Please no smart ass comments from the 19 yo's hahahaha... We were all indestructable once.

I am a 37 year old IT guy. But I do swim 3 nights a week 40 laps. Not an athlete but not a human Durito bag either.

RSI = Repetative Strain Injury right? Anyway...

I have a Logitech rAcing MOMO FF wheel and peddals. Have had them for about a year.

Anyway, never really had that much of a problem with health and comfort when gaming. I used to play here and there with GT Legends and GTR2 with this wheel. But ussually less than 2 hours at a time.

Then I gots LFS.

Now that I am driving 2+ hours a day (well at night b4 bed) and sometimes more, I am starting to get lower back and hip pain, some discomfort in my gas foot ankle as well. Front of the ankl where the foot joins the leg.

Now I have started to do stretches and such and it is helping a little. Might have to get a better chair? It's just an el cheapo office swivel chair.

Anyone else with a simular experience and solutions/comments?

C.

Maybe you should try a different chair in your house. The strain is probably being caused from the swimming and the racing at night is just making it worse, try and see if you can find a comfortable chair that won't hurt your back and you should be good.

Gwon treat yourself to one of these i am sure it will help

http://gameracer.co.uk/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=20#

I get the same crap, I'm only 28

I ran full manual (clutch & H shifter) for the 60 laps XFG "cadet classic" on Sunday... and my clutch foot was KILLING me after. My calves cramp something aweful , esp the right leg. Then my ass hurts, and I get muscle pains in my chest after a long time.... Yikes, perhaps I am too tense when racing :sadbanana\

edit: 284 pounds? :jawdrop:

You need to be at a good angle with the PC. make sure it is above you i.e. you look up or straight ahead at the screen and not down. I had a chair that was higher than the screen (I had it on a type of bedside table) and i leant down and after a few days, i experienced back pains so there are plenty of reasons why as well as the chair!

Quote from Ball Bearing Turbo :

I get the same crap, I'm only 28

I ran full manual (clutch & H shifter) for the 60 laps XFG "cadet classic" on Sunday... and my clutch foot was KILLING me after. My calves cramp something aweful , esp the right leg. Then my ass hurts, and I get muscle pains in my chest after a long time.... Yikes, perhaps I am too tense when racing :sadbanana\

edit: 284 pounds? :jawdrop:

That's a workout in itself

Hmmm....

Thinking I should ask Santa for a chain.

Not sure if Santa would give me a whole cockpit though. Hahahaha. Not enough room.

C.

Quote from Ball Bearing Turbo :

I get the same crap, I'm only 28

I ran full manual (clutch & H shifter) for the 60 laps XFG "cadet classic" on Sunday... and my clutch foot was KILLING me after. My calves cramp something aweful , esp the right leg. Then my ass hurts, and I get muscle pains in my chest after a long time.... Yikes, perhaps I am too tense when racing :sadbanana\

edit: 284 pounds? :jawdrop:

Perhaps it's our altitude?

Ya I get pretty tense too. I only had to do 50 laps of City Classic on Sunday and my right calv was killing me as well. I can't imagine the race you had to do.

I think I will try a muscle relaxant next big race.

C.

Well, I have no easy solution to your problem. basicly, you're just finding out why racing requires great physical fitness.

Exercise and keep in shape and the effects of long racing won't show as much.

(ok, we're just sim-racing, we don't endure Gs and such, but being cramped in the same position is easier to bear when you're in shape)

Calves and ankles hurt? You need to at least build some sort of angled platform for the pedals so they are not straight down on the floor. Lift the pedals up so your legs are stretched out in front of you more. The angle will help also with your "pedal posture".

I've been racing with a wheel for 10 years. Ever since I got my first wheel/pedal set, I built a simple platform. All it is, is a piece of OSB with a 2x4 nailed in the front and I think a 2x6 nailed in the back. I'd like to add to the back to raise the angle some more, but never had.

Oh yea, all I'm sitting in is a 10 year old swivel office chair. It really does need replaced as the cushion for my tushion isn't as cushiony any more. I think I'm fixing that (especially this time of year) with putting more cushion on my actual tushion, hehe.

I have raced at my brother-in-law's place before. He has a laptop and the wheel mounted on a TV dinner table and sits in a simple folding chair. Very very uncomfortable.

Try pillows in various positions. Under thighs, under bum, in the arch of your back, etc - lower your chair height, raise your chair height...

And for god's sake tell mom and dad you want the new OFFICIAL LFS MODEL SUPER DELUXE RACING CHAIR - designed by LFS racers FOR LFS racers. Placing your right elbow on the arm rest brings up a smiley face, and your left elbow on the arm rest brings up "MOVE NOOB!!! BLUE FLAG!!!! I @#$@!#$ KILL YOU"

Lately I've actually lowered my chair, so that the LCD is closer to eye height. The wheel is then up around my chest which I used to hate but I like it now. From my line of sight, since the screen is about 16 inches away from my face, my wheel almost lines up with the one on the screen sometimes... Kinda cool actually. I think my main problem is having to drive with my whole leg for the clutch and brake now with the G25's (massive in comparison to the Momo) resistance. Plus flailing about with 720 degrees and a shifter and much more powerful wheel is still a gong show for now. Despite the pain it's caused I love the G25

Actually this weekend is an endurance event in the LXCC :sadbanana

I swim 4 hours a day (530am to 7am; 330pm to 6pm) on top of school, and it's not just laps it's a pretty tough workout set for the varsity team I'm on.
Usually doens't cause problems, but my chair is extremely comfy and I'm guilty of falling asleep in it a couple times. But yes posture while racing for a long time is key, and taking breaks ie(bathroom, food, social life?) course I'm 17 so I'm still nimble.

Im 39...

Knees, ankles, body shot from history of skateboard, snowboard, mountain bikes etc etc. Now run G25 so clutch and H pattern but run DFP, Actlab pro pedals and H pattern before so have thrashed my joints a bit for years now.
I get pains in joints and muscles after prolonged session, mostly right ankle and left calf. It is your body shouting "ENOUGH" happens to us all. I normally burn through it for a while then call a night.

I do wonder if I mounted the pedals from the G25 in a more natural position so top mount or more angled with bottom mount it would help.

Quote from mrodgers :

Calves and ankles hurt? You need to at least build some sort of angled platform for the pedals so they are not straight down on the floor. Lift the pedals up so your legs are stretched out in front of you more. The angle will help also with your "pedal posture".

I've been racing with a wheel for 10 years. Ever since I got my first wheel/pedal set, I built a simple platform. All it is, is a piece of OSB with a 2x4 nailed in the front and I think a 2x6 nailed in the back. I'd like to add to the back to raise the angle some more, but never had.

Oh yea, all I'm sitting in is a 10 year old swivel office chair. It really does need replaced as the cushion for my tushion isn't as cushiony any more. I think I'm fixing that (especially this time of year) with putting more cushion on my actual tushion, hehe.

I have raced at my brother-in-law's place before. He has a laptop and the wheel mounted on a TV dinner table and sits in a simple folding chair. Very very uncomfortable.

I need to look into a raised peddal platform myself. That is a fantastic idea! thanks.

""I have raced at my brother-in-law's place before. He has a laptop and the wheel mounted on a TV dinner table and sits in a simple folding chair. Very very uncomfortable"""

OMG I feel better already!!! Heh. That sounds terrible!

Good news is I told my wife I aint giving up gaming/racing so if she does not want an old man walking around hunched over with 1 hand on his hip bitching about pain? Well I need a new chair.

It's all comming together now. Chairs I have been looking at can be locked in various semi-reclined position like in formula race cars and I can build a large angled block to go under the desk that the Peddal platform can sit on to give my legs and feet the right angles.

But there is only one major problem with all that. Would I ever leave LFS to live?

Haha.

C.

Quote from Infiniti :

I swim 4 hours a day (530am to 7am; 330pm to 6pm) on top of school, and it's not just laps it's a pretty tough workout set for the varsity team I'm on.
Usually doens't cause problems, but my chair is extremely comfy and I'm guilty of falling asleep in it a couple times. But yes posture while racing for a long time is key, and taking breaks ie(bathroom, food, social life?) course I'm 17 so I'm still nimble.

I was a hard core competative swimmer in my day and I have one piece of advice.

Don't stop swimming! (probably goes for all sports)

When you get in your 30's, it's so hard to get back into shape if you have left it for a decade to sit at a desk. Hahahaha.

C.

Quote from Woz :

Im 39...

Knees, ankles, body shot from history of skateboard, snowboard, mountain bikes etc etc. Now run G25 so clutch and H pattern but run DFP, Actlab pro pedals and H pattern before so have thrashed my joints a bit for years now.
I get pains in joints and muscles after prolonged session, mostly right ankle and left calf. It is your body shouting "ENOUGH" happens to us all. I normally burn through it for a while then call a night.

I do wonder if I mounted the pedals from the G25 in a more natural position so top mount or more angled with bottom mount it would help.

I don't feel alone now. Old guys FTW!

I'm 32, I have played competitive football (Soccer for all you guys over the pond!!!) since the age of 12. Saturdays/Sundays and training in the week. It has taken its toll as i now feel like i have the knees/ankles/hips of a 90 year old.......

I cant say i have suffered too badly on LFS, i have the box my R440 wheel arrived in under my pedals so my legs are straight out supported and my chair is reclined slightly, i have found myself on many occasions waking up at 2am to the sound of FOX's still racing!!


Happy racing folks,

H (Jack Bauer)

I'm *cough* a little older.... (and I won't bother listing the scars )... You're an IT guy, so I'm probably preaching to the converted, but on a long session its easy to forget you're not really looking into the distance at all. Just taking your eyes off the screen and letting them refocus on something outside the window every fifteen minutes can do a lot to relieve, not just eye strain, but any tension in your body.

Quote from nihil :

I'm *cough* a little older.... (and I won't bother listing the scars )... You're an IT guy, so I'm probably preaching to the converted, but on a long session its easy to forget you're not really looking into the distance at all. Just taking your eyes off the screen and letting them refocus on something outside the window every fifteen minutes can do a lot to relieve, not just eye strain, but any tension in your body.

Haha.

Ya eye strain is the other problem when you focus soo hard on the turns and distance to opponents and speed.

Plays tricks on your mind and eyes for sure. In that regard, this simulation can be dangerous.

C.

I'm 38.

I only get into trouble on long events on short tracks. When there are decent straights I rest my right leg on the computer case beside my feet. I stretch it a bit to make it feel more comfortable and when I have to brake I put the left foot from gas to brake and the right foot back where it belongs. It took some practice because I don't use auto throttle cut so I have to cut with left but it's no problem anymore.

But yeah, once you really start to do those long events it becomes more and more apparent you're not twenty anymore

I use a joystick and I try to keep my posture in a good position regardless because it helps keep my concentration levels up. But although I'm fine just going around practicing a full race distance (45 minute league races recently) if I need to make sure my tires will be ok, after the actual race I'll find that my right hand is so cramped up it hurts to move it for the next minute or so because of how tense I get in the real race.