I’m going to start standing-sitting while working. Got a desk that can do it. Was curious how it has affected other people.
Why are they wearing high heels for a posture infographic?
Gender norms be like that
I just noticed. Its funny. i ddg the image and added the link.
They can’t reach the standing desk without high heels. /s
Yeah come to think of it why is one of them nazi saluting?
No she’s not, but she’s pointing at that fine ass through that glass panel
Because the infographic recommends them?
During COVID I switched from a sit-stand-walk around type job to WFH sitting for the full 8+ hours. I found myself spiraling into some real hip and lower back pain until I invested in some new home office furniture to enable more standing and moving around.
Cheapo walking treadmill was the best $125 Bezos bucks I spent during lockdown.
Walking makes a huge difference.
I average around 14,000 steps a day, and the health benefits to your heart, lungs, joints, and back can’t be overstated.
Can you elaborate on the specific benefits you saw? Did you notice anything in terms of health metrics? Resting heart rate, HRV, blood pressure, watch sleep quality, etc.? I need some motivation to overhaul my desk setup lol.
For me, the biggest benefits have been:
- Significantly-reduced lower back pain
- Better sleep, and I fall asleep more easily
- Mood. (Note that it only takes 20 minutes of activity to get endorphins flowing)
- I don’t get winded as quickly climbing stairs.
Thanks! I could use some improvement in 3 of those, so definitely worth trying.
I have an electric standing desk (converts in seconds) and imo it’s extremely overrated and doesn’t actually do anything.
The science behind this is extremely unconvincing other than “standing is fun sometimes” which is great but you shouldnt force yourself if it doesn’t work for you.
What actually works - raise your monitor, lower your keyboard, get a vertical mouse, get a ergonomic keyboard with a track point, get compression socks if you’re older and do some yin yoga / stretching. These things actually work. Just listen to your body as you can feel the exact strain and discomfort if you actually pay attention to it.
Also posture is not harmed through idle poses, you don’t want to keep your back straight at all times - that’s stupid. Main enemy of posture and all muscles is strain and this is fixed by stretching and exercise not standing with a straight back.
You forgot one thing…stand up and walk around even for a few minutes every few hours.
I have the same, and I mostly got it to be able to make minor height adjustments while sitting, but now I love it.
I only stand for a few hours of work, but it’s a major comfort difference to me compared to the office.I would think this would be the key aspect of the standing sitting desk. Being able to move positions all day long.
I listened to some ergonomics person in the office and stood at my desk for years. Now I have a varicose vein. Which it seems might be caused by standing too much. Thanks, ergonomics person.
Made a big difference honestly. Used to work in an office where I sat for 8hrs a day and my back/legs would go numb after awhile. Went all in on an ergo set up during COVID. Sit-stand desk, split keyboard, vertical mouse, etc. I figure if I use them more than 40 hrs a week and they prevent some form of RSI or back-pain, it’s worth it.
Also, the other half of the equation is stretching, yoga, and walking. If I have to wait 5 min for something to run, I’ll do a quick stretch while waiting.
You need to also use a standing mat to avoid your your feet/legs getting tired too quickly while you’re standing. Get a good one, not some cheap knock-off.
Also, like already suggested: take as many walks as you can. Not just standing still. Walking will help you heart make the bllod flow better. Plus, it’s great for the health in general, and for the head ;)
Change posture every 30 minutes? I’m unlikely to last 30 seconds! I’m too groovy for that
“I’m just over here, floppin’ about to the beat of my life”
If you’re not sitting cross-legged on the work PC. You’re doing something wrong
*while on a yoga ball
Care to explain? Just a joke or is there actually a benefit to it?
I just move my body a lot while working 9-5. cross-legged, backrest to the left, front or right, kneeling on the chair, loitering like a bored teen, perfect 90° angles - everything but hunched over. In 14 years of doing this I’ve never had any back problems, despite being morbidly obese and not going to the gym.
despite being morbidly obese and not going to the gym
I think you have other problems though. Hope you get that sorted out so you’ll love longer, mate. ❤️
There’s an alternative missing in all these graphics: Feet not on the ground.
If your feet are on the ground for hours and hours your heart will be in trouble to pump the blood back up all the way. It’s even worse with standing. So see to that your feet are not on the ground, rest your legs on some support under the table, sit cross legged (it’s feasible even in office chairs) and take every pose that’s not feet in the ground.
Your venes and your heart will thank you.
understood, installing pull up bar to avoid feet touching ground, alternatating between pull ups and sitting like a furry with feet above the desk.
Damn that’s not great to hear. I have to stand all day, I don’t have much of an option lol
I wouldn’t be too worried if you have ordinary cardiovascular health. If your heart has to put in non-trivial work to get the blood up from your legs, I would recommend more exercise.
Just spend a few minutes with your legs above your head each day, and you’ll be fine. I usually just lie on my bed with my feet up on the wall after stretching. Sometimes I also end up taking a nap, which is nice.
Standing for hours is counteracted by a few minutes of this? Is that really true?
luckily lying in bed is option for me. I ll be doing standing-sitting-walking-lying.
Slow motion planking, nice.
Compression socks do help though
12 hour desk job. Had Hermann Miller chairs in office but now at WFH I’ve only just started to upgrade my chairs. I’m active, I’m a runner…but I feel it. I always feel off following my several shifts. It takes a lot just to get back to baseline.
If I slack on my stretches I definitely notice the lower back especially.
I probably should get a desk treadmill…
12 hours is brutal. Good thing youre active Ive also started with stretching. It does feel better.
I switched to standing-only for my work desk about 12 years ago. The first 3 weeks were agony; my hips hurt so much. I stretched a lot, which helped some. Then suddenly it was easy, and ever since I can stand for hours, no problem.
A squishy mat is a must-have, and I also have a footrest to be able to change up my posture through the day.
The first 3 weeks were agony
Yup. Nobody talks about this! You have to break in your legs and build some strength, but it does get better.
anti fatigue mat
Crocs. Stupid-ass looking crocs will absolutely save you when at a standing desk. Or really, standing for a long time on any hard surface like a concrete office floor. The next best thing would be high-end business shoes designed for comfort while you deliver powerpoint all day, or just hiking boots. But crocs are really the most comfortable and are easy to slip off for more appropriate dress shoes if you’re in an office.
Thicker and softer than any standing mat, they freaking deliver. And you can move around without having to be perfectly positioned in a small area. Also, there’s no mat to get in the way of your chair when you sit down.
The nubs on croc insoles are not that great and start to irritate me after a bit. Maybe there are reduced-nub alternatives out there.
There are all kinds of off brands. Many don’t use the same kind of foam though so they’re not as dense. Many are softer.
I switch between both a lot to mix up my day. Dont have lower back pain if I do. Also, do some core exercises.
Science behind this is fun. Apparently, standing for 8 hours straight is even worse than sitting for eight hours straight, but put a little walkpad under the standing desk and you’re good to go, as long as you don’t fall over or something.
Anyone got recommendations for great/solid under-desk treadmills?
I have bad eyes and a love of computers/gaming, so I spent 30 years hunched over a keyboard squinting at the monitor. It fucked my back all the way up, I’ve had chronic back pain every day for ~20 years now. Fortunately nowadays I have a recliner and monitors/keyboard on arms so I can see while in a comfortable position. Take care of your back, kids.
Does recling helps with back pain? I work on laptop so I work on bed as well with lots of pillows to support my back.
Having my feet up helps with back pain because it changes the natural angle that my lower back sits at, which affects the level of strain of the surrounding muscles. I sat with my feet up on my desk for a long time before I finally realized why I was doing it and just bought a recliner and a desk that could accommodate it.
I thought I really liked it at my old job. So when I moved I bought an electric adjustable desk. Turns out I just had a shitty chair at the old job. When I wfh, I have an Aeron, so I’m perfectly comfortable. I have only raised my desk a few times when I wanted to show something on screen to other people. Having the right ergonomics makes all the difference.
They make a kit to convert Aeron chairs to stool height. I’ve been thinking about doing that instead of getting a motorized desk. The downside is that you’re apparently supposed to lock out the recline feature for safety.
Oh, I wouldn’t like that. I swing back in my chair a lot of the time that I’m seated.
Me too, which is why I haven’t done it yet. That said, I find myself wondering if the caution is overblown, despite the warning to disable the tilt function on the third-party sellers product pages typically being in red and all caps, since Herman Miller itself appears to offer ‘standard tilt’ as an option when you buy the thing in its drafting stool version to begin with. (Herman Miller’s site doesn’t really seem intended for individual consumer self-service, though – it’d probably be best to ask a salesperson or something.)
Edit: I called Herman Miller customer service and the rep confirmed that Aeron drafting stools don’t have any restrictions on reclining. She couldn’t speak to the use of third-party kits, of course, but it really seems like that warning is more of a CYA thing than a real danger.
It really is such a great chair that I expect I’ll have it forever. One arm got damaged by my old desk being just the right height that when I sat, the arm could go under and when I stood, the chair raised a bit and put pressure on the arm. Other than that, it’s as good as the day I bought it, outside of cosmetic wear. This is after ~20 years. What an investment!
