Have you heard that “sitting is the new smoking”? While this might sound a bit dramatic, increased time spent sitting does actually increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and a number of other nasty conditions. As physiotherapists, we see the negative effects of sitting as low back pain, neck and shoulder pain, wrist pain, headaches, hip pain, knee pain…and the list goes on… With this increased awareness of how bad sitting is for us, it was only a matter of time before somebody invented something to solve this problem!

The standing desk

Standing desks are a nifty invention that allow you to stand comfortably while working at your computer or reading/writing. They have some great advantages
  • lower risk of weight gain
  • may lower blood sugar levels
  • may lower risk of heart disease
  • reduced back pain
  • improved mood and energy
  • improved productivity
But they also have some disadvantages… Unfortunately standing for long periods of time isn’t great for us either, especially when we do it in unsupportive footwear.  It can lead to foot, knee, ankle hip and lower back pain. This brings us to the next invention and my personal favourite…

The Sit-to-stand desk

Sit to stand desks are height-adjustable workstations that allow you to move from sitting to standing easily throughout the day. They are great because they offer all of the advantages of standing desks (i.e reduced sitting) but also give the body variety, which it loves!

How should you use them?

More research is becoming available on just how much we should sit vs stand during the day, so the recommendations do change quite frequently. Current research indicates that you should aim to accumulate 2 hours of standing / walking during a normal work day (if you work for 8 hours). As your body adjusts, you can build up to 4 hours each day. A good way to start is to aim to stand for 15-20mins every hour and sit for the remainder.

But don’t forget…

How you sit and stand is just as important as how much you sit and stand.
So brush up on our 4 best tips for your best desk set-up here! And if you’re reading this while you sit at your desk…stand up and go for a walk now!

Recommended reading from Glow

Can I improve my posture? Have you heard that “sitting is the new smoking”? While this might sound a bit dramatic, increased time spent sitting does actually increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and a number of other nasty conditions. As physiotherapists, we see the negative effects of sitting as low back pain, neck and shoulder pain, wrist pain, headaches, hip pain, knee pain…and the list goes on… With this increased awareness of how bad sitting is for us, it was only a matter of time before somebody invented something to solve this problem!

The standing desk

Standing desks are a nifty invention that allow you to stand comfortably while working at your computer or reading/writing. They have some great advantages
  • lower risk of weight gain
  • may lower blood sugar levels
  • may lower risk of heart disease
  • reduced back pain
  • improved mood and energy
  • improved productivity
But they also have some disadvantages… Unfortunately standing for long periods of time isn’t great for us either, especially when we do it in unsupportive footwear.  It can lead to foot, knee, ankle hip and lower back pain. This brings us to the next invention and my personal favourite…

The Sit-to-stand desk

Sit to stand desks are height-adjustable workstations that allow you to move from sitting to standing easily throughout the day. They are great because they offer all of the advantages of standing desks (i.e reduced sitting) but also give the body variety, which it loves!

How should you use them?

More research is becoming available on just how much we should sit vs stand during the day, so the recommendations do change quite frequently. Current research indicates that you should aim to accumulate 2 hours of standing / walking during a normal work day (if you work for 8 hours). As your body adjusts, you can build up to 4 hours each day. A good way to start is to aim to stand for 15-20mins every hour and sit for the remainder.

But don’t forget…

How you sit and stand is just as important as how much you sit and stand.
So brush up on our 4 best tips for your best desk set-up here! And if you’re reading this while you sit at your desk…stand up and go for a walk now!

Recommended reading from Glow

Can I improve my posture? Micro-breaks – my top tip for desk workers! 3 steps to your best desk set-up