OT: Standing vs Sitting

[XXtwindad]

As a personal trainer, I'm always preaching the merits of getting a stand-up desk, or, even better, getting out of your chair frequently. Extended sitting is antithetical to how we evolved and causes a myriad of fitness related issues.

Has any Forumite made the transition to a stand-up desk, and, if so, have you noticed any general fitness improvements?

[pinkshogun]

I've never had a sit down job but I find extended sitting is uncomfortable both physically and mentally.
When I watch jeopardy in the evening I have to use a heating pad on the lower back to keep loose

[quattro]

I started using a stand up desk about six weeks ago, I like it very much, and I feel it has contributed to my lower back pain I was experiencing in going away, totally! Standing up and working on the computer for 30-45 minute periods during the day is great and easy to get used to. I have been doing a number of lower back exercises and stretches, combined with the standing desk my pain is gone. Highly recommend a standing desk.

quattro

[mt2u77]

I just got one that converts from standing to sitting dropper-post style. I thought I'd sit a lot at first, but I went to 95% standing right away with no issues. My feet get a little sore by the end of the day, but that's it.

I have no idea if it makes a real impact on fitness, but I know I shift around and move a lot more while standing. I don't see how it can be a bad thing. My company offered it to me, so I'm a bit isolated from the cost:benefit assessment. If I was buying it myself, I'd probably just make a permanent elevated stand.

[Dude]

A few years ago I was exclusively standing for about 3 months. I found I leaned to one side or the other and on one occasion my hip was sore. Were there health benefits? I don't know. I'm still alive, so....yes?

Now I sit almost exclusively at work. I get up to go to the bathroom and I'm social so I might be standing a total of 10 minutes throughout the workday. I feel "slouchy" in that I make sure to do some thoracic extensions while at the gym (cat/cow, some twisting, lay backwards across a medicine ball, etc). Am I worse off? I'm still alive, so...no?

To me, it's nothing noticeable. I should caveat this that I am very active (as we probably all are here) and that the things I do to impact my body outside of my chair are more effective and offset the things I do in the chair.

[loxx0050]

I've been wanting to get a standup desk setup that is adjustable to sit also. Mainly I want it to help with my posture since I've been having a lot of stiff neck/upper shoulders the last couple of years. I know my posture when reading stuff sitting on a computer and also staring down at a smart phone/tablet screen is not helping.

Most likely will have to pay out of pocket since I don't think my boss will approve the company fronting for one. But it still might be worth it since as I type my left side is so stiff it is hard to fully stand tall or turn my head too much....this seems to happen every 3-4 months for the last couple of years. When I was younger and worked jobs where I was practically running around all day I recall never having these issues (plus no smart phones to stare at).

[GregL]

Originally Posted by mt2u77

My feet get a little sore by the end of the day, but that's it.

That's the biggest thing I've noticed. Supportive shoes are a must! Otherwise, I've found a standing desk comfortable. It breaks up the daily grind and keeps me more alert after lunch.

Greg

[jruhlen1980]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

As a personal trainer, I'm always preaching the merits of getting a stand-up desk, or, even better, getting out of your chair frequently. Extended sitting is antithetical to how we evolved and causes a myriad of fitness related issues.

Has any Forumite made the transition to a stand-up desk, and, if so, have you noticed any general fitness improvements?

I had one at my previous job and it was great. I didn't stand all the time, but it really made a difference throughout the day, especially during the afternoon post-lunch low blood sugar window.

My new job requires a doctor's note before they'll get you one (although I could get my own.) I haven't gotten around to doing that yet but I plan to. One of my co-workers who has one says getting a proper standing desk mat makes a big difference re: foot soreness.

I have also recently started making a concerted effort to walk a lap around the office once an hour. I was skeptical at first but it really does seem to make a difference in my energy level and how tired I am at the end of the day -- I'm less tired than if I had been sitting all day.

[kppolich]

In my previous job I was on my feet for 10 hours a day. I was constantly moving and tired at the end of the day. Workouts after work suffered as a result of being fatigued and the motivation was low after a 10 hour day.

Fast forward to today. Different job, office type with maybe 6 hours seated, 2 hours standing. Workouts are better, I have motivation to get ON my feet because i know i'm fresh from sitting and recovering most of the day.

Different strokes for different folks. I know my computer skills are better when seated as well.

[Ralph]

Dr Mirkin on subject. He's not a big fan of stand up desks.....and explains why.

http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/sitt...xercisers.html

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by GregL

That's the biggest thing I've noticed. Supportive shoes are a must!
Greg

Try going barefoot. When I work at home (which is most of the time), I'm always barefoot. My feet are much happier.

Now I feel funny when I have to stuff my feet into dress shoes...

[benb]

I've had them at work for years...

I use them off and on, never for the whole day.

Newer studies I've seen reported on are saying the benefits are overblown and that it doesn't really compensate for lack of exercise and that sitting isn't as bad as thought if you are exercising.

There are lots of people who stand for work all day and end up with injuries from it over their career.

it also surely doesn't replace exercise (as if that is a problem for people on this site).

But it is a great thing to have if your back hurts from sitting or something, a great option. I would really like to toss my desk at home and get one like I have at work. More options are better, especially for stuff like RSI.

The ones we have right now are from AMQ, they're awesome. Powered, the desk knows it's current height down to 0.1" and displays it on a little LCD, you can adjust it in 0.1" increments and it has 5 programmable memory slots.. so even if 2 people share the desk each can punch in a pre-set standing and seated height.

https://amqsolutions.com/

The ability to adjust the height when your sitting is IMO just as important as being able to stand. Being able to adjust the height of the chair and the height of the desk can really help posture.

I'd agree standing when you're trying to recover from workouts is tough.

There are funny other things around this. At home I stand for a lot of tasks. It drives me INSANE that my kitchen counters & sink are made for someone who is 5'1" or whatever. I'm 6'1", I am bending over/craning my neck anytime I cook or clean. My wife is 5'10" and my son is only 6 and is already > 4 feet tall, if we ever build our dream house or redo our kitchen I'm going to push for higher counters.. even 3-4" would be great.

Quite a few of the standing desk setups I've used/tried at offices have not had a high enough maximum height for people over 6'. They also frequently have dumb things going on like inability to raise the computer monitors to a correct height above the desk when the monitors mount to part of the desk. Having the desk/keyboard at the correct height is only part of the solution.. you need the monitors at the correct height too so that you're not bending your neck down all day.

I purposely built my workbench higher than normal, designed for me for the garage.. it is fantastic. My posture is much better working at the workbench and I can stand there for a long time even on the concrete floor without fatigue.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by benb

Newer studies I've seen reported on are saying the benefits are overblown and that it doesn't really compensate for lack of exercise and that sitting isn't as bad as thought if you are exercising.

I've been wondering if the idea for standing desks was from conflating the ideas of "being on your feet" and "standing". "Being on your feet" implies moving around, which is very different from "standing" in one place for a long period of time. Also, I think the idea of getting people "on their feet" rather than sitting is from studies of people who get no exercise at all, so just getting them up out of their chairs and moving around is a big improvement.

[benb]

Yah unfortunately for a lot of tasks around the office you can stand at a standing desk but you can't "move around" while working without impacting performance.

Hard to type and move around at all for example... you mostly have to stand really still.

Which is a funny thing.. if we were trying to design input devices during the development of computers that let people move they'd probably look pretty differently.

You can input complex commands into things like a musical instrument while walking/moving/whatever, but not most keyboards or pointing devices.

[mosca]

Isn't there a saying among racers, something like: "why stand when you can sit, why sit when you can lie down?"
It's the one habit I share with the pros.