Don't Just Sit And Work. Take To Standing Desk For Better Posture

Health experts have argued for years that sitting too much for too long is bad for your health. The health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle include diabetes and heart-related ailments.

Nisha Varma, an American College of Sports Medicine-certified exercise physiologist based in Pune, says: “Do these three things every hour—hydrate yourself (keep a bottle handy), walk around for at least 5 minutes, do a few mobility exercises. You may make calls when taking a walking break.”

Does standing for long hours at work also help?

Enter the standing desk

Standing desks have become a rage thanks to the widespread belief that it helps you lose weight. While this argument is still debatable, there are some sure-shot benefits of standing while working. It improves your posture and helps you avoid slouching and back pain.

But a standing desk is no substitute for exercise. And, standing all day at work comes with own set of health hazards. “You shouldn’t be doing anything inactive for six to eight hours a day—whether that’s sitting at a computer or standing at a computer. Our bodies are meant to move,” Michael Fredericson, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Stanford University Medical Center, tells Men’s Health. 

Increasing popularity

According to a 2017 study on employee benefits by Society for Human Resource Management, among the 300-plus benefits provided by the US companies to their employees, standing desks saw the maximum increase in five years. In June 2018, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that all his employees would use standing desks, as the combination of sitting and standing was better for their health and lifestyle.

The choice

From purely standing desks, this piece of furniture has undergone quite a few changes over the years. You can have sitting desks that can be converted into standing desks, giving you the freedom to sit or stand at your will. There are portable laptop desk risers that you can simply place on top of your desk. Then, there are the ‘perching’ desks that allow you to work in a semi-seated posture. It all depends on what your specifications are and how much space you have. Adjustable desks, by the way, are a hugely popular choice.

If the desk will be used by more than one person, go for one that can be adjusted to the shortest sitting elbow height as well as the tallest standing elbow height. If the desk is not able to accommodate people of different heights, you can place a footrest or use a keyboard tray with adjustable height for comfort.