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CDC.gov, Preventing Chronic Disease
Sit-stand devices used in the Take-a-Stand Project in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2011.
The Take-a-Stand Project was a partnership with a sit-stand device manufacturer, Ergotron, Inc, Eagan, Minnesota.
Office workers who spent an hour or so a day at stand-up workstations felt more energized, productive and even happier, researchers reported on Thursday. And if they keep it up, they may help reduce the damage done by sitting at a desk all day.
Study after study has shown that sitting all day long is bad for you. People risk developing lower back problems, kidney disease, heart disease and other ills – even if they exercise outside of work.
“If you go out for a 30 minute run , and then sit for eight hours at work, you could still have health problems because you are sitting all day,” said Nicolaas Pronk, a vice president at Minnesota-based HealthPartners, a non-profit health care organization that provides clinics, health insurance and does health care research.
Pronk decided to test special workstations on the organization’s employees.
They recruited 34 volunteers to test some of the commercial workstations on the market that allow users to sit or stand, as they like, without having to move all their stuff. They tried models made by Ergotron, Inc. of Eagan, Minnesota.
“There are different devices out there. The ones we tested, you clamp them onto the desk. It has a keyboard tray and you push up or push down as you want to sit or stand,” Pronk said. “Ergotron is located in the same town as we are. So we partnered with them.”
The question is, will people use them and if they do, do they stand up for enough of their days to make a difference. And if so, how does that affect them?
Over seven weeks, 10 workers stayed at their usual desks, while 24 used the new workstations, Pronk and colleagues report in this week’s issue of the journal Preventing Chronic Disease.
To be scientific, Pronk’s team checked in with workers several times a day to see whether they were standing or sitting and to see how they felt. “We provided all participants a prepaid cellular telephone and sent text messages at three random times throughout the course of the work day. Immediately upon receiving a text message, participants responded to the question, ‘Tell us what you are doing right now: sitting, standing, or walking?’ by using 0, 1, or 2 for sitting, standing, or walking, respectively,” the researchers wrote.
They also surveyed the workers more thoroughly three times during the study, once at the end of the seven weeks.
People really liked them, Pronk said. “People felt happier. They felt more confident. They were more productive. Across the board, the feedback was very positive.”
The workers who used the devices were lavish in their praise – 87 percent felt more comfortable, 87 percent felt energized, 75 percent felt healthier, 71 percent felt more focused, 66 percent felt more productive, 62 percent felt happier, and 33 percent felt less stressed.
“Not a single person in the intervention group indicated that they did not like the device,” Pronk said. In fact, HealthPartners now offers them to all employees. “Around 30 percent have them. There are about 2,000 people today who have one at their station,” Pronk said.
People sat, on average just over an hour less every day. While standing didn’t help lower back pain, it reduced upper back and neck pain by 54 percent, Pronk found.
Research is piling in that that shows just the act of sitting most of the day can cut years off your life. Researchers reported in July that cutting the time that people spend sitting to less than three hours would increase the U.S. life expectancy by two years. And reducing the time spent watching TV to less than 2 hours daily would increase life expectancy by 1.4 years.
Last month, British researchers found that people who spent the least amount of time sitting were also the least likely to have chronic kidney disease.
Pronk is himself sold on the idea. “I don’t think this is a fad. It’s a new way of doing your work,” he said. He uses one now. “I probably stand about 80 percent of the time when I am in my office. I leave it up when I leave at night so it’s up when I come in in the morning,” Pronk said.
Part of the appeal may be that employees can control the device themselves. “You literally can push this device up with your hand and you can stand up,” he said.
“It has an impact on their work while they at work. The fact is that sedentary job tasks will end up making people sit for such long periods of time that it truly, literally, affects their longevity, so this is a very important area of intervention. The entire work force can go home more energetic and energized than they came in in the morning. That makes a huge difference from a work-life balance perspective.”
Related links:
- Less sitting would add two years to Americans' lives
- All that sitting is killing you
- Stand up, for the sake of your kidneys
Leave a Comment:
Imagine how small the cubicles can get if you don't even get a chair anymore. Which is fine because all the jobs are temporary ones and if you're there long enough to need to take a seat (or collect any benefits) something is wrong and a drone from the HR management subcontractor will be along shortly to help you collect your things (including all your Facebook friends and Twitter followers) and usher in the new temp, who makes half what you made, to finish the job. If humans had beaks, they'd get clipped.
Keep parroting Snowcrash please.
Wow CRAMY - everyone in my office are full time, long term employees and almost everyone I know has a long term full time job. Too bad you haven't been able to find one. Sorry to see you are so bitter.
Cramy-- I think this gives people the option to sit and to stand all in one day. As long as a person has the option and can follow their body's signals when they need to sit or stand, it's good.
CRAMY?
Try crabby arsehole. Sucks to be you.
Here is an idea for all you creative, ambitious go-getter types (especially the unemployed ones looking to get rich.)
I have thought (seriously) of designing some kind of "work-out" desk, if you will, that would be a great invention for sedentary office workers, yah, like the millions of them...Even better for GAMERS who sit for hours...more millions...
In some kind of attractive desk design, rig a type of "stationary bicycle" under the desk where the office worker could increase or decrease the amount of resistance to the pedaling during the day. You could even add an odometer to make it more fun to see how far you "pedaled" that day. You could have office contests to see who got the "farthest."
In addition, include a "hidden" sliding pulley type upper body gear to the desk top for the occasional resistance type upper body work.
You could market these "work-out desks" to businesses by reminding them that keeping their employees in shape makes for more efficient workers.
I don't think the "pedaling" part of the exercise work desk should generate the energy to run the employees computer, lol, but I bet some greedy employers would consider that to save $ on their electric bill.
However, with this invention, employees would need to control how much they worked out as you don't want a bunch of sweaty smelly employees at the end of the day, unless you install showers in the bathrooms of course. :)
You can, in fact, buy under the desk bike pedaling type exercise gear, but I thought the whole "office work out desk" would be so much more fun and healthy!
Your welcome. I hope you make millions.
Correction: You're* Welcome.
@ Sharktopussie- I built a desk for my home use which was designed to let me work and use the elliptical simultaneously. I didn't use it as much as I thought, because the movement interfered with my ability to read well, and made using the mouse more difficult, etc. However, when I retired the desk, I thought, "I'm gonna build a new version of this, as soon as I get a recumbent bike." :)
I LOVE this adjustable desk design. Used to work in a vault doing bookkeeping and data entry, and when the data entry was done, we would always stand to do our cash handling. We were so much faster and more effective standing, and it felt GREAT after 4-5 hours on your a55.
Cramy is right. They have gone so far as to do this on production lines when people were working 12 hours a day. It was the closest they came to a rebellion of the work force and it was discontinued at least for now. It really is part of a plan, together with the 5s program to convey that you are temporary. No family pictures and only those implements you absolutely must have to do your job ( and 5s was supposed to be just good housekeeping, yeah right). You may see the demise of the cube altogether and end up working elbow to elbow. Welcome to regimentation. Someday you will have to wear coveralls with the company logo and regulation shoes and haircuts/do's. If you think any of this is for your wellbeing you're nuts.
I have a Kangeroo Desktop for my workspace. I love it. It goes up and down with ease. My personal goal is to stand for 3.5 hours a day to do my work. I feel a lot better and my joints don't feel so creaky all the time.
And to think so many of these people think they will be able to keep their Kangaroo desks and ball chairs. Maybe if they have a title and an office. Work in a cube? You get what they're giving and will be lucky if you keep the cube.
@Cramy:
Attitude has a LOT to do with your success rate in the workplace. If you are a crabby, complaining, negative, down-in-the-mouth whiner, you won't last too long ... who wants to work with someone who b*tches all day. It demoralizes the other workers and lowers overall productivity and creativity. You deserve to be replaced with a temp.
The company for which I work ... the "newest" employee has been here over 6 years - the average is 11.6 years ... and it is a manufacturing company. It is hard work, but everyone makes the best of it and we all have positive attitudes. Makes coming to work enjoyable.
If you cannot keep a job, you need to look in the mirror. This design is made to HELP employees feel more comfortable - great idea!
I hate to say this but with Obama-Care coming into the picture a little every year till 2014 we are going to have more part-time workers than ever before. I didn't want to get political but they have had a bunch of companies cutting back and this is one way they are going to do it. It has been proving already.
Not sure really but it could be nice...I stand all day at my computer at work outside on concrete in a kiosk and after 7 years of this I can say it has killed my feet,back and knees. I would love to have a chair now and again.
Mark my words, corporations have learned from this last recession that they don't need large permanent employee bases to be successful. Look at corporate earnings among the most successful companies in the last few years and where employment numbers have been in that same period. Corporate leadership has learned the lesson - we don't need permanent people to delight the shareholders and Wall Street.
elivaa - I can't help it if Stephenson was clairvoyant. Been to a gated community lately? See all those kids immersing themselves in virtual worlds? There are 13 pizza delivery joints in my community of 10,000 and more keep opening! Hey, cars that drive themselves too! Who'da thunk it?
Sally Lu - Good for you. There are plenty of pockets of uncompetitive niche fields that haven't experienced the cutting edge of "5s", "lean" and "agile staffing" initiatives. It takes while for these wonders of management theory to trickle down. Look those terms up. Introduce them to your supervisor. You'll get a huge bonus for the cost savings you introduce. It's not bitterness, it's progress.
Lisa c-5522618 - Yes, it gives people plenty of flexibility as to how they perform their job. It's a good development. So were pesticides, nuclear power, and taxes. These desks and the ergonomic studies that lead to them can be used to improve worker health, or to enforce strange new company policies people may not like. You can bet on such decisions being made with shareholder value in mind. Be sure your interests are aligned with those of the shareholders.
tombones - You certainly lightened the thread's atmosphere. Gold star for you.
Sharktopussie - Good ideas. Already done.
Why don't you see more of them? I guess the shareholders don't see exercise desks as a value they can get behind (pun intended).
rufusthedog - I see you work for a progressive company; 5s and standing workstations. Getting those manufacturing jobs back from overseas will require Americans to become more Chinese in their work habits. That means more productivity (at a time when American productivity is at record highs?!) Luckily Romney will roll back the worker health and safety regulations and environmental protection regulations to assure it. Being competitive means doing what successful companies are doing. Apple and it's subcontractor, Foxconn, are very successful concerns. Read up on the employee health and safety measures they employ to keep costs down. THAT is our future.
D. Appel - Thanks for your concern. I am employed and enjoy my job, since it doesn't involve a desk and cannot be moved overseas for near-slave labor to do at less cost. That your company hasn't yet realized the undeniable cost savings of temp staffing, sub-contracting and outsourcing is an indicator that they are probably not competitive globally. Hopefully their core business model is not made obsolete by innovations from overseas or competitive products from overseas.
Smokie-788412 - Many employers are already looking at converting to part-time staffing. It's started in retail () in our service economy, mind you, where most of the recently created jobs are retail. This trend will move out and up the career food chain. There really is no viable economic benefit for a company to pay out benefits, retirement, or insurance to full-time employees in most cases. Outside of critical executive and management positions, most jobs can be focused down to fundamental tasks specified in Standard Operating Procedures and performed by minimally trained staff. Even Henry Ford, back in the day, showed that breaking up complex job tasks into small, simple steps to be performed by multitudes was a profitable venture. Two part-time laborers are always cheaper than one full time employee and can do as much (or more) work in a week. On average a full-time employee's benefits package and workers comp payments cost an additional 40% on top of their salary / wages. Not the case with part-timers. Obamacare will make keeping full-timers all the more costly. I don't expect Obamacare to be around for long after Romney takes office, but I expect that corporate earnings performance as indicated by the run on Wall Street, fact that this performance was based on reduced workforces and increased temp/contracting, and that Romney/Paul will dismantle worker protection regs. will propel the drive to less full-time work and more temporary positions.
dslodge - The grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Those who sit all day wish to stand, those who stand wish to sit. These flexible desks are great for ending that particular job situation polarity. I only hope the bean counters can convince the BoD and, thereby, the shareholders that investing in them will benefit the bottom line. Desk purchases aren't usually a high priority.
The good news is that in the future, you won't have to worry about sitting at a job for 8 hours or even standing at one for that long in a day. You can have two or three different part-time jobs and mix/match the sitting and standing however you want AT NO COST TO YOUR EMPLOYER. And when whatever chronic fatigue syndrome dujour strikes, you can pay out of pocket for your sudden lack of productivity.
I agree with the posts of the people who have a choice. Work for a company that the employee's stand all day long, on concrete floors. 12 hour shifts. 6 days a week. I ended up having to have surgery on my heel, many others have had surgery as well.
I also have Rhuematoid arthritis and now, thankfully, have a job where I can sit, but also have the option to get up and move around. If it weren't for that, I would not be able to work at this particular company. I can see it has broken many people down-the one's that don't have a choice. Many have left, many are out on medical leave. It's very sad.
So the fact that one can choose is the important part!
For Cramy: Obama/Biden 2012 !!!
I've never had a job where I sat at a computer all day...(must be hell on the eyes!)
...or sat anywhere all day for that matter. I've always been on my feet every working day of 40+ years so far. But I do not begrudge those that do sit for their jobs.
You could get Peripheral vascular disease, or blood clots that form in your legs from sitting too long, though, so who knows which is worse, standing all day or sitting all day.
However, I do have a problem with being told I couldn't sit if I was working at a desk or at a computer.
I think that's just a way to take more from the employee....and is that CHINA I hear knocking at our door?
I guess they came quicker than we were expecting them to, huh?
Ummmm, guys? Saying that you and the full time workers in your office all have, well, full time jobs kind of evades the issue. Go and check the Bureau of Labor Statistics--we do, in fact, have a dramatic increase in the number of workers who are part-time, temporary, and who have no benefits and no job security. It's called a "contingent work force" or a "mobile work force"--it's another way of saying that even office jobs have gone over to using migrant workers.
This doesn't mean everyone is part-time temporary; it means that an increasing number of people are. And, sorry, but that's just a plain old fact that you can't explain away as "attitude." In fact, that the full-time people will explain it away as "attitude" goes a long way towards reinforcing this.
I'd have a much better attitude, too, if I could get a full time job with benefits and didn't have to work three part-time jobs, all of which involve sitting at a desk and typing for 5 or so hours a day (yes, this means that I work about a 12-15 hour day, seven days a week--not fun). Let's not confuse the effects of the current situation with the causes of the current situation.
But, yes, there is already such a thing as a treadmill desk. When I figure out where to put it in my house, I plan to make one to use while I am walking (they say that about 2 miles an hour is good). You can buy an actual treadmill desk, but they cost $1K (though they are very fancy and nice), and it seems just as easy to cobble together something that will work well enough for a laptop.
In any case, it would behoove all of us to go check out some facts and look a few things up before popping off. Most new jobs involve sitting, working at a computer, and are temporary part-time. Those are just the facts, folks. Have a great day.
Dumbass, please start a business and pay your workers $50 an hour. Otherwise, shut the hell up.
Back on topic. Curious, this study. Because I find that while I may sitting in front of a computer for most of the day, there are several times during the day that I stand while at a computer. Making it more ergonomic sounds like a great idea.
Maybe if people got off of Facebook and Twitter, they wouldn't have to worry about HR coming in and packing up stuff up and the next temp taking over. People are hired and paid to do a job not waste time on social media.
This is one of those things that in hindsight seems so obvious it is a wonder it hasn't been thought of sooner. At the other end of my floor, a coworker has a back problem that gives him chronic pain when he sits, and he has been working at a standing desktop station for at least a couple of years now. I used to work primarily on my feet, and I was in better shape then.
Nicolaas Pronk... I hope you succeed in bringing this practice into the mainstream. Cramy's comment is looney.
I agree.
My back kills me when Im sitting all day, ive tried every different kind of angle/lumbar bar, etc.
When im moving around, standing at a job site I have no issues at all.
I think it looks great. I'm having serious back issues right now (three surgeries so far this year.) I'm down to working 5 hours a day because after that, the sitting has me in agony. Spending 35 years working at a desk has taken a toll, despite the fact that I've been quite athletic outside of work. I've been looking at different set ups, hoping desperately to get back to working full-time. This looks like the most hopeful thing I've seen yet.
I would love for my work to implement these. I currently have two 8 hour shifts and two 12 hour shift sitting down. I have to get up and walk around just about every hour or so just to stop from having sore shoulders and a pain in the back. It's be fantastic to be able to use these to stand or sit whenever I wanted and the fact that it's portable makes it all the better.
Treadmill desk--http://www.treadmill-desk.com/ It's not even a new idea, people. Having desks that shift up and down to allow standing or sitting isn't new, either. The study is new--but the idea is old.
I love my standing desk. Though I wish my converted as easily as these. Some days I bring in my laptop so I can sit part of the day. My legs were exhausted at first. But they've gotten used to it. I can stand most of the day even while wearing heels. My neck and shoulders are now pain free. I'm also migraine free. Love it!
And if you wear good supportive non-heel shoes like tennis or running shoes, your back, feet, legs and leg muscles will love it even more! I'm glad to hear of your migraine-free status, as well as your neck and back! Cool!!
The biggest (physical) problem for sedentary office workers is poor circulation and dangerously stagnant blood flow throughout the day.
Whether you sit or STAND, blood still pools and stagnates, hence, my suggestion for the "work out desk" above.
Just a thought.
Yes, there is actually a correct way to stand and work just as there is a correct way to sit and work. One of the benefits to standing though is that people will generally move around during parts of work that involve waiting (loading a file, opening email, pulling stuff off of shelves).
It is important to get a good anti-fatigue mat to stand on though and to make sure the height of the keyboard and monitor are appropriate for your height (www.computingcomfort.org).
I have recently decided to either purchase or build an attachment to my existing desk so that I can stand during the day. With lower back problems, I find myself wanting to get up out of my chair every ten minutes anyways.
I worked for many years at a drafting table, and loved it. I had a high (drafting) stool and could sit when I wanted. When I moved to a desk job, I missed being able to stand and do my work. At home I frequently put my lap top on my ironing board. I did/do a lot of my craft work on my ironing board because I can stand to do it. I love the idea of being able to move the desk up/down, but why not just get a drafting table and stool and use them?
I made the switch about 2 yrs ago and I LOVE IT!!!!...........I also use a swopper stool vs. a regular chair when I do decide to sit.........Back pain is non existent, shoulder doesn't hurt anymore, no more carpal tunnel syndrome................ health is much better overall................make the change if you can.......
I just googled swooper stool because of your post...never heard about it before. I'm an accountant sitting for long periods of time. Might try this. Thanks.
I love this idea, especially that it is easily convertible so you can easily switch back and forth during the day. My back often hurts after a day sitting at my desk, and if I could switch back and forth, I know it would be better.
I often stand at my desk when my back starts bothering me, but I have to look down at my computer. This would make my life so much easier! I'll have to look into it!
I work for a global company and our locations in Sweden have been using similar desk system for over eight years! For them, they simply flip a switch and the whole desk lifts up to standing height, which I think is fantastic! This way, all people, regardless of their height, can have a perfectly comfortable working postition while standing! So this isn't anything "new"....it's just us lazy slobs here in the U.S. trying to keep pace with the rest of the civilized world!
These stand-or-sit desks are awesome and have been for sale online for years now. Tired of sitting on your rear? Stand a while. I too wonder why they have not taken off here in the USA by now, but lame "news" reports such as this may help.
stormin, I think you're barking up the wrong tree. These work stations require an investment by the employer, and I would make an educated guess that it's at least a thousand dollars more per employee (for the switch operated). So please, if you're going to criticize, think about what is coming out of your mouth. Sweden's employers invest a lot more in their human resources than the US does.
I've been wanting a standing desk for a while now. Since getting my current job 3.5 years ago I've gained weight due to the simple facts that a) I drive to work & B) I'm sitting all day. I dont eat badly but just being immobile all day makes me lethargic. I try to stand up and walk around as much as possible but working in a small office makes it hard especially when all your work is done at a desk.
Standing is good, but I've found that using a cheap treadmill at your standing desk is much better. The motion makes it much more tolerable to work for longer periods of time. Just standing makes me antsy and kind of annoyed after a couple of hours. Treadmill aren't even that expensive. (Poor student here, made mine for about 300 bucks.) And I've also lost quite a bit of weight, surprisingly. Please check out my documentation if you're interested!
www.treadmilldeskdiary.com
Last year I had chronic hip pain from sitting in front of a computer all day long. I actually thought I was going to have to have a hip replacement. After converting to standing in front of the computer instead of sitting, my hip pain completely disappeared. 30 years of working in a darkroom (I'm a photographer) came back in a heartbeat. I highly recommend it.
Next time they want to update chairs in the office, I think I'll want to recommend this.
i have the traditional sit and your desk and do you work cube - sometimes i have to get up and do the same work - i dont have a fancy pedestal so i just pile a couple of phone books for the keyboard, adjust my computer monitor and everything works out fine - sometimes in the afternoon, i can get a bit sleepy especially after lunch - i'll stand a bit, do my work and snap out of it - i could do most of my work standing but sometimes i have to do some research in our catalogues for parts and such and then i do need to sit - a combination of each would be ideal - strange as it may seem, this will get more productivity out of the workers, help their health, make them more alert and (horrors!) might make it a bit more fun since you can see that other guy standing and maybe chat during down times
I think I would like this for an hour or two a day. I couldn't do it for eight hours though. I've had cashiering jobs before and my feet always hurt, even after I got used to it.
I wonder how much of this is actually just "doing anything different feels better"?
This smells of one of those "health insurance wellness" deals where this can make you healthier so let's hav everyone stand up now instead of sit. Nevermind vericose veins or whatever from standing all day. I say the insurance companies can stick it.
Thanks for recognizing an infomercial when you see it. Some of us have reaped the rewards of too much standing.
but i have a knee problem, should I sacrifice my knee for my overall health? what if i cannot stand anymore because my knee is so swollen? will i just shoot myself and die then?
You could get a high stool to prop yourself on when your knee starts to bother you.
Yes Yus, you could prop up one knee and put most of your weight on the other leg. Won't that be fun.
Or just lean back with a little of your fanny on the stool?
Sounds wonderful. Only one thing, who is going to convince the cheap skate, tight fisted company I work for to pay for one? They certainly won't do it simply to benefit the health/well being of the employees. Perhaps if someone could put togehter a cost/benefit analysis with a super short break even point...aw, who am I kidding, they still wont do it.
Another obvious attempt by the liberals to keep the working man working.
"The Liberals?" I thought your kind believed liberals were deadbeats who just wanted everyone to sit home and live off welfare? You're just like Romney/Ryan, you want to tell voters one thing, but conservative donors the complete opposite, and still have it both ways. They call those people either Republicans or Hypocrites.
Sheesh, some people just have to make EVERYTHING and ANYTHING about politics!!!!! GET OVER IT!!!!!
You're right. Liberals ARE deadbeats.
I'd like to see a comparison of the standing desk vs a ball chair. I change out a couple of times during the day between my "ergonomic" desk chair and my ball chair and that makes a big difference in how I feel at the end of a day. When I'm on my ball chair (it's a big exercise-type ball on a wheeled base), I'm constantly in motion--minor adjustments of my back and hips and legs make it a core workout as well as a very comfortable place to sit. I remember to do my pelvic circles and spine movements that keep me from getting sore; in a regular desk chair, I'm either not able to do the movements or I forget.
Has anyone else tried using a ball chair?
I had a friend who was a massage therapist and that is what she used during massages, except it was just the exercise ball and no base.
I had a girlfriend who used just an exercise ball. She liked it just fine. She was also blazing hot!
I also had a boss that LOVED to walk around with a headset on and do ALL of his work walking and talking. We told him we were going to get him a wheel so he could run like a hamster. He said he would really like it! Even if you don't have this 'standing desk' make SURE you get up and walk around at least once an hour preferably every half hour and it will get the circulation in your legs to moving.
We have had adjustable desks for years in our 911 operations center, you can sit regular level, stand or use a stool. Simply changing position can increase alertness and productivity, especially on a 10 hour shift.
There ya go. It is really about productivity isn't it. Think how much easier it will be to work 12 hrs a day standard.
I switched to a standing desk probably a year ago and I would not want to go back to sitting all day. I have no more back problems, higher energy, and just generally feel better.
The main reason for the change was having to go to the chiropractor every other week and feeling tired all the time. I must have tried a dozen different chairs here and none of them were any good. All the office chairs here are probably 20 years old and the ones that aren't broken are just awful for back support or to maintain any kind of good posture. Yes, my employer is cheap in every way, and I hope to find a better place to work sometime soon but the last couple years haven't been the best time for that..
So, due to them being so f*cking cheap, I had to raise my desk area on my own using available materials so I found an old bookcase that was the right size and height laying it down across the desk. That worked out fine, but it's a 100% standing desk and 0% sitting and being able to sit occasionally would be nice. Some days my feet get sore, but between good shoes with gel insoles and a cushioned pad to stand on (purchased at my own expense), it's fine most days now. I also got heckled for the first month or so until people figured that it was a permanent thing. Most of them still don't quite get it, but that's not my problem. If employers would put these dual purpose desks into place and encourage people to spend at least some part of the day standing, everyone would benefit. I also don't watch much TV and do most of my reading of the newspaper and magazines standing at the center aisle in my kitchen. And yet, between commuting to work, eating dinner, and other times at home, I'm still probably sitting at least four to five hours a day.
The average office worker who works occasional overtime sitting at work for 8+ hours a day, plus commuting, and then watching 4 to 5 hours of television, is sitting for about 16 hours per weekday and probably almost as much on weekends. Then they wonder why they have bad backs and other health issues.
Do you find that your lower back hurts when you sit, after you've been standing for a few hours? That happens to me... Ugh.
All you complainers sound like my morbidly obese sister... oh, I can't do that; my knees/back/ankles/whatever hurts. I'm lazy. I'm fat. I don't want to try anything new. Go away!
If the studies are correct, they will go away - permanently.
Betty do you work at all or are you a professional bitcher???
I think they would improve people's health overall, but having a much older workforce with social security going up might cause problems with the older workers. Yes, even health nuts (actually especially health freaks) have all kinds of tendon issues.
At 55+, your telomeres just ain't what they used to be. It's a fact of life. If it weren't we wouldn't need botox, hair dye or HRT, right?
A desk job is like a death sentence for me. I've had one, hopefully never again!
I just take a few walks through out the day at work. Cost: $0
And before you accuse me of not getting my work done, please know my reviews are always "exceeds".
lol
The author stated that even if you work out, sitting for long periods is detrimental. So although you are doing a good thing, it isn't optimal.