UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => diet, training and injuries => Topic started by: tomtom on January 16, 2015, 04:50:39 pm
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My recent bad back woes have probably been caused by 30 years of bad posture - being tall I've tended to stoop and with a career that involves plenty of time working at a keyboard this has probably got worse. The top of my back is hunched over, so my lower spine over curves to compensate for this ~ and hence lower back problems.
In Nov, I saw a guardian review of a new gadget and app for working on this called the Lumo lift.
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/14/lumo-lift-review-posture-tracking-gadget (http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/14/lumo-lift-review-posture-tracking-gadget)
I saw one in the Apple store over Xmas and decided to get one and give it a try in the new year.. I've been using it for the last 15 days so thought I'd give a mini review for here, as several people on UKB have mentioned posture related issues...
Its £80 (eek) and comprises of a small plastic unit (about the size of your thumb - but only 4-5mm thick - that attaches via a magnet under your Tshirt just below the collar bone. It contains a couple of accelerometers and (from what I can gather) measures the angle it sits and and thus relates this to your posture. When using it, you press it a couple of times to 'set' the correct angle - so I sit or stand nice and upright with shoulders back and set it. Then, it records when you are in good - or bad posture according to how much you deviate away from that angle. It has a 'coaching' mode whereby it will vibrate or buzz every time you deviate away form the correct posture/angle - so you are reminded to correct yourself. This is all logged - along with a pedometer function - and it connects to your phone (or computer I understand) via bluetooth so you can see how you have got along during the day. The app allows you to set 'targets' so you can try to have good posture for X hours a day etc.. It comes with a little charger - and at night it clicks (via magnets) really nicely onto the charger to get some juice overnight etc..
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/16/53d7d6ccf3f0841e34816b5164899b3c.jpg)
Does it work? Well 15 days is too short a time to tell - but it has had a few impacts....
1. Its made me really sort out my working position at a desk. I now have the chair properly adjusted AND sit properly on it - at first after a couple of mins I would slump back into normal mode and a little buzz would bring me back upright. After two weeks or so I now need far fewer 'reminders' so its having an impact there..
2. When standing - its made me realise how often I slump or hunch... stood up anywhere - even taking a piss - the buzzing reminds me how often I am not standing straight. As above I'm starting to correct my posture before it happens...
3. Driving - like at the desk - it makes sure you sit in the right position all the time...
Downsides are that it doesn't coach or remind you of slouching when walking (moving) - it records that I have bad posture when walking (which is useful! because I now know I walk hunched!) but I suspect the motion sensors find it hard to disentangle walking from correct posture stuff etc.. (I dont know.. but anyway)..
Worth it? Time will tell, but as I'm presently paying £40 for 1/2 hour of Osteo/Physio each week ~ it might be great value in the long run. I'm hoping it will - over time - force me into having a better posture. I'm well aware that there is more to good posture than just the angle of my upper torso - but I see it as a good place to start/getting the basics right.. By being under your collar bone, it also picks up when you are leant forwards or hunch your shoulders forward (as this bends the unit inwards instead of up/down etc..).
TT.
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/16/bf15a36bfe07948567eac07034ee5e95.jpg)(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/16/86e80aa42fe7ce70c18f13e8f9189ac4.jpg)
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I might have a look at this as I have lower back issues. My posture has got a lot better over the past 6 months due to being more aware of it and trying to do something about it. Something that actively reminds you when you are slouching can't be a bad things though as I really quickly slip back into a slumped position while working at a computer all day.
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Thanks for posting, TT. I know what you mean about it being difficult to get out of bad habits re desk work and driving. May have to look into this. Let us know how you get on.