OT: Standing Desks?

[MattTuck]

Any of you guys or girls use a standing desk at work or home?

They seem to be an up and coming trend based on some research that showed people that sat down a lot tended to die sooner.

I've tried the standing thing in the past, and sometimes it's ok for short periods of time. If you're riding a good number of miles though, sometimes it's nice to give your legs a rest by sitting. Different story if the only exercise you get is walking to and from your car before sitting on the couch all night.

[1happygirl]

Work. Sometimes. Electric and buttons on front of desk to go up and down. really helps to stand sometimes.

Think they would be cost prohibitive for home use. Our ergonomic chairs at work (which I'd love to have for home BTW) are a minimum $800. I can imagine what the desks cost!
I seem to remember hearing about the study/reading some. Typical crap study IIRC

[rwsaunders]

+1...invest in a good chair.

http://www.madisonseating.com/herman-miller-aeron.html?gclid=CKHvjJWC_6oCFRDe4AodfCsd0Q

[AngryScientist]

even though i work in an office, i'm on my feet a lot at work, meeting to meeting, and whatnot. the standing desk concept seems like a decent one, but not widely adopted. i think it's far more important to take short breaks, at least once an hour and get out of the chair, do anything, go get coffee, walk briskly to the restroom, talk to another employee, go to a meeting, whatever. seems that the real problems are for folks who sit for 4+ hours at a time without getting up, like in a plane. i always get up one way or another at least once an hour, usually much more.

i've also chosen to stand during long meetings a lot of the time, pace around a bit, stretch out, etc.

[67-59]

Any of you guys or girls use a standing desk at work or home?

They seem to be an up and coming trend based on some research that showed people that sat down a lot tended to die sooner.

I've tried the standing thing in the past, and sometimes it's ok for short periods of time. If you're riding a good number of miles though, sometimes it's nice to give your legs a rest by sitting. Different story if the only exercise you get is walking to and from your car before sitting on the couch all night.

I'd take any research like that with a big grain of salt. While the conclusion certainly sounds plausible, it's just as possible (perhaps more possible) that people who are less healthy to begin with are more likely to sit, while healthier people are more likely to stand...and -- surprise, surprise -- the latter also live longer. The only way you'd know for sure would be to do a good, prospective randomized study that distributed the healthy and unhealthy into both groups, and followed to watch for the effects. Probably will never happen, because it would take a long time, and likely a really big sample size.

Like AngryScientist, my strategy is to sit while at my desk, but to take frequent breaks and short walks. And if I have two errands to run, I resist the temptation to do them together, and look at it as a good excuse to get up twice.

[MattTuck]

I'd take any research like that with a big grain of salt. While the conclusion certainly sounds plausible, it's just as possible (perhaps more possible) that people who are less healthy to begin with are more likely to sit, while healthier people are more likely to stand...and -- surprise, surprise -- the latter also live longer. The only way you'd know for sure would be to do a good, prospective randomized study that distributed the healthy and unhealthy into both groups, and followed to watch for the effects. Probably will never happen, because it would take a long time, and likely a really big sample size.

Like AngryScientist, my strategy is to sit while at my desk, but to take frequent breaks and short walks. And if I have two errands to run, I resist the temptation to do them together, and look at it as a good excuse to get up twice.

Yep. I didn't mean to imply that I agreed with the study findings. I just have observed more people using standing desks (including a big trend toward that in Silicon Valley)

I think that a study would have to control for a lot of variables besides just sitting/standing. and I'm sure there are covariances and correlations that that would require extensive work to disentangle.

I too tend to get up probably every half hour to just stretch legs, walk around for a bit. I pace when on the phone, I cannot talk to someone while just sitting. Not sure what that means.

My angle from a cycling perspective is whether, it is even something you'd be able to do all day if you've been putting in decent miles. Probably not great for 'recovery'.

[brockd15]

We have several people at work that raised their desks to make them standing desks. Funny thing is, after about a day almost none of them ever stand, they just raise their chair and sit at their stand desk.

[67-59]

My angle from a cycling perspective is whether, it is even something you'd be able to do all day if you've been putting in decent miles. Probably not great for 'recovery'.

I agree with you there. I considered it a few months ago when I was having back problems, but decided against it partially for this reason. Instead, I started doing core strength exercises coupled with my sit-stand-walk routine mentioned above, and am feeling much better.

[FlashUNC]

I've known folks who have replaced their chair with a balance or yoga ball. I think that would be more effective than a stand desk.

[monkeypants]

I used to work with a fellow who used a standing desk/workstation. He often ate standing up, as well (usually in front of his computer). To top it off, he walked a couple of hours a day to/from work for most of the year. Not sure if I ever saw him seated during a work day.

He used to cycle a lot but nagging injuries forced him off the bike. I think this had a lot to do with his conversion to a standing desk, etc.

[93legendti]

I've known folks who have replaced their chair with a balance or yoga ball. I think that would be more effective than a stand desk.
They just bought these for my son's kindergarden class - I think they will be a disaster for the 5 yr olds...

[Louis]

Years ago I sat in one of these for about 30 seconds and was surprised by how comfortable it was. No idea how they work in the long run.

http://www.officechairsdesks.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Knee-Chair-2.jpg

[thwart]

My wife loves hers (recently recovered---gets a lot of use)...

[Villgaxx]

standing desks were very popular on the battlestar pegasus for a while.

[rcnute]

I believe Thomas Jefferson used one.

[Elefantino]

Go all the way.

http://thoughttech.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/pierrebikedesk.jpg

Or, better yet, get a LeMond trainer and use your TT bike.

[bikser]

My company is more than happy to invest in ergonomics. We've got expensive ergo chairs, exercise balls, whatever is needed. As my chiropractor and massage therapist say the human body is not meant to sit at a desk in front of a computer all day, my right shoulder (mouse side) will attest. We had a guy who became susceptible to blood clots, so he couldn't sit any longer. He got a raised desk with a higher chair. He stood up most of the time, and it seemed to work find for him.