Office chairs cause back pain, just like gaming chairs.
What you really want is a nice recliner and a big TV. Keyboard in lap, mouse on arm rest (or end table). I’ve been computing this way since 2008 and I’ll never go back to a desk ever again.
If you’re getting back pain from an office chair then your arse is likely too far forward when you’re sitting and you’re putting pressure on your spine due it being at an angle other than 90 degrees from the seat, or your table is too low, lowering your arms, so you’re bending forward.
You’re suppose to feel your arse pushing against the back of the chair not leaving enough of a hole between the chair and your lower back that you can fit an arm in it, and when your arms are resting on the table (which they should be pretty much all the time if your keyboard and mouse are sufficiently forward) you should feel no pressure either downwards or upwards on your shoulders
I’ve been coding for over 3 decades, often for massive long hours (to the point that by the age of 17 I had RSI due to how my wrists were resting at the edge of the table and some years later when already doing it professionally went to the doctor with chest pain - which I feared were due to a hearth condition - which turned out to be work posture related) and at some point in my mid 20s I moved to The Netherlands and to a company which had its own Ergonomics Consultant (this was back in the peak of the 90s Tech boom so there was lots of money sloshing around) who would come around when you joined and adjust everything for you (they even had tables with adjustable height) and explain you all about the correct work posture.
Been following that advice and haven’t had posture related problems since then whilst always using pretty standard office chairs (always with adjustable height, tough).
I have however seen plenty of people doing the lazy (and stupid) posture of being all the way forward on their chair and quite a lot with arms too low or too high (which is more understandable since most cheap office tables don’t have adjustable height).
Find a good used office supply company. You can find top notch chairs like aerons that have a scratch or ding for half the price. They are usually good with single customers for these lightly used chair.
I managed to get my whole family some really good office chairs because a local business chucked them all in a local dumpster. Most of them just needed to have the foot-rests removed to be completely perfect. I looked them up, and they are all $600+ chairs brand new. Dumpster diving has always been fun :)
The better office chairs have 10+ year warranties, if you spread out the cost of buying a cheap chair (£150) every 2 years Vs a £1000 one that lasts 10 years its not such a huge difference in price whilst the benefits to your back are worth much more.
I know not everyone can afford this, but it’s worth checking for interest free credit from either the manufacturer, store, or even PayPal / klarna (which is what I did).
I read a few months ago about a US senator who was new to the position, formerly lived in less than ideal circumstances, made the news for becoming a senator while not being born into wealth. Anyway, they were surprised at the options they had for medical insurance, and how affordable they were, and how much they covered, and in general how much better these options were. Before becoming a senator, the same medical coverage would have cost an order of magnitude or two more.
I have a wooden dining table chair. It swivels, there is no cushion at all. Every time I think about replacing it, I look at what a gaming good gaming chair costs and I say “nah, I’m good”.
I’m not getting it but those gaming chairs look like racing car chairs. I didn’t think those seats were particularly comfortable either because I thought they kept you in place when things you’re zipping around?
You can get 'em for <$500 if you look the right places. And it follows the rule of never skimping on anything between you and the earth. Shoes, Tires, etc.
I tried so many different office chairs, they all sucked. Even the more expensive ones. But the “secret labs” gaming chair was perfect. Gives whatever support my fucked up spine needs, has the right mix of cush but firm. And the little magnetic pillow is in the perfect spot. It was very expensive but worth it to me.
99 percent of “office chairs” are the same poorly constructed garbage that “gaming chairs” are. Actually good chairs are 400-1000+ which most people cannot afford unfortunately.
Any office chair in similar price range would be at least somewhat better than a gaming chair. Gaming chairs are also overpriced so there really is no reason to but one unless you prefer looks (subjective) over comfort for done reason.
I was looking for some affordable refurbished ones like leap but it was either out of my price range or hard to find a good one. Ended up buying a cheap office chair, kinda regret it but ig you get what you pay for.
I used to love steam link, I bought one and loved it so I bought another one for a firend.
Somewhere along the way Valve changed how it worked. I was no longer able to play my games. I was exclusively playing non-steam games through my steam link, btw. I think it had to do with how steam interpreted inputs from a controller while steam thought you weren’t in a game.
I still have it, although I no longer have a tv so resolving my problems with steam link won’t do any good.
My office chair and gaming chair are both the same office chair. I swap the same monitor’s connection between my work laptop and pc depending on time of day.
“Gaming Chairs” are for idiot consumers. Office chairs are where it’s at. Office chairs are designed to be sat in for 8+ hours a day.
Office chairs cause back pain, just like gaming chairs.
What you really want is a nice recliner and a big TV. Keyboard in lap, mouse on arm rest (or end table). I’ve been computing this way since 2008 and I’ll never go back to a desk ever again.
If you’re getting back pain from an office chair then your arse is likely too far forward when you’re sitting and you’re putting pressure on your spine due it being at an angle other than 90 degrees from the seat, or your table is too low, lowering your arms, so you’re bending forward.
You’re suppose to feel your arse pushing against the back of the chair not leaving enough of a hole between the chair and your lower back that you can fit an arm in it, and when your arms are resting on the table (which they should be pretty much all the time if your keyboard and mouse are sufficiently forward) you should feel no pressure either downwards or upwards on your shoulders
I’ve been coding for over 3 decades, often for massive long hours (to the point that by the age of 17 I had RSI due to how my wrists were resting at the edge of the table and some years later when already doing it professionally went to the doctor with chest pain - which I feared were due to a hearth condition - which turned out to be work posture related) and at some point in my mid 20s I moved to The Netherlands and to a company which had its own Ergonomics Consultant (this was back in the peak of the 90s Tech boom so there was lots of money sloshing around) who would come around when you joined and adjust everything for you (they even had tables with adjustable height) and explain you all about the correct work posture.
Been following that advice and haven’t had posture related problems since then whilst always using pretty standard office chairs (always with adjustable height, tough).
I have however seen plenty of people doing the lazy (and stupid) posture of being all the way forward on their chair and quite a lot with arms too low or too high (which is more understandable since most cheap office tables don’t have adjustable height).
It’s a bite to the wallet to get a decent chair, but definitely worth it, and can still be done for sub-$1000 too.
Find a good used office supply company. You can find top notch chairs like aerons that have a scratch or ding for half the price. They are usually good with single customers for these lightly used chair.
I managed to get my whole family some really good office chairs because a local business chucked them all in a local dumpster. Most of them just needed to have the foot-rests removed to be completely perfect. I looked them up, and they are all $600+ chairs brand new. Dumpster diving has always been fun :)
The better office chairs have 10+ year warranties, if you spread out the cost of buying a cheap chair (£150) every 2 years Vs a £1000 one that lasts 10 years its not such a huge difference in price whilst the benefits to your back are worth much more.
I know not everyone can afford this, but it’s worth checking for interest free credit from either the manufacturer, store, or even PayPal / klarna (which is what I did).
Bro, who exactly buys a new chair every 2 years? 0.o
I WFH, so my chair gets a lot of use - it’s one of the tools I use.
If I was an electrician, or I commuted to work I know I’d be paying for tools, fuel, repairs, train tickets etc
I don’t know what your circumstances are, but I find a cheap chair falls apart pretty quick.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boots_theory
I read a few months ago about a US senator who was new to the position, formerly lived in less than ideal circumstances, made the news for becoming a senator while not being born into wealth. Anyway, they were surprised at the options they had for medical insurance, and how affordable they were, and how much they covered, and in general how much better these options were. Before becoming a senator, the same medical coverage would have cost an order of magnitude or two more.
Anyway, fuck the rich, then eat them.
I have a wooden dining table chair. It swivels, there is no cushion at all. Every time I think about replacing it, I look at what a gaming good gaming chair costs and I say “nah, I’m good”.
I’m not getting it but those gaming chairs look like racing car chairs. I didn’t think those seats were particularly comfortable either because I thought they kept you in place when things you’re zipping around?
They’re not comfortable, they’re fashionable. You pay extra to be hip with it.
I’ll take an Aeron chair.
You can get 'em for <$500 if you look the right places. And it follows the rule of never skimping on anything between you and the earth. Shoes, Tires, etc.
I have one, actually. I literally found it for free on the street, because some idiot was tossing it out 😋
Holy hell, nice find!
I tried so many different office chairs, they all sucked. Even the more expensive ones. But the “secret labs” gaming chair was perfect. Gives whatever support my fucked up spine needs, has the right mix of cush but firm. And the little magnetic pillow is in the perfect spot. It was very expensive but worth it to me.
Most gaming chairs are memes tho I’ll say
99 percent of “office chairs” are the same poorly constructed garbage that “gaming chairs” are. Actually good chairs are 400-1000+ which most people cannot afford unfortunately.
Most gaming chairs are an easy 200+. At that price range, an office chair is GOING to outperform it in terms of comfort.
Gaming chairs on the other hand, throw on some pads with different colored stitching, and are incredibly low quality.
Any office chair in similar price range would be at least somewhat better than a gaming chair. Gaming chairs are also overpriced so there really is no reason to but one unless you prefer looks (subjective) over comfort for done reason.
I was looking for some affordable refurbished ones like leap but it was either out of my price range or hard to find a good one. Ended up buying a cheap office chair, kinda regret it but ig you get what you pay for.
I just play PC games on my couch.
Steam link fpr the win. You can play your pc games on the loo as well!
I used to love steam link, I bought one and loved it so I bought another one for a firend.
Somewhere along the way Valve changed how it worked. I was no longer able to play my games. I was exclusively playing non-steam games through my steam link, btw. I think it had to do with how steam interpreted inputs from a controller while steam thought you weren’t in a game.
I still have it, although I no longer have a tv so resolving my problems with steam link won’t do any good.
You want a chair that makes it look like you’re about to lay off the bottom 10% performers.
Some folks like bottom performers. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
heyyy
My office chair is a gaming chair (seems fine), my gaming chair is the sofa and a big pile of cushions (and the bog, of course)
My office chair and gaming chair are both the same office chair. I swap the same monitor’s connection between my work laptop and pc depending on time of day.