on something, move my feet, lean on my desk in awkward positions, stretch and twist my body and so on. Not because anything hurts, but because I just feel restless.
But sometimes when I've been intensely in the zone while programming, I don't move as much and then I might start to feel some stiffness in my arms, fingers, etc. I would also notice my eyes get sore, maybe because I don't blink as much?