How to reduce back pain. Photo included

[David Cook]

Hello all.
Here's my current race setup:

In my Xbox F1 2011 league we do race distances that can be over 90 minutes including qualifying and this really makes the arse and back very sore by the end. Looking at the photo, how can I make my setup less painful without buying a full race cockpit which is just not in the cards.

Thanks for any help

 

[Alex Ball]

1) Remove the wood chair.
2) Buy a cheap but adjustable (tilt!) office chair.
3) Try office chair, see if that makes it better. (i bet it will).
4) If not, remove 'seat' part of new office chair, and fit a racing bucket seat instead.

 

[Danny Asbury]

I use to run a setup similar to this while I was on xbox. Sorry to say, but if you're using wood, you're going to hurt at some point. I was in my teens back then too, and it still did a number on my back. Try the office chair, like Mike suggested, but I didn't like those because they slipped around on my floor.

Once I got a more permanent fixture when I moved to PC, oh my goodness was it so good not to feel the bite!

 

[Peter Hooper]

I have a similar setup. Tried an office style chair and although more comfortable found it to make me feel more awkward while driving and have gone back to the kitchen type chair but with a back support that straps to the rear that does help somewhat. The numb bum is a difficult one to get around though.... might try the office chair again and will let you know whether it feels any better this time.

 

[David Cook]

Thanks for the help guys. I have got an adjustable office chair but there are wheels on it so it tends to roll away as I accelerate. Also it doesn't quite go low enough for my liking but I think I can probably deal with these problems if it helps my back. I will try it next time. Thanks again.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Save money and buy a cockpit. It will be worth every penny.

I run a similar setup but with office chair strapped to pedals due to loadcell.
It's horrible really so im planning to buy a humanracingGT cockpit.

Now that is an extreme setup in terms of price but there are loads of extremely good cockpits that are cheap.
There is no substitute for a cockpit in terms of everything including comfort.

 

[itrdc5]

Thanks for the help guys. I have got an adjustable office chair but there are wheels on it so it tends to roll away as I accelerate. Also it doesn't quite go low enough for my liking but I think I can probably deal with these problems if it helps my back. I will try it next time. Thanks again.

You can get some office chair glides to replace the wheels. This will stop the rolling as well as lowering the height a little.
Something like this. http://goo.gl/aXJSl

 

[Karl Fuss]

oh my......
you need one of these......


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Best. Gaming chair. ever. Sorry about the grainy picture, it's effing 7:20 AM and my cell is happy to even have one eye..

I picked it up in a secondhand store, costed me 40€.. Never used, it was factory fault model, took about 30min and a bit of chemical metal to fix, retail price 80€. I only need a towel wrapped around the back, the fake leather gets a bit steamy. Works perfectly with FPS titles too, so keyboard+mouse action is very comfortable..My couch is much worse and everytime i get a guest, i'll be sure to give them this seat, it's the best in the house. I might add a locking mechanism to stop it swiveling but it doesn't do it even under heavy braking so why bother...

 

[Andrew Pienaar]

http://twitpic.com/8grd3l mines here tomorrow morning

 

[ReDi]

I've seen people using a simple IKEA armchair like this one: http://www.ikea.com/nl/nl/catalog/products/S39825190/

 

[Rupe Wilson]

Go down you local scrap yard and for about 20 quid get a car seat.... and make a wooden frame to mount it on....

 

[Tom Moreno]

I've seen people using a simple IKEA armchair like this one: http://www.ikea.com/nl/nl/catalog/products/S39825190/

That;s a good one. I went to ikea to buy that one but ended up getting the slightly more expensive, but higher-backed http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/80112169/

Reason I got this one is it sits slightly lower than the other two and has a higher back with a pillar at just the right position for your head in a racing sitting position. I use this with my kit on a Fanatec Rennsport wheel stand and it all works brilliantly.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

That looks ergonomical and you can do other activities than racing in that too.. I have to use a bit of padding in the lower back region and a 5cm foam under my ass.. I'm thinkin of buying that liquid foam that they use to mold the seat for a particular driver. It isn't very expensive and in my case i don't need it much. Or i just cannibalize old foam mattress.. It was good that when i was fixing the seat i drilled a locking rod but it needs some sort of mechanism, it's very hard to slot in the cockpit if the chair don't swivel and the rod is in such a location that i cannot reach it when sitting, that's why i took it off....

It was just luck when i found mine in such a cheap prize (there's a store that sells factory rejects, those are excellent places to look expensive stuff for DYI projects..), I was actually looking for that IKEA type chair too. That headrest is good idea, i'm gonna copy that..

 

[Mark Jameson]

http://twitpic.com/8grd3l mines here tomorrow morning

What seat is that?

I got the F430 for Xmas and would love a Ferrari seat to match!

 

[Andrew Pienaar]

Its a custom made ferrari seat i asked for to match the steering wheel as i have the Ferrari steering wheel as well

 

[Mark Jameson]

it looks very nice and comfy! is it from a business or a friend?

 

[Jax Humanhater]

I need to find a proper chair, but you seem to have set a good example for me to follow.