r/Ergonomics

Over the years working in spine rehab and sports medicine, one thing I’ve noticed is that many people now have:

expensive ergonomic chairs
standing desks
lumbar supports
posture correctors
special pillows
perfectly adjusted workstations

…yet they still deal with:

neck stiffness
headaches
upper back tension
sciatica
fatigue
low back pain

It makes me wonder if we sometimes focus too much on finding the “perfect posture” or “perfect setup” instead of asking a bigger question:

Is the human body simply not designed to stay in one position for hours at a time?

Modern pain science seems to increasingly support the idea that:

movement variability matters
tissue tolerance matters
conditioning matters
recovery matters
sleep matters
stress matters

and prolonged static loading may be a bigger issue than posture alone

I actually think both sides are partly right:

Posture probably isn’t the single cause of pain.
But I also don’t think prolonged static positioning, poor movement habits, deconditioning, and repetitive loading are irrelevant either.

The body seems to tolerate movement far better than rigidity.

Curious what others here have noticed:

Did ergonomics help you?
Was movement more important?
Standing desk?
Walking?
Strength training?
Mobility work?
Something else?

https://preview.redd.it/yvxh9y8mlc2h1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c18a57d599954a510db0a87165f059194a439c94

So this is my setup right now, but I don't feel comfortable, and it's starting to give pain in my elbow, shoulder and wrist. It is good to mention that iam 164 cm and my desk height is 73cm in this position. Im a graphic designer and i dont know what to do 😞. Help.

I’m 34 and I’ve been dealing with wrist pain on my right side for about six months now. It’s specifically from mouse use during work - I’m a graphic designer so I’m clicking and moving the mouse constantly for 8-10 hours a day. The pain starts as a dull ache in the morning and by afternoon it’s sharp enough that I have to stop and stretch frequently.

I’ve tried three different mice so far thinking that was the problem. Started with a standard Logitech mouse, switched to a vertical mouse which helped for maybe two weeks, then tried an ergonomic trackball mouse which actually made things worse. None of them have solved the issue long term.

I’m starting to think the problem isn’t just the mouse but my entire arm position and desk setup. My desk is a standard height and I have a basic office chair that’s probably 5 years old at this point. The armrests are basically shot - the padding is compressed and one of them wobbles. I’ve been resting my forearm directly on the hard desk surface which I’m realizing might be part of the problem.

I looked into getting a new chair but decent ergonomic ones are $400  which is tough right now. I considered just replacing the armrests on my current chair but I’m not even sure if that’s possible or if I’d just be putting bandaids on a fundamentally bad chair. My coworker mentioned he found some office chair armrest replacement parts online, said he’d seen people discussing sourcing them from places like alibaba, but that seems complicated and I don’t know if they’d even fit my chair.

I’ve also been reading about keyboard trays and adjustable desk converters but I’m overwhelmed by options and not sure what would actually address my specific issue. Do I need my mouse at a different height, different angle, more wrist support, or is my chair position the real culprit?

Has anyone dealt with persistent mouse-related wrist pain? What setup changes actually made a difference? I’m willing to invest in solutions but I want to fix the right thing instead of just buying more equipment that doesn’t help.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on a university project about tablet and stylus ergonomics and I’m looking for people who regularly write or draw on tablets to participate in a short survey.

The survey takes about 2–3 minutes and is completely anonymous.

I’d really appreciate any participation or shares. Thanks! :)

Everyone online is using desk shelfs to raise their monitor. I must have a very weird body shape because if I'd raise my 27" monitor I'd be looking up at it. As I wear varifocal lenses, I would rather be looking down - or straight ahead. Looking up is definitely no good. I am 160cm/5'3". Plenty of people are the same height. Why is everyone getting a shelf? They'd have to raise their chair a lot, messing up the floor-chair setup. If you aim is to look straight ahead and your eye level hitting the top third area of your monitor, desk at appropriate height for arms, and feet flat on the floor..... I don't get it...... Suspect it's just aesthetics. Those desk shelves look nice.

Hi all, I'm redoing my office. Finally got a standing desk and have played around with different chairs, not having any luck. I have severe pain everywhere from 20+ years sitting at a desk, feet dangling, crossing legs, etc. I have found that a stationary chair w/arms does better for me than wheels- I hate having to balance myself swiveling and moving. Does anyone have suggestions and does this exist?

so y'all — been hopping on the bike with the screen during lunch, calves are kinda tight now. anyone else feel this or just me?

i’m a competitive moba player and i’d like some advice about chair height. i’m 186 cm (6'1") and my desk is 73 cm (28.7") high. what would be the ideal chair height for me?

I've dealt with reoccurring pain in areas below my lower half for years now. I attribute this mostly to bad posture, but I have been trying to improve said posture for a couple years now.

My pain is sharp in a few areas, it changes every time it "pops up". Just one of my legs will hurt, usually in the rear thigh or calf. My lower back will commonly hurt a few inches above my tailbone. My hip flexors will hurt most commonly.

I used to sit cross-legged, as it felt the most comfortable for my body, but I have stopped doing that for the last couple of years. I try to keep my feet flat on the floor and my back pressed against the backrest fully.

I feel like there might be a problem with my chair. I feel like it isn't ergonomic at all. There is hardly any cushion, there might be too much space on the seat, and it doesn't support my lower spine at all.

Could a new chair be the right direction in preventing future pain? I had a few chairs in the price range ~$200, but I know the really good ones are 1k+, I just can't afford that.

I really need a monitor arm, but I have a problem: my desk has no lip for a clamp, and it cannot be drilled into (I’m borrowing it, not allowed to alter it).

Are there any monitor arm options for desks that: a) cannot be drilled/altered, and (b) don’t involve a clamp?

I was thinking about floor monitor arms as a possibility, but couldn’t find any that could be pulled forward or pushed backward.

Any suggestions would be appreciated by my neck!