Tell HN: Putting mirrors around my desk improved my posture

[cushpush]

Last year I purchased 2 standing mirrors, one that stands astride my monitor viewing area, but is ahead in the distance about 7 feet, and one that is directly lateral to me, that lets me check my posture every so often. I think the lack of good data for "how I'm sitting" can result in unsavory posture choices throughout the day, so by adding data or visibility to the equation, I am now able to do something about it. Sure, you can do it with one mirror, but something about having two distinct angles gives extra nuance for tilt and lean.

[ToJans]

If anyone's interested: I wrote a small free app that runs completely client-side in the browser via your webcam, and gives an audible alert if your posture changes:

https://ppp.virtualsaleslab.com

[bckr]

Thanks for sharing this.

The physical therapists I’ve talked to have been very clear that staying in the same position for too long is a primary driver of pain.

So, I’m not sure if this is a whole solution.

[dilly_li]

Nice! Can you add an option to make the beep nonstop whenever the posture is poor? A single beep sound might not be strong enough for me to notice.

[ensocode]

Hi Tom, this is a nice solution. Is it open source? You wrote its completely client-side. Which libraries do you use for the posture recognition? I only know python mediapipe, opencv to achive this.

[notum]

Very cool! Unfortunately it's not working with gimbal/tracking/panning cameras :(

[iamcreasy]

Very interesting. Does it work similarly well on built in and external web cam?

[happytoexplain]

This is great, I'm definitely going to try leaving this on all the time.

[bluehorseray]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I find the discussion around "reminding" yourself to have good posture off-base. It's like saying that if you want larger biceps, you should walk around with your biceps flexed all day. I feel like the important part is strengthening your postural muscles, and then just living normally

[jahewson]

You can’t strengthen muscles that haven’t been stretched properly. Bad posture limits the range of motion, shortens the muscles and causes trigger points. Bad posture is like training the wrong way for 8 hours a day. It’s a problem that has to be attacked from all angles - posture, stretch, massage, core strength.

[nroets]

For many people it's a bad habit possibly due to performing certain tasks like manufacturing things at a desk. Similar bad habits: chewing with an open mouth, mouth breathing or using filler words.

By spending enough time in the right position, you will instantly know when your posture is wrong.

[chis]

If anyone’s wondering this is totally incorrect. In fact any guide for posture correction on the internet will recommend tons of focus on body awareness until you retrain movement patterns.

[mnky9800n]

How do you recommend strengthening your postural muscles

[thenerdhead]

You can have a strong core and still have bad posture.

Being more aware helps you correct it. Mirrors are a great way to do that. Not honestly sure how your bicep comparison is relevant, but people look in front of mirrors to correct form for their bicep curls too.

[cpp_frog]

Slightly related: Does anyone else can't concentrate for long periods of time while sitting in front of a computer? I have mild scoliosis and a fear of varicocele (if that's relevant), and fortunately my work involves implementation of numerical algorithms/problem solving that I can first sketch on a notebook while laying on my bed and finally be coded sitting -on a rush-. Same with reading books. I'm thinking of purchasing a one-sided divan sofa and put it next to my desktop.

[Liquix]

A height adjustable desk is worth looking into if you don't already have one. Alternating between sitting and standing every 30-60 minutes is great for posture fatigue.

[syntheweave]

I have a similar mild scoliosis/desk avoidance thing. But what I've found is that it's not related to pain(I can game for hours and hours in a chair), it's more of a energy/bloodflow/breathing issue. Lying prone or supine is actually a good posture for relaxing enough to think carefully. Sitting upright induces attention and focus to immediate tasks but it can also produce woozy idis haze right after eating.

My favorite setup, overall, is floor sitting with a low desk. This lets the posture shift around moment-to-moment, including fully upright seiza type positions and supine or prone positions.

[numpad0]

I’ve heard that some people even attempt to maximize walking time when important deadlines are close, because putting on serious faces and pretending to be productive at their desk is anecdotally so counterproductive to them. I think there are much to be discovered in where our creativity come from.

[ensocode]

This is a cool low-tech way! Have you heard about Sitapp (https://sitapp.app/)? It's a webapp that utilizes your webcam to correct your posture. Do you maybe know similar apps for linux? I completely agree with the previous comments about the importance of changing positions frequently to prevent the discomfort that comes with a static posture. If you're interested in delving deeper into this subject, I highly recommend Eric Soehngen's insightful book, "Death By Sitting: Why We Need A Movement Revolution." It's an nice read Finally, for those looking for alternative options, I've found that treadmill desks are an excellent choice. They offer a good mix of productivity and physical activity.

[sublinear]

Mirrors encourage all kinds of positivity. Facial posture too! No more RBF. The people around me have noticed a "mood improvement", but actually it's just self-awareness of how I look.

[swah]

Yeah I wish I had a labrador face.

[JoelMcCracken]

I bought one of these. It’s helped a good bit. I also bought the necklace attachment, much better than the sticky pads

Upright GO-2 | Posture Corrector Trainer, Discreet & Strapless for Men & Women - Sync & Track Progress Via App (GO-2) https://a.co/d/cdEdaRC

[abhaynayar]

I recently used Alfred app to turn my old Android phone into a CCTV when I realized there was a huge difference between how I perceived myself versus how I looked in photos/videos. One of the biggest things I improved on because of that was my posture. Over time, I kept reminding and correcting myself, and even though my mistakes were subtle, now my shoulders are relaxed and not closing forwards, and I am not hunching over. Still need to keep reminding, but less often.

(Apart from the health perspective, it makes a huge difference in how good you look and what personality you exude.)

[boondoggle16]

Could you elaborate on this? It sounds interesting to me, because I have also noticed a difference in how I perceive myself, vs the reality of photos and videos.

I have a variable voice, for example, and I've considered training myself to use a single voice type instead. I could project a deeper and louder voice, and probably gain a lot of social status by doing so.

[DuckFeathers]

Frederick Matthias Alexander (of the Alexander Technique fame) used 3 mirrors to diagnose and fix his bad posture leading to vocal rsi, so I am certain that this is a great idea. It would be nice if someone came up with a more smarter solution for this.

[davidguetta]

I'm just going to put this here, unafraid of the mighty downvotes: https://leangains.com/fuckarounditis/

Posture is bullshit. People have back pain because they are weak in their back who have no muscle. Just get stronger with real physical exercises (done safely) and you'll be fine.

[grugagag]

People have poor muscular tone because of poor postre and bad habits in the first place. There are people who never work out and are just fine, have no back pain but do have good posture and proper gait.

And there are people who work out with incorrect posture. They have more problems than all, so posture and good habits are very important.

[Mawr]

It's somewhat amusing that the best exercise is just "repeatedly lift heavy rock off ground".

[pbiggar]

I've had terrible posture for years and have tried lots of ways to fix it. After finally going to a good Physical Therapist, I'm finally making great progress that people have commented on.

The problem is that you can't just put yourself in a better posture. You can fix workplace ergonomics (and should!), but you have tight muscles and weak muscles and attempting to just "sit up straight" doesn't work and may actively be harmful.

For example, lots of people told me to sit up straight as a kid, which resulted in my tilting my chin up to give the appearance of sitting it straighter, but it actually made my posture much worse by rounding my spine more.

So to solve it, see a professional. They will give you exercises to fix the muscles that are pulling your spine out of alignment. The exercises will loosen tight muscles, give you more range of motion, strengthen weak muscles like your core, and in a few months will get you feeling much better and standing much straighter.

[asadm]

One interesting app I found was https://apps.apple.com/us/app/posture-pal-improve-alert/id15...

It detects posture via Airpods and tries to correct you.

[JimtheCoder]

If I put mirrors around my desk, I would just spend all day looking at myself...

[Darmody]

Flexing to see my gains. Yes.

[anon84873628]

No worse than only looking at myself in the video call. Why doesn't every app put yourself directly under the camera by default??

[dalmo3]

This but unironically. I had a mirror next to my desk for a while and ended up having to move it out of sight as it was distracting.

[grugagag]

Maybe until the novelty gets old but then turns to glimpses here and there.

[edgefield]

I thought about trying this exact same idea for my indoor bike. Posture is also key for cycling.

[melx]

I guess you mean road cycling.

I would advise to get bike fitting service, it's not that expensive and will save you a lot in long term.

[progbits]

This seems like as good place to ask as any: Kinect and similar cameras can do posture estimation. Anyone tried that for bad posture alerts?

[_neil]

I haven’t tried it yet but have been thinking about it. It seems like you’d want front/side views to detect leaning. Kinects would work but you could also use old iPhones with ARKit or any camera connected to mediapipe.

[dghughes]

My job for many years had me walking a lot. Up and down stairs often dozens of times a day a double set of stairs so two story equivalent. Plus crawling around running cable on floors or in ceilings. Lifting equipment from 50 to 300 pounds (with assistance).

Now I'm at a desk and two years on I often catch myself shaped like an S. Engrossed in a problem my posture has become bad. Plus I haven't done any exercise in two years so my muscle tone and cardiovascular has has never been worse.

Last week whatever I did or whatever series of events led up to it my right shoulder just exploded in pain. My clavicle at my neck was popping, my muscles felt like they were being pulled downward by an invisible meat hook stuck in my shoulder.

I took a day off, took some anti-inflammatory pain killers. But it took a good week to get over it.

I blame my poor posture and being desk-bound but my poor health also had a part in it.

[grugagag]

Yes, being desk bound has nasty effects on the body. But proper desk hygiene can mitigate a lot of it except for the lack of movement which has to be compensated somehow: daily 1 hour walking or other type of workout.

[jorisboris]

Slightly related, I sometimes open an empty meeting with camera on to see my face reflected to me.

It surprising how often I catch myself yawning, leaning on my hand, picking my nose, looking grumpy, ...

[pulpfictional]

You should be standing, not sitting. Sitting is quite detrimental.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l5I4M8BMlE

[fswd]

Ha, I've done this before. To boost my confidence. It actually works. The mirror however is in the closet, maybe I should bring it out again.

[i4i]

FYI, A very simple awareness hack is resting your reading glasses farther down your nose, so that you're forced to have your head sit higher/straighter when looking at your screen.

[zamalek]

Keep in mind that classical wisdom about posture is cooked-up nonsense. Remember that it was the same people who had women balancing bowls of water on their head and wearing corsets who came up with these ideas.

An actually good posture consists of two things: whatever feels comfortable, and changing your posture over the day.