Eight Hour Coding Session Causes DVT

NickFitz writes "The BBC reports that a UK programmer collapsed with Deep Vein Thrombosis after an eight hour programming session. The potentially life-threatening condition is more commonly seen in air passengers on long haul flights, but this should serve as a warning to many Slashdot readers (including me) that screen breaks aren't just for resting the eyes."

Comments

Re:WTF?

[slashdot_commentator]

1) Obviously, it is a relatively rare fatality, or we would have seen this occuring frequently enough pre-PC age to have made note of it. Accountants and lawyers have done similar marathon sessions sitting down; its not unique to the programmer profession. (It makes me wonder how many Karoshi deaths occurred in this manner.)

2) Some people, such as myself, have pretty damn retentive bladders. Even after knocking off a six-pack, I don't have to immediately run to releive myself. Sometimes, I can realize that perhaps I should have taken the leak at the bar, but its too inconvenient at that point. Three hours later, after a barely registered discomfort, and an hour subway ride home, I then take the leak, pretty much knowing I could have gone another hour if I had to. Questions: Do you think this guy is such a feeb he can't work through an 8 hour hack session without dying? Do you suspect that I think you're a girl because you need to take a wizz every hour, and are incapable of an 8 hour sitting session? Perhaps we are being judgemental assholes?

3) Even though this will occur in a miniscule population of people, it is totally prevented by a walk/stretch for 1 minute of every two hours. Is that such a disgraceful thing to do? Is it such an egregious thing to even inform people of it? If people fall victim to DVT, are they better off dead because they don't meet your definition of macho? Are you so far up your boss's anus, that you would look upon 4 minutes/day away from work as an affront to the company?