Sore Back From Soldering?

[bluebunny]

I set a 50 minute timer  my phone. Whenever it goes off, restart the timer

Put the timer out of reach or in another room.   

[Elektrojänis]

provide yourself with prompts, reminders, and opportunities to change your body position regularly,

As many others, I think this is one of the most important things... I've heard several "ergonomics people" (doctors, nurses and other people educated in the ergonomics topic) say: "The best working posture is always the next one." After that they usually explain that it is best if you can change your body position regularly.

One thing to remember about those is that they work best if you can set it relatively high so you are almost standing when you sitting on it... That means you need to have your working surface fairly high too. I've also heard recommendations to have two different chairs/stools and change between those periodically, but that get's you another problem/need. You need a working surface that can be easily adjusted in height so you can change that too when changing the chair.

[marcelomd]

You need a working surface that can be easily adjusted in height so you can change that too when changing the chair.

I can't remember any names now, but there are a few companies making motorized height adjustable desks. Found them while looking for standing desks.

[stallik]

Been using a sprung stool for years and find it forces me to adopt a better posture. Never gives me backache even after very long sessions. I also tend to lean my arms on the workbench which vastly reduces the strain on my spine.
I take regular short breaks looking for things I've dropped which gives my arse a bit of time for the blood to return...

[mth5044]

I set a 50 minute timer  my phone. Whenever it goes off, restart the timer

Put the timer out of reach or in another room.   

My phone out of reach???!??!??!??!?!?!?!???!!!!

[stonerbox]

Hey guys,

I pretty much build pedals every day now. Sometimes I'm at the workbench for a couple of hours in the evening, other days I might be there up to 12 hours.

I'd like to hear about other peoples workbench set ups? I think I need to stop using a standard office-style desk. I often lean in to look closely with what I am working with. I think it means my posture is hunched over, no matter how much I try to straighten the back of my chair. I'm thinking perhaps if I have a raised bench so that the circuit I'm working on is closer to eye level?

It's getting to the point that after soldering for a while, I have to lay on the floor to try to ease my back - and lately I've been waking up in the morning with a really sore back in bed. I know its directly because of soldering. So my technique is obviously very wrong.

Does anyone else have this problem, and more importantly, does anyone have suggestions to improve my posture/technique and help prevent my back getting worse?

Thanks.

I'm going to suggest something that you probably do not have "time" for or are willing to do but is guaranteed to change your situation.

1. Start working out 2 times a week, hell maybe even 3. Buy a basic barbell + some weights and start building stronger shoulders and a stronger back (especially lower back). Start with low weight and do movements slow in order to prevent damage when you are starting out.
2. Adjust the work height so you can sit perhaps not perfect but at least straighter with your back so the hunching is kept to a minimum.

These two have made all the difference for me. I had a lot of back pain before I started to build supportive muscles for the bones and joints.

By the way what is your sleeping position at night?

[Rob Strand]

I've found that sitting on chairs/stools without a back actually helps.
You are continually readjusting your position and it stops you slouching in the chair.

Make a conscious effort to sit with a good posture.  After a while it will come naturally.

If your muscles are weak you might find that type of chair causes back pain.
After a while you will adjust.  Probably a good idea to do some light exercise like
walking, which is very good at strengthening various muscles.

There's plenty of info about this on the internet.
Just be careful about getting caught-up in BS pseudo-scientific marketing by chair sellers.

[thermionix]

Buy a basic barbell + some weights and start building stronger shoulders and a stronger back (especially lower back).

No need to buy anything, for most people at least.  Pushups for the upper back, situps for the lower back.  Full disclosure, I say this as somebody who does neither.

[marcelomd]

Working out is essential for me. I had problems with herniated discs before, and the only thing that completely solved that was weight training. As long as I'm training regularly, my back is 100% problem free.

Picking heavy stuff from the ground and putting it back as treatment for lower back hernia. Who would have thought?

In my experience (almost 5 years of physiotherapy), for correcting posture, the best thing is something like GPR, pilates or yoga. Keeping a good posture is an isometric effort, so isometric exercises (like pilates/yoga postures) give the most benefit.

[bluebunny]

In another life, I've done a bit of portrait photography.  I would get people to sit on a fairly tall stool - just around butt height - then get them to perch on the edge with at least one foot on the ground.  This seemed to force good posture in the back (and make for good pictures).  And if they didn't sit up straight, they would fall on the floor.

So perhaps a tall-ish stool (without footrests) with a work surface approaching nipple height (is that a thing?) seems like a good idea.  And I'll vouch for Kevin's method of dropping stuff on the floor every now and again... 

[bartimaeus]

I was noticing this problem a couple months ago. I did all the things I see others in the thread mentioning: raised the height of my workbench, lowered my chair a little, and and got a simple magnifying glass. I also force myself to sit with better posture, and talk a short break every hour or two. It's all super simple stuff, but I can work for MUCH longer without any discomfort. YMMV, but for me it went a long way.

[steveyraff]

Thanks for the suggestions all. Very useful - particularly as I've just moved into a bigger workshop, so it is time to make some changes. Cheers.

[J0K3RX]

Sounds like you may need to decompress  Ring Dinger should fix it!

[EBK]

Sounds like you may need to decompress  Ring Dinger should fix it!

Did that remind anyone else of the spine rip-out scene in the movie "Predator"?

[amptramp]

I hope someone has come up with an answer for this because my lower back is killing me.  The best relief I get is when I stand to solder something.

[StephenGiles]

You see our bodies are no longer 25 years old but we still feel it inside!!

[EBK]

You see our bodies are no longer 25 years old but we still feel it inside!!

I somewhat recently turned 40, and I've realized the biggest difference between being 39 and being 40 is that I've never started a sentence with, "Well, I'm 39 now, so I should probably be careful...."

At 39, I did, however, freak myself out at a trampoline park when I was five feet in the air and only then questioned whether I would be lucky enough to avoid a knee injury.