Show HN: Movably – Protect your health, move more while you work(movably.com)
movably.com
Show HN: Movably – Protect your health, move more while you work
https://www.movably.com
43 comments
I take ergonomics in my home office very seriously, and am theoretically the target customer for this, but I have the same concerns you do. The marketing material on the website is blatantly BS.
For the price of this you can buy a used ergo chair and hire an ergo consultant to come to your house and help you set it up.
For the price of this you can buy a used ergo chair and hire an ergo consultant to come to your house and help you set it up.
Yeah. If this site doesn't have your bullshit radar going nuts, it's time to recalibrate.
Another solved market that
needs 'redefining' with a smart whotsit at 2-4x the price of existing products that do the same thing that actually have a proven history.
Varier chairs (various) and the move stool HAG Capisco range Muvman stool
Hell, you can buy a saddle seat designed to augment any office desk for $100 that will also be 'backed by studies'
And failing that a simple balance ball with give you so much.
This is an office Peloton for people desperate to burn through their startup capital.
Varier chairs (various) and the move stool HAG Capisco range Muvman stool
Hell, you can buy a saddle seat designed to augment any office desk for $100 that will also be 'backed by studies'
And failing that a simple balance ball with give you so much.
This is an office Peloton for people desperate to burn through their startup capital.
> 82% of people who suffer from blood clots, sat for a significantly greater amount of time than the remaining 18%.
What? So of the group, who all had blood clots, a load of them sat more than the others? I'm struggling to draw a firm conclusion from that. What are you comparing that ratio to? If you picked a group of 100 people at random and found out how long they sat for, do you think it is likely or unlikely that 80% of the group sat more than the other 20%? If I bought 1,000 apples, and their size had a normal distribution, I could cut that distribution whether I want and thereby show that 80% of them are larger than the remaining 20%. I could say it and I would be right, but I've demonstrated nothing significant.
What? So of the group, who all had blood clots, a load of them sat more than the others? I'm struggling to draw a firm conclusion from that. What are you comparing that ratio to? If you picked a group of 100 people at random and found out how long they sat for, do you think it is likely or unlikely that 80% of the group sat more than the other 20%? If I bought 1,000 apples, and their size had a normal distribution, I could cut that distribution whether I want and thereby show that 80% of them are larger than the remaining 20%. I could say it and I would be right, but I've demonstrated nothing significant.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one confused by this, I was about to make the same comment!
Hi HN,
I am one of the founders at https://www.movably.com/. If you work at a desk for extended periods you may have heard the call to “move more” or that "the best posture is your next posture". The problem is we also have to get our work done. That’s what we are solving with our smart interactive chair.
Research shows that moving more often is one of the most effective ways to prevent the health problems caused by sitting. So we set out to create a way to incorporate healthy frequent movement that is easy to adopt without interrupting your work or flow.
Here is a short video to give you an idea https://youtu.be/d0D3-YBj7Zo. Test users have loved it, they usually have the “aha” moment within the first day no longer feeling sore from sitting. We also ran a formal research study with University of Waterloo (who work on chairs/sitting a lot) testing with people who show early signs of discomfort in sitting and standing with really good results- all the participants reported no pain when using Movably when compared to standing or sitting in a high end ergonomic chair. That will be published soon as one of the first times a chair was able to help prevent back pain.
Would love to get your feedback and questions!
Thank you, Mark
I am one of the founders at https://www.movably.com/. If you work at a desk for extended periods you may have heard the call to “move more” or that "the best posture is your next posture". The problem is we also have to get our work done. That’s what we are solving with our smart interactive chair.
Research shows that moving more often is one of the most effective ways to prevent the health problems caused by sitting. So we set out to create a way to incorporate healthy frequent movement that is easy to adopt without interrupting your work or flow.
Here is a short video to give you an idea https://youtu.be/d0D3-YBj7Zo. Test users have loved it, they usually have the “aha” moment within the first day no longer feeling sore from sitting. We also ran a formal research study with University of Waterloo (who work on chairs/sitting a lot) testing with people who show early signs of discomfort in sitting and standing with really good results- all the participants reported no pain when using Movably when compared to standing or sitting in a high end ergonomic chair. That will be published soon as one of the first times a chair was able to help prevent back pain.
Would love to get your feedback and questions!
Thank you, Mark
Your landing page says there are studies. Where are the doi's or links to check those studies?
We finished the research study late last year and it should be published sometime this year. Happy to share the report, email me, mark at movably dot com.
Everyone absolutely should be skeptical. I have tried a lot of chairs, the most recent which allowed me to re-position most was the Hag Capisco. But to some extent it still would interrupt focus. I have also found almost no research studies showing effectiveness of ergonomic chair designs, but would love pointers to any others that may exist.
Everyone absolutely should be skeptical. I have tried a lot of chairs, the most recent which allowed me to re-position most was the Hag Capisco. But to some extent it still would interrupt focus. I have also found almost no research studies showing effectiveness of ergonomic chair designs, but would love pointers to any others that may exist.
So by "there are studies" do you mean "there is one unpublished study"?
What did the studies actually measure? Pain? Because you’re claiming the chair “outperformed” the others in the study and that can mean anything.
As a person with persistent hip mobility issues - from sitting all the time - this is a great idea and I hope it catches on.
i’d love to try it. do you need a beta tester in the US 10003?
i wfh, am a ux designer.
i wfh, am a ux designer.
Hello bettyx1138 - funny, it's not exact, but just drove by the flatiron building this AM.
Let us know - https://movably.typeform.com/to/Nyo8603J
Can answer any questions/concerns.
Thanks, we have some chairs circulating in your area, or at leas can try to arrange one for you to try nearby. If you sign up we will follow up: https://movably.typeform.com/to/Nyo8603J
I don’t get how this is better than a standing desk. People will make the same positions as they are here naturally when using a standing desk, and it costs $500 instead of $2000, and it doesn’t look silly.
The standing desk is a part of it, but a majority of standing desks are not used for the intended purpose- to switch form sitting to standing more frequently. The problem is a combination of the time and distraction, and also just forgetting to do so. The problem we feel is to solve is how to enable more movement, without interrupting work, in way that is easy to adopt.
i have a desk set at standing height and a stool. its not my only workspace...but i find it really convenient to be able to wander up and use the machine for a little while without sitting down, and doing so if I feel like it.
total cost - basically zero
total cost - basically zero
Or you can step away from your desk, go for a stroll, get some fresh air!
Not only good for your body, but you'll likely get back to the problem you're working on with a fresh perspective and end up more productive in the long run...
Not only good for your body, but you'll likely get back to the problem you're working on with a fresh perspective and end up more productive in the long run...
I have all the pains of a sedentary life spent huddled over a keyboard - heart attacks, slipped discs, all of it.
I now walk at least an hour every day if I can and three hour extended rambles on weekends, and I'm losing weight, in less pain, my head is clearer and I'm happier. It sounds stupid, maybe, but it's the truth.
If I had the money to blow on this chair, I'd buy an improved ebike with better range and ride that thing instead.
I now walk at least an hour every day if I can and three hour extended rambles on weekends, and I'm losing weight, in less pain, my head is clearer and I'm happier. It sounds stupid, maybe, but it's the truth.
If I had the money to blow on this chair, I'd buy an improved ebike with better range and ride that thing instead.
This sounds crazy and slightly off topic, but the banner that says "proven by science with University of Waterloo" gives me hesitation instead of trust. Most wearable/hardware startups from Waterloo end up being VC money grabs that fail to deliver.
I use a simple reception chair. Its comfortable for a bit, then my butt hurts. I have to stand up. The trick is to be able to switch easily from sit to stand, so you never think twice about it.
Your desk and your chair need a power outlet nowadays. What a time to be alive!
Looks interesting. Definitely too expensive for my personal use. I hope I'll get to test it one day. Also, there are pictures on the website of people having quite non ergonomic setups. I know the focus is the chair but it's a weird contrast of a high tech ergonomic solution next to an obvious, bad work setup choices (example being the slightly slouched man, who looks at the screen of his laptop).
Looks interesting. Definitely too expensive for my personal use. I hope I'll get to test it one day. Also, there are pictures on the website of people having quite non ergonomic setups. I know the focus is the chair but it's a weird contrast of a high tech ergonomic solution next to an obvious, bad work setup choices (example being the slightly slouched man, who looks at the screen of his laptop).
There is a one outlet path! We do work fine with manual height adjustable desks, because you no longer need to change desk heights because sitting, standing, etc. work at one height. We have talked about a manual version, it may be a good idea too, but the part that really makes it all work is the automatic prompts and all you need to do is move to the new position and the chair is ready to support that.
And yes, we do need to reshoot those photos, you are absolutely right. Arms need to be closer to 90 degrees, top of screen at about eye level would put it in the right position.
And yes, we do need to reshoot those photos, you are absolutely right. Arms need to be closer to 90 degrees, top of screen at about eye level would put it in the right position.
[deleted]
This would be more appealing without the app. I have an uplift standing desk, and one of the nice things about it is how simple it is to work.
I literally just sit on the floor, back resting up against my couch. I have a round coffee table where I can easily put my knees, legs under when needed.
I used to have back and wrist issues, tried standing desk, it definitely helped, but the sitting position on the floor is so much better. No back or wrist issues
I used to have back and wrist issues, tried standing desk, it definitely helped, but the sitting position on the floor is so much better. No back or wrist issues
Could you please elaborate on how you sit. Do you have different positions? Do you spread your legs or alternate ...etc
I switch around positions a lot. Everything from Indian style, to butt on floor one knee up, sometimes knees on floor, butt sitting on my feet. Sometimes leaning back on the couch.
One other thing that has had a huge impact is that I cut a piece of foam roller about 10 inches wide and I roll my back on it 2-3 times per day, sometimes I just lay on it and just reverse stretch my back, and also massage my neck and shoulders with it. That might even be why I don’t have back pain anymore (Important not to roll it on your lower back with all your weight on it, just keep it to the upper part of your back.)
One other thing that has had a huge impact is that I cut a piece of foam roller about 10 inches wide and I roll my back on it 2-3 times per day, sometimes I just lay on it and just reverse stretch my back, and also massage my neck and shoulders with it. That might even be why I don’t have back pain anymore (Important not to roll it on your lower back with all your weight on it, just keep it to the upper part of your back.)
Thank you much
This is absolutely hilarious. "Meet your personal goals".
Epic vaporware. Juicero of chairs.
Epic vaporware. Juicero of chairs.
This is something that will definitely have a market. I actually started to work in my bed because I hated sitting in the chair. I might not revert, but from time to time I felt that anything would be better than just sit there trying to shift positions. In fact I'm sure many people go to stores to look for "comfortable chairs". As a note you might want to try selling on AdWords with "butt pain" etc. as people do search for this, and there're no ads coming on these generally.
If it helps with that, too it would sure be good to push it.
Thanks, this is part of what set me on working on this. I had a bike accident years ago, an L2 compression fracture, and from them on could not tolerate sitting as long. Today we seem to be so focused on finding the most adjustable & comfortable chair, but those aspects exactly are meant to put you in one position you might stay in the longest, which may be the opposite of what we actually need.
It's a chair. Get up. Move around.
Nah. Give me a standing desk that I can lower all the way down to a squat. Scratch that: just give me a wooden box to squat on. Where will I put that box, though? I don’t know…
(Warning: rant incoming)
It’s interesting that this “sitting is [literally] the new smoking” study-shows movement has shown how limited ergonomic tools are. Maybe some ergonomic tools are just a grift to paper over the inherent defiencies of office work.[1] Think about it:
1. People get health problems from working in an office
2. Ergo company steps in to let the managers buy ergonomic equipment
3. Ergo company makes a pretty penny
4. The company behind the office just have to spend a little more money on office equipment rather than rethink the whole structure of their work environment. (Does it work? Well, the important thing is that they made an effort)
5. Win-win
So anyway. How come the bodies of (one of) the smartest species on Earth are so fragile that it can’t deal with full-time thinking-work?[2] And how can we ever make up for it when we are contractually obligated to do keyboard-clacking/mouse-clicking/meeting-sitting for eight hours a day?
1. Better remember to look at a far-away object every twenty minutes in order to combat screen/reading-induced myopia
2. Try to (as often as possible) vary your positions without interrupting your own concentration on your task (how?)
3. Better remember to schedule some movement ritual in order to not be the new “smoker”
4. Better try to not look like a try-hard idiot as you do all your anti-sedentary/anti-myopia exercises in the middle of your open office which even has (for insult-to-injury) glass walls separating it from the common hallway
5. Honestly, even with all the fidgeting and practicing the-best-positions-is-the-next-one at work, you will have to dedicate a lot of time off-work for that old school rigorous exercise (remember the eighties when that was all it took? Supposedly)
One problem might be that companies are stupid (see: open office). But it seems more fundamental than that. How are you even supposed to do knowledge work without committing sins of sedentary?
1. Maybe a small treadmill? Could work for reading tasks or meetings. But what about your gait when you are typing and using the mouse? I’ve heard that that gets awkward
2. Memorize the codebase and apply changes in your mind while you go for an outdoor hike? What kind of outdoorsy savant could pull that off?
[1] Key word “some”. I know that some people swear by certain ergo alternatives.
[2] I know, I know. There is no “why” to evolution. We just evolved in a completely different environment. Still makes me upset though.
(Warning: rant incoming)
It’s interesting that this “sitting is [literally] the new smoking” study-shows movement has shown how limited ergonomic tools are. Maybe some ergonomic tools are just a grift to paper over the inherent defiencies of office work.[1] Think about it:
1. People get health problems from working in an office
2. Ergo company steps in to let the managers buy ergonomic equipment
3. Ergo company makes a pretty penny
4. The company behind the office just have to spend a little more money on office equipment rather than rethink the whole structure of their work environment. (Does it work? Well, the important thing is that they made an effort)
5. Win-win
So anyway. How come the bodies of (one of) the smartest species on Earth are so fragile that it can’t deal with full-time thinking-work?[2] And how can we ever make up for it when we are contractually obligated to do keyboard-clacking/mouse-clicking/meeting-sitting for eight hours a day?
1. Better remember to look at a far-away object every twenty minutes in order to combat screen/reading-induced myopia
2. Try to (as often as possible) vary your positions without interrupting your own concentration on your task (how?)
3. Better remember to schedule some movement ritual in order to not be the new “smoker”
4. Better try to not look like a try-hard idiot as you do all your anti-sedentary/anti-myopia exercises in the middle of your open office which even has (for insult-to-injury) glass walls separating it from the common hallway
5. Honestly, even with all the fidgeting and practicing the-best-positions-is-the-next-one at work, you will have to dedicate a lot of time off-work for that old school rigorous exercise (remember the eighties when that was all it took? Supposedly)
One problem might be that companies are stupid (see: open office). But it seems more fundamental than that. How are you even supposed to do knowledge work without committing sins of sedentary?
1. Maybe a small treadmill? Could work for reading tasks or meetings. But what about your gait when you are typing and using the mouse? I’ve heard that that gets awkward
2. Memorize the codebase and apply changes in your mind while you go for an outdoor hike? What kind of outdoorsy savant could pull that off?
[1] Key word “some”. I know that some people swear by certain ergo alternatives.
[2] I know, I know. There is no “why” to evolution. We just evolved in a completely different environment. Still makes me upset though.
A prior workplace had a group of people that would, daily after lunch, do a basic workout to keep the blood flowing. I loved this, and the social component made it easy. We did two minutes of lunges or squats, two minutes of plank, two minutes of wall sits, two minutes of push-ups, or something like that.
For anti-myopia, lots of natural light from big windows could help, giving you things to look at. For my own poorly lit space, I added bright lights that try to match the sun's visible spectrum. Though, who am I to say, one of my eyes has been getting blurry in the periphery lately...
A workplace that is flexible enough and not militantly busy allows you to take breaks during the day to go on walks. I work from home and do this at least once a day during the workday. It does take time I could be filling out tickets, but I find it revitalizes me, clears my head, helps me process emotions enough that it's absolutely worth it from a productivity perspective.
But part of what you're saying is that perspective is inherently antithetical to the type of rhythm that values movement. It would be naive to think that the point where well-being is at it's peak is also the point where maximal value is created for the company. I don't know how to get to the point where we value the one over the other, as a society. Ideally we don't have targeted solutions, but the kind of environment where the behaviors we want just "fall out" naturally... Having a real say in the type and manner of work and working environment would go a long way.
Structuring cities with better public transit would help cut down the sitting commute. At my prior job, I had maybe 40 minutes of walking there and back (+20 on the train), this was built in to my schedule, no special effort required. If I had a car I would have had much less daily exercise. (And I recognize we do not live in the kind of society where everyone has that time to spare, and that's a damn shame.)
I've also been thinking about hobbies that just involve more exercise. (Have personally found exercise for it's own sake hard to sustain.) How do I design my daily environment such that being active is the path of least resistance? (Maybe walking to the grocery store, and getting fewer things so I go more often. Maybe having my standing desk be easy to use.)
The answer might be just having less work, and more time to do things on your own. More breaks, more discretionary time, fewer hours worked. Remote work is good for this, valuing work done over butts-in-seats time.
For anti-myopia, lots of natural light from big windows could help, giving you things to look at. For my own poorly lit space, I added bright lights that try to match the sun's visible spectrum. Though, who am I to say, one of my eyes has been getting blurry in the periphery lately...
A workplace that is flexible enough and not militantly busy allows you to take breaks during the day to go on walks. I work from home and do this at least once a day during the workday. It does take time I could be filling out tickets, but I find it revitalizes me, clears my head, helps me process emotions enough that it's absolutely worth it from a productivity perspective.
But part of what you're saying is that perspective is inherently antithetical to the type of rhythm that values movement. It would be naive to think that the point where well-being is at it's peak is also the point where maximal value is created for the company. I don't know how to get to the point where we value the one over the other, as a society. Ideally we don't have targeted solutions, but the kind of environment where the behaviors we want just "fall out" naturally... Having a real say in the type and manner of work and working environment would go a long way.
Structuring cities with better public transit would help cut down the sitting commute. At my prior job, I had maybe 40 minutes of walking there and back (+20 on the train), this was built in to my schedule, no special effort required. If I had a car I would have had much less daily exercise. (And I recognize we do not live in the kind of society where everyone has that time to spare, and that's a damn shame.)
I've also been thinking about hobbies that just involve more exercise. (Have personally found exercise for it's own sake hard to sustain.) How do I design my daily environment such that being active is the path of least resistance? (Maybe walking to the grocery store, and getting fewer things so I go more often. Maybe having my standing desk be easy to use.)
The answer might be just having less work, and more time to do things on your own. More breaks, more discretionary time, fewer hours worked. Remote work is good for this, valuing work done over butts-in-seats time.
I love this idea, but maybe you can put the picture of what it is right at the top. I had to watch a minute of video to figure it out, and would never go that far for a non-HN link in the wild.
Wow. An interactive chair. Mind blown
Expensive
To be honest, it IS a problem for a lot of people and they search around the internet. I did myself, and I never found a good solution but would have paid big money for one, and probably tried this one as well.
You "never found a good solution" to... being stationary? Did you consider as a solution, moving of your own accord?
LMAO. New account, check. Presents a problem without solution that this products solves, check.
What I meant is that the solution is to even have a product, any product that TRIES to handle this situation. The fact that it is being handled by some product is itself a solution. I never would have had said it until I had this problem that the fact of the promise of a solution IS itself a solution, dumb as it may sound.
"Proven by Science Recent study results prove that Movably is a highly effective solution. All participants reported no back discomfort. Using Movably outperformed standing and ergonomic chairs."
Link to study? Highly effective solution to what? Back pain? Leg pain? Participants reported no back discomfort vs control who did report back discomfort using other chairs or standing?
Lack of arm support.
There is an image of a male sitting on the chair. The position IS NOT ERGONOMIC AT ALL, here are the issues:
-He is forced to look down, this will result in neck pain.
-The monitor should be at eye level or just below it about arm length away.
-His arms are pressing against the desk and hands are above the elbows.
This all very basic computer work ergonomics. All this work on this product and 0 actual science on the page about ergonomics.
There is a claim, "Sitting is the new smoking".....I mean you are out of your mind.
From Mayo clinic, "Any extended sitting — such as at a desk, behind a wheel or in front of a screen — can be harmful. An analysis of 13 studies of sitting time and activity levels found that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking. However, unlike some other studies, this analysis of data from more than 1 million people found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day countered the effects of too much sitting. Another study found that sitting time contributed little to mortality for people who were most active."
Link to source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/ex...
The website stinks of hyper marketing to sell an overpriced product.
EDIT: The only positive comments here so far are from users with 2 hour old accounts. OP decides to respond to POSITIVE comments from the new account but not to most upvoted negative comment. Yikes.