Recent Reports about This Latest Office Trend
Standing desks have gained popularity and even become trendy in recent years due to perceived health benefits such as, weight loss, cardiovascular health, and relief from muscle discomfort—even better work performance and reduced risk of premature death. These new desks have been promoted by well-meaning doctors and other health and safety officials as well as office furniture manufacturers. So, are there any standing desk benefits? And are these benefits real?
What Is a Standing Desk?
Standing desk styles can vary from stationary, adjustable-height standing desks, requiring workers to stand for all working hours, to adjustable sit-stand desks, which allow the user to switch between standing and sitting work modes throughout the workday. Standing desks consist of a platform or an adjustable-height base that houses a computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The cost of a standing desk can vary greatly, from inexpensive DIY versions to $1,000 high-end standing desk models.
Why All the Rage About Standing Desks?
Scientists agree that too much sitting time, whether at a desk or in front of a television, is unhealthy. Sedentary lifestyles have been under fire in recent years, corroborated by a recent study completed by the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The September 2018 study concluded that sedentary behavior, including sitting at a desk, increased the overall risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer as well as incidences of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. For purposes of the study, sedentary behavior was defined as remaining in a seated position for six to eight hours each day—a threshold easily met by traditional office workers in most countries.
Many Millennial and older office workers have jumped on the bandwagon to adopt this new style of working. Countless people have reported feeling more energy, less fatigue and muscle soreness as well as feeling more encouraged to get up and move around within their workspace and collaborate with fellow workers. But is this enough to warrant a permanent switch to this new style of working?
Are Standing Desks or Sit-Stand Desks Beneficial?
Just as sitting all day can be harmful to overall health, additional studies (and common sense) also say that standing all day can increase physical discomfort as well as reduce productivity. So, sit-stand desks seem to offer the best of both worlds by allowing workers to vary their work posture as desired.
Last fall, the BMJ, a leading general medical journal, reported the results of a year-long trial that included 146 office employees in the United Kingdom. Office workers that used sit-stand desks reported significant reductions in the amount of time they spent sitting. They also reported better health and improved work performance when compared to employees who continued sitting at their desks all day. These same workers also noted being more engaged at work and feeling better at their jobs than sitting counterparts. They also reported less anxiety, job-related fatigue, and a higher quality of life.
Overall Effectiveness of Standing Desks
According to Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing, the Journal of Physical Activity and Health reports that “the use of a standing desk for three hours burns an extra 24 calories, about the same number of calories in a carrot. But walking for just a half hour during your lunch break could burn an extra 100 calories each day.”
On the other hand, increased physical benefits have not been backed up by some scientific studies. Surveys by the Society for Human Resource Management and experts from Tufts University and the University of Pittsburgh determined that while participants experienced a less sedentary lifestyle and minor reductions in blood pressure for some users, participants did not experience any significant weight loss or other purported health benefits.
So, it appears that the jury is still out on the overall effectiveness and benefits of using a standing desk or sit-stand desk. We encourage you to make the decision that seems best for you and offers you the most comfort throughout your workday.
Wonder if your office staff should use sit-stand desks?
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