Using a walking treadmill desk as a software developer

In the constant attempts to improve my chronic back pain, I've started to use a walking treadmill for my home office. Below is a picture of my current home office setup.

I was inspired to try this setup by the stuff I've seen on the of Michael Sloan blog. Thanks a lot for the inspiration, Mike !

The overall idea is that the best ergonomic position you can get for your back si ... a constant change of positions. Our bodies are not meant to stay in a fixed position for hours and hours.

I've decided to go with a Xiaomi walkingpad C1 model. The price was about 300$. But there are also other alternatives. One interesting alternative that I was considering was the Egofit Walker Pro Treadmill Base for the inclined walking and its reduced size.

I used it for about 2-3 hours per day. Usually, I get a 30 min walking session. After that, I switch to using a kneeling chair or just standing at my desk without walking. From a walking speed pov, I use it at about 1.5 max 2km per hour. Anything that's above that makes it harder to type or focus on the screen.

So how it is? Well, it's great! My back is a bit better, but the biggest unexpected advantage is the extra energy that it gives me. Walking, even at a low speed, is as effective as getting a cup of coffee. My overall coffee consumption went down by 50%. It is great for the afternoon zoom calls when you may get a bit sleepy and to get that morning walk while making a code review.

Also knowing for sure that I will walk for sure 2 hours per day it's a great health boost, especially in the current work-from-home context.

Overall I find it to be a great addition to the time I spend at my desk. Also given the fact that it's foldable I can easily put it under the couch on the weekends when I don't use it.

By the way, I've also written a small review for my Dygma split keyboard. And found this article interesting about using a walking treadmill desk setup.

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