Is your computer use detrimental to your health? Some ergonomic solutions -

[Dover]

Is your computer use detrimental to your health? If so, often it is a result of poor work habits (too few breaks/exercise) and the wrong furnishings.

So I've been looking into a better office/computer setup that would improve comfort while relieving
physical stress and ran across this great site (ergoblog.com) that addressed these needs.
I haven't tried this particular workstation but it sure looks as though it takes all the proper considerations into account for good ergonomic working positions, etc. Whether you have an injury, disability, work long hours at the computer or are just looking for a cool looking compact, multi-function work station for gaming, etc, check out the iClubby as well as go to the ergoblog.com website for more options and reviews. I've also included some other ergonomic workstations and furnishings I ran across. I'm guessing we'll only see more and more of these sorts of solutions as the physical issues arising from computer use continue to surface. And if you've found something that you'd recommend please share it.

iClubby - You have to visit their website to get a good look at this one.

Desks were designed before computers existed and they have largely dictated the way we configure our working environment. A lot of journalists are viewing the new Gravitonus iClubby as a workstation for gamers, but in my mind, it’s a lot more than that. Perhaps it’s time to reappraise exactly what a workstation should look like, because after trying it at CES, I want one, and I only spend a very small proportion of my time gaming. The fully ergonomic seating position, three screens, the sound system and lighting and temperature controls makes it the ideal high productivity workstation for anyone who spends long hours slaving over a hot keyboard . At $7000 it isn’t cheap, but it’s VERY comfortable, and I suspect the increased productivity afforded by the comfort and increased concentration would yield an ROI measured in months, not years, and there’s no price you can put on a bad back and aching shoulders.


http://gravitonus.com/lang/en-us/index/iclubbyworkstation/

http://www.ergoblog.com/ergonomic_computer_chairsworkstations/

Pics -
http://www.gizmag.com/hands-on-with-the-gravitonus-iclubby-ergonomic-workstation/10815/picture/65140/

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Zero-Gee Workstation


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The Surf Chair


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And this is a great company from Norway called Varier. I believe they used to make some products under the name Stokke (who still makes awesome baby furniture/strollers). They have a nice, albeit pricey, selection of ergonomic office furniture as well as household furnishings. My favorite all around, do everything chair is the Gravity Balans pictured below. It has three positons - recline, upright and forward kneeling:

http://www.varierfurniture.com/
http://www.varierfurniture.com/Collections/Human-instruments/Gravity-balans-R
U.S. Distributor - http://www.ergodepot.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=V233




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And of course Relax The Back store has some incredible new anti-gravity chairs, as does Human Touch:

http://www.relaxtheback.com/recliners/zero-gravity.html
http://www.humantouch.com/perfect-chairs.html



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On a budget? Wanna take it with you?
How about one of these (comes in different fabrics for interior or exterior models - mesh, padded, or leather).
Many brands in this category. Here are two - Lafuma and also Faulkner:

http://sitincomfort.com/faexreblleme.html
http://www.lafumafurniture.com/home.jsp?gclid=CJXb8dS72qYCFcG77Qod63EM0Q

[qnr]

1. Interesting. I must say though, that it brings to mind the hoverchairs from WALL-E n/t

[trotsky]

2. One of the best things you can do is simply shift around a lot.

Try not to be in the same position for long. Get up at least once an hour and walk around, stretch, etc.

[NV Whino]

3. I have the bottom two

and this one
http://www.swingseat.com/

Go to the site to see a short video of it in action. These are pretty inexpensive and made locally. (At least local for me.)

[Dover]

5. Nice! Good for a traditional desk arrangement.

However, if one is inclined to raise one's feet while working I doubt that it provides support
to all the right areas that need it like the neck position, etc.

I sat in that zero-gravity recliner at Relax The Back (that you said you own) the other day and didn't want to ever get out of it, particularly from the furthest reclining position. I almost fell asleep. Wonderful chair. I'd have to do some thinking to make it work as a computer station though. For instance, the attachable tilting book/computer rest arm works okay if the chair is upright, but it isn't height adjustable to accomodate a more reclined position for working on a laptop or keyboard. I was thinking if I went that route that I wouldn't get that attachable arm, but would get one of those separate rolling work surfaces that fit around your chair. I'd have to just try it to know for sure. I also tried out a cool book/computer rest there that you straddle and place between/beneath your legs while you sit that is probably the most comfortable solution I've experienced for working from a chair with a laptop in the lap. It's very securely held by your legs/weight and is adjustable to many positions. It was made of wood.

[elocs]

4. I already use my computer (not a laptop) while sitting in my leather recliner with my feet up.

My 28" monitor is off to my right on the desk at eye level, the keyboard is in my lap, and the optical mouse I use on my right armrest. I've used it this way for years and it works quite nicely.

[supernova]

6. I advocate the opposite

I posit that all types of office work, anything where you park your bottom for 8+ hours a day, is detrimental to your health and no, going to the gym for an hour doesn't make up for it. I think one of the simplest reasons we are so unhealthy, obesity, hypertension, yada, yada, yada, is all the sitting.

The human body was designed for work and movement. Sitting is for rest and leisure. Those are fine, but they can't make up the majority of your day. To that end, I would love to have a desk like this:

Treadmill Desk on Good Morning America http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPjN07JyVjo

[Dover]

8. In the infamous words of Maynard G. Krebs,..."wworrrk!"

Ahhh...the 8 hour workday. Truly a dated remnant of the 20th Century era which is hardly applicable to the high tech disembodied and cerebral Information age...and yet the cubicle/office endures perhaps because the computer encourages sitting. So it's also a 21st Century phenomenon regardless of whether one is at home or the office.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5wLfflmzHY

Though Maynard would certainly have agreed with you on the downside of the 8-hour work ethic I'm guessing he'd have ultimately been more of an advocate of the zero-gravity recliner solution rather than the treadmill...hehehe. Or he might suggest walks in nature, poetry readings and bongo playing. He took middle class leisure time to heart. It was and is one of those inner conflicts in our culture ... supposedly there was more leisure time than ever in the last century, and yet the distorted values we built around the work ethic wouldn't let us enjoy it.

I'm with you on the regimentation and unhealthy aspects of desk-sitting and screen time.
Some companies like Apple (so I'm told) try to introduce activity and variety into the work day with plenty of emphasis on play. And of course it helps if you love your work. As always and in everything, finding a healthy balance makes for happy living.

[Richard D]

7. One of the best things

Is an exercise ball chair. That way every moment you're sitting at a desk you are actively using your body and getting exercise, especially for the back. One of the problems I see with the zero gravity idea is that while being relaxed, there will be little caloric expenditure and no activation of the support muscles. With the exercise ball chairs that issue is solved.
They're weird looking, sure, but the people I know who have them swear by them. A lot less expensive than the typical ergonomic chair and a lot less expensive than the options above.

[Dover]

9. Yes I think that's probably very true.

And besides just sitting on an exercise ball there are several 'ball chairs' out there that I've seen. And Relax The Back has a new stool that sits atop a spring column that emulates that movement called Wheeled Swopper -



Of course it costs $800!

I was told that the subtle wobble in the kneeling and gravity chairs (by Stokke/Varier) was purposely created so that the body would always be in motion rather than stationary. Some think it wobbles because it's not put together well (according to a sales clerk), but that's not the case.


Anyhoo, I'm with you on the benefits of that movement.