Standing Desk vs Kneeling Chair: Which Is Better?

Are Standing Desks Better For You? 

A standing desk is any desk at a height that allows you to stand while working. There are a couple of varieties of a standing desk; fixed, power lift, manual lift, and desk riser.

A fixed-level standing desk is a desk built to be permanently at standing height. There is no option to raise or lower it. Some models may give you a couple of inches of wiggle room to account for your height. These standing desks are best for those who want to always be standing. They are also a good option for a treadmill desk. 

Electric standing desks are desks that can lift and lower with the touch of a button. These desks come equipped with a small motor that will move your desk for you, and some even come with memory settings to account for different users. Similar to this is the manual adjustment standing desk. This variety uses a crank to raise or lower a desk to the desired standing height. These desks are best for those who wish to switch between standing and sitting throughout the day. 

A desk riser or standing desk converter is a desk accessory that sits on top of your current desk's surface. You can lift the top of a standing desk converter to create an elevated surface on top of your existing desk for you to stand at. This is a great option for those who want more of a budget option, those who simply like their current desk, or those who cannot change out their office furniture (such as in a work setting). 

There are a few benefits to a standing desk. One minor improvement is that standing burns slightly more calories than sitting (88 calories per hour standing as opposed to 80 calories an hour for sitting).

When sitting, the muscles in your back can tighten over time. This effect is exacerbated by bad posture as well. Standing desks have also been shown to improve back pain. 

Lastly, many standing desk users have reported that standing tends to improve productivity. 

Standing desks are not the be-all-end-all of the ergonomic desks, however. If one stands for long periods, they may find they have pain in their legs and feet. Standing for extended periods can also increase the likelihood of varicose veins. 

Secondly, standing desks are not perfect for every task. There are some tasks, such as drawing, where it may be easier to be seated at a traditional desk or drafting table rather than sitting. 

To reap the full benefits of a standing desk, be sure to be standing with a straight back, with your head, neck, and spine in alignment. It is also beneficial to be wearing comfortable shoes and have an anti-fatigue mat underneath you. 

Is Kneeling at a Desk Better than Standing? 

When it comes to a standing desk vs kneeling chair, both kneeling and standing have their separate benefits that they are best suited for. One is not necessarily better than the other. There are also some ways that the two share similar benefits. 

Both the kneeling chair and standing desk help to alleviate back pain or at least lessen the severity of it. Kneeling chairs and traditional chairs may not seem that different at first, but it does make a difference. When it comes to your back, kneeling encourages proper posture better than sitting. While you are using a kneeling chair, your pelvis is pushed forward, creating a more natural curve to your spine in comparison to sitting. Kneeling also distributes your body weight more evenly throughout your hips and legs, rather than all the tension placed on your hips and spine. 

Thanks to the angle that your legs make while in a kneeling chair, studies have shown that there is an improvement in blood circulation. When sitting in a regular chair, your legs create a 90-degree angle with your torso, which can cause compression on important veins and arteries. Kneeling chairs allow your legs to be resting at a 110-degree angle, which opens up the hips and allows blood to flow more easily. 

A final benefit to kneeling is its ease on your internal organs. When sitting, your body tends to compress, pushing all your organs together. As such, digestion tends to slow down, and your lungs are not able to take in as much oxygen as they might like. As the kneeling chair encourages good posture and opens up your hips, your organs are less compressed. They have more room to operate and keep you healthy. A similar benefit is seen in standing. 

Kneeling may be better if you are prone to varicose veins or if you have an injury in your legs or feet. Kneeling chairs allow you to keep a straight posture without the strain of standing all day. Standing for too long can begin to have a detrimental effect. 

Kneeling chairs are not perfect, however. For one, you are less mobile in a kneeling chair. Your posture and positioning are pretty much set without much variation available to you. This may make it difficult to use a kneeling chair for long periods, especially when you are just starting. That is why it is generally recommended to start small in a kneeling chair, only using it for a few minutes a day and gradually increasing your time as the days and weeks go by. If you are the type that needs to fidget to think, you might find more benefit in swapping between a regular chair and a kneeling chair. 

Due to the layout of a kneeling chair, there is also more pressure placed on your shins. This may cause some pain after long periods. 

Lastly, these chairs can be difficult to use, especially if you have trouble with balance or mobility. If you're not sure, it may be a good idea to test out a kneeling chair in a store with the help of a friend before purchasing. 

One benefit of a kneeling chair over a standing desk is that once you are used to a kneeling chair, it is possible to remain in a kneeling chair for much of the day without much detrimental effect. This is particularly true for rocking kneeling chairs. These chairs have rounded bottoms that allow the user to gently rock while sitting. Thanks to this constant movement, in conjunction with the angles that a kneeling chair holds the body, you won’t encounter the same issues with your legs as you would while standing, or with your back and hips as you would with sitting. 

What Does A Kneeling Chair Do? 

A kneeling chair is any chair that puts your body in a kneeling-like position while seated. They come in many different designs, from rocking to rolling to stationary. 

The main design of a kneeling chair includes an angled cushion that you sit on and a cushioned area in front of you where you rest your knees and shins. 

The seated section of the kneeling chair comes in different angles, from nearly horizontal (like traditional office chairs) to a nearly 45-degree angle so that you are not so much sitting on it as you are leaning against it. The cushioned pads for your legs can either be a solid bar or two separate pads, one for each leg. Some chairs also come with a backrest. 

Where you see the most variety is in the bottom of the chair. Kneeling chairs with smooth rounded bottoms have become quite popular, as they can gently rock. This is an ideal option for those who need a little movement as they work to stay focused. 

Some chairs also have caster wheels, much like your typical office chair. This makes it easy to pull into your desk to work or easy to roll away to switch to standing or your office chair. 

Some kneeling chairs can even fold down into a compact format. This condensed chair is easy to stow under a bed, in a closet, or even lean against your desk. On that note, some ingenious chairs come with a desk attached to them. 

Can You Use a Kneeling Chair with a Standing Desk? 

The short answer is yes. There are a few different ways this can happen, however. 

The first way, and perhaps the most obvious, is to use a kneeling chair in tandem with a moveable standing desk. This option gives you plenty of room to switch positions as you work throughout the day and reap the benefits of both methods without succumbing to the downfalls that can come with standing or kneeling for too long. 

With this first option, you would simply use your standing desk as long as comfortable. When you are ready for a rest, all you need to do is lower the desk back down to a sitting level and pull up your kneeling chair. Of course, this option only works if you have a moveable standing desk, either the powered option or the manual option. A desk riser would also work in this case. However, if you have a fixed-height standing desk, then this option will not work for you. You would either need a separate desk for your kneeling chair or forgo the kneeling chair altogether. 

The second option includes a special type of kneeling chair that we haven't mentioned yet. There are kneeling ergonomic chairs designed with a high adjustable back and a wide standing base. These are meant to be used with a standing desk, and you can either fully lean against them or use them as a tall kneeling chair. In a kneeling stance, you may find that the angles of your body are wider than they would be with a traditional kneeling chair. 

On this same note, a third option is a sit-stand chair. These ingenious chairs come with a tall backrest, an adjustable seat, and a kneeling bar so that you can sit, stand, or kneel in any way you see fit. This is a perfect option for those who want to constantly switch up their positions throughout the day while only having one chair. The downside to these sit-stand chairs is their large size, making them less ideal for a small office. 

Is it Healthy to Kneel at Your Desk?

Absolutely! Kneeling chairs offer an ergonomic option for sitting at your desk that takes the pressure off of your hips and spine. It also tends to be gentler on your legs from standing alone. 

As mentioned above, some of the health benefits of kneeling include tilting your pelvis forward to create a more natural curve in your spine and encourage proper posture. 

Sitting in this more elongated shape also helps to lengthen out your torso so that your internal organs have room to work. This means improvements to your breathing, blood flow, and digestion. 

If you opt for the rocking variety of a kneeling chair, the rocking motion also creates a form of active sitting. This type of sitting gently engages your core muscles, and the constant movement means that you can use a rocking kneeling chair all day without suffering the same effects as you would with a sitting chair. That being said, it is always beneficial to get up and move around every so often regardless of the type of chair or desk you are using. 

While kneeling chairs can be a great ergonomic option for you, they can take some getting used to. Especially if you are using a rocking kneeling chair, sitting in this style of chair may use muscles that you are not used to using. That is why it is always encouraged to start slow when you first get a kneeling chair, so keep those office chairs nearby. You will want to use the kneeling chair for just a few minutes at first and gradually increase your duration over time. Before you know it, a kneeling chair will be your all-day option for a comfortable work environment that is kind to your back and body. 

Now that we've discussed kneeling chairs vs. standing desks, have a look at Desky's range of high-quality standing desks perfect for any home office.

source https://desky.com.au/blogs/news/standing-desk-vs-kneeling-chair

How Do I Choose A Standing Desk?

Most of us are starting to clue into the fact that sitting around all day isn’t good for us. Our move towards sedentary office environments as a population puts a lot of workers into lifestyles that cause joint issues and mood disorders by taking exercise out of our daily lives. 

We may not notice straight away, but sitting at a desk for a prolonged period, even a half-hour, already starts to cause minor issues in our bodies. Moving around and getting up often becomes a vital part of the day. However, doing so may disrupt the work environment, whether you work alone or in a group. 

While they won’t fix everything, a new height adjustable standing desk can take some of the sting out of having to be in one place for extended periods. So, here are some tips on how to choose a standing desk that works for your lifestyle and office environment. 

How Do I Choose A Standing Desk For My Home?

The easiest way to figure out how to choose a standing desk is to start with what you need. Take a look at your existing desk and decide what isn’t working for you right now. Your home office environment may have limitations, but you won’t know what you need to work around until you take a look at your circumstances. At Desky, our standing desks come in a wide range of sizes and styles to suit every home office setup.

For most folks, choosing a standing desk starts with hearing that a standing desk can have health benefits over a sitting desk. As we become more health-conscious as a society, more individuals start looking around to see what they can change about their life to improve their health. 

Is A Standing Desk Right For Me?

The easiest way to work out if you need a standing desk or not is to take a look at your lifestyle. There’s a lot of evidence out there that suggests that a sedentary lifestyle is bad for your overall health. If you find that you spend long periods sitting around while working, then a standing desk will help you get into different postures while working. 

The biggest drawback of a sedentary lifestyle is its lack of activity and movement for long hours. Our bodies require movement, meaning most people’s bodies are at their best when exposed to motion regularly. Exercise, even something as mild as walking, has plenty of health benefits for the body. 

Still, standing isn’t the same as going out for a walk or lifting weight. However, what it does do is engage different muscles in your body. When standing, gravity pushes down on your legs, feet, and different parts of your back. For those that sit around at a desk for work all day, you keep most of that pressure on your lower back all day, causing lower back pain or fatigue. 

Also, standing can help promote a better blood flow for your body compared to sitting. By favoring muscle groups and parts of your body that you wouldn’t normally -be engaging while sitting. You can help blood move through your body. This increased flow can improve recovery from muscle fatigue or injury from being stationary for so long. 

Finally, standing for a portion of your work can improve your mood. Sitting subconsciously encourages your body to rest or doze, introducing a distraction from your work. Combined with that dreaded mid-afternoon energy slump, this distraction can kill your workflow.

Overall, a standing desk is excellent for folks that don’t have the time or opportunity to move around much while working. The physical and mental benefits could well be worth the extra cost of having to buy a new desk or standing desk converter. 

Types Of Standing Desks

Once you’ve decided to get a sit-stand desk, you’ll find it’s not as simple as going to the store and grabbing a desk. Standing desks all have different features that make them stand out from one another. Different desk materials, accessories, and so on can be nice for an individual customer. But, something else stands out as the main variable: how your desk can adjust its height. 

Here’s a shortlist of the different kinds of standing desks and how these desks let you adjust their height, if able: 

• Converters: Rather than buying a separate desk, some standing desk converters fit on top of your existing desk and have a platform that acts as the standing desk. 

• Electric: Electric adjustable sit-stand desks such as these will have an electric motor that will do the work of adjusting the height of the desk for you when turned on. 

• Manual: To adjust these manual standing desks, you have to turn a knob or crank to adjust the desk’s height.

• Non-adjustable: These desks can’t be adjusted from the height the manufacturer has set, so you won’t be able to change the height once you buy it. 

• Pneumatic: Pneumatic adjustment systems use pressure to adjust the desk’s height, giving you finer control over the desk’s height. 

Each of these adjustment systems works differently, thus having its own set of pros and cons. Combined with all the other features a standing desk can offer, you can have a wide range of options to choose from.  

What Standing Desk Should I Buy?

So, with all that information out there, the question is: what kind of standing desk should I buy? 

As we mentioned, the best choice will be the option that best fits your circumstances. The size, power, and adjustability of a standing desk will depend on what your workspace looks like and what needs both you and your work have. 

So, here are each of the detail you might think about when choosing a standing desk and what options you might consider when maximizing the benefits of the sit-stand desk: 

Height-Adjustable Standing Desks

Most folks will most likely end up looking at height-adjustable standing desks when they go to make their purchase. Even a straightforward, single-motor adjustable desk like the Desky Single Sit Stand Desk can make a large difference in how you feel while working. 

The main way this adjustability works is through the use of ergonomics. Proper ergonomics for your work equipment allows you to work in a way that doesn’t impede or harm the body over long periods. This is why things like a wrist rest for keyboards and shaped office chair backs have become more popular. 

A height-adjustable sit-stand desk lets you get your body into the proper posture to work for a long time while standing without fatiguing weaker parts of the body. For folks that won’t use their desk for an extended period at work, adjusting the height might not be that important. For everyone else, this feature will help keep you going day after day without hurting your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. 

Manual or Electric Standing Desk?

If you choose to go for a height-adjustable option, you’ll see there are two popular modes of adjusting the height: manual knobs and electric motors. Each of these has its own benefits, but standing desks with electric motors tend to win out over the manual options. 

Manually adjusted standing desks allow you to dial in the height you need using a knob or lever arm. Because there are fewer components in a manual sit-stand desk than the electric versions, these desks are less expensive while still offering ergonomic benefits to the user. However, if you’re not able to adjust the knob yourself, it can cause an issue, especially if the desk is shared. 

On the other hand, electric standing desks will have switches or dials that activate an electric motor. This motor then adjusts the legs of the desk, changing the height of the desk surface up or down as you change the switch. While more expensive, these desks tend to have a more acceptable degree of control than manual desks and don’t require physical adjustment from the user to change the height. 

What Size Should My Desk Be?

Ultimately, the size of your desk will need to match up with your office space and workflow needs. Having a large, adjustable desk feels excellent to own but is a hard sell to make if your desk is a place you go to once or twice a day for a few minutes at a time. 

Ideally, your sit-stand desk would be able to hold everything you need to get your job done. In addition to space for your monitor, you’ll need space for peripherals like a keyboard and mouse to interface with your computer. A shelf or corner of the desk to place your computer itself without crowding yourself helps out for your ergonomics and comfort, too. 

Also, make sure that you measure off the area your desk will have to fit in before buying anything. If available, many desks will have their dimensions listed both on the packaging and the website listing. You don’t want to grab a desk that’s too big or too small for your office. 

At What Height Should My Desk Be?

The best part of a height-adjustable stand-up desk is that you can dial in the height of the stand-up desk to your body. But, you’ll want to make sure that you follow proper ergonomics to ensure that, if you’re at your desk for a while, you don’t strain yourself at your desk. 

Ideally, you’ll have two heights that you adjust between for your desk: sitting and standing heights. At both of these heights, you’d be able to sit or stand near the desk and be comfortable while maintaining proper form. 

Proper form would have you at the desk with your elbows at your side, regardless of if you are standing or sitting. Your elbows should be at a ninety-degree angle, and your wrists should be hovering above the bottom part of the keyboard. You should not have to reach or strain to get to anything on your desk, either. Take a look at our guide to ergonomic computer workstations if you'd like more tips.

How Strong Should My Desk Be?

Some buyers of stand-up desks will worry about the strength of the desk, which makes sense if you are not used to these types of desks. The moving parts of a height-adjustable desk can feel like they introduce weakness into the desk. 

The good news is that most adjustable stand-up desks will have more than enough weight capacity to hold standard office supplies and your computer. This weight capacity factors in the adjustable factor of the desk, so most buyers will not have to worry. 

If you have heavier equipment that will sit on the desk, you can always check the weight capacity of the desk. This value will be listed on the box for the desk or the webpage, depending on where you find the desk. As long as you know the weight of the gear you need for work, you’ll know how much you need your desk to be able to handle. 

Adjustment Speed

Finally, the last factor many buyers will look at is adjustment speed. If multiple people use the stand-up desk, changing between heights quickly can be a big factor in productivity. Folks that don’t want to waste too much time adjusting the desk will look at this variable, too. 

Most electric stand desks right now have a good adjustment speed, meaning it should not take more than a few seconds to change the desk’s height between users or positions. There are some desks out there that have fast adjustment times. But, even with these faster adjustment speeds, you’re looking at a difference of a second or two. 

Which Standing Desk Is Best?

Ideally, a standing desk will help solve some of the troubles caused by a sedentary lifestyle. By removing pressure from the area targeted by gravity while sitting and spreading it out across the body, you can improve physical health somewhat.

What kind of standing desk you need depends on your needs and what your home office space allows for. Sharing the desk with others will also change up what you need out of the new desk. Check out some of the best stand-up desks we’ve mentioned here at Desky and see if any of them will suit your circumstance!

source https://desky.com.au/blogs/news/how-to-choose-standing-desk

Do Standing Desks Help With Sciatica?

Sciatica is a common spine health condition that causes lower back pain that can often spread into the legs. People struggling with the chronic condition often wonder, "Do standing desks help sciatica?"

A standing desk offers an alternative for long days spent sitting in an office chair, but will it go the distance in helping reduce or eliminate sciatic nerve pain? Read on to find out why and how a standing desk might help.

What Does Sciatica Pain Feel Like?

Sciatica pain isn't just a common term for back pain. It varies from person to person, but it's generally described in a range from dull and tingling to sharp, stabbing pains. It starts in the lower spine, known as the lumbar spine. The sciatic pain can be burning, tingling, dull, sharp, or numb.

Sciatica symptoms include:

• Moderate to severe lower back pain and pain throughout buttock and leg
• Numbness or weakness in the same area
• Pain that gets worse as you move
• Loss of movement
• A feeling of pins and needles emanating from the sciatic nerve

If you have been struggling with constant pain that sounds like it may be sciatica pain, it's smart to make an appointment at a spine health center to speak with a spine specialist or orthopedic spine surgeon to discuss conservative treatment modalities that may relieve your pain.

What is the Main Cause of Sciatica?

Sciatic pain occurs often because of a herniated disc, a bone spur, or spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal column. When one of these occurs, it compresses, or pinches, part of the sciatic nerve and leads to inflammation. The inflammation then causes pain and possible numbness in the respective leg.

Sciatica pain begins in the body's two largest nerves, the sciatic nerve. Found at the base of the spine and throughout the buttocks, these nerves work their way down to the feet. When a root or nerve fiber of these nerves gets pinched or irritated in some way, the pain will begin to radiate throughout the local area.

A rare cause of sciatica pain is a tumor compressing the nerve or nerve damage from a disease such as diabetes.

How Should I Sit and Stand With Sciatica?

Sitting with sciatic nerve pain for long periods can make matters a lot more uncomfortable and painful and exacerbate the condition.

How? When sitting, you apply pressure to your sciatic nerves and the surrounding muscles. Over time, this pressure can turn into an excessive strain that can worsen the pain. Data even shows that the tension on spinal discs when sitting increased as much as 40% compared to standing.

Sitting in an office chair with sciatica pain can also cause you to sit in an awkward position to reduce the discomfort. Since sciatica makes it hard to get and stay comfortable, you may move around more frequently and irritate the nerve further. 

When you consider those who work for long periods at a time, upward of 8 or 9 hours a day sitting in a desk chair, it's no wonder that the act of sitting is impacting their pain.

Sitting with Sciatica

If you're going to sit, ensure it's with proper posture, not poor posture. Good posture keeps your spine aligned and eliminates unnecessary pinching or tension. If possible, use a lumbar support pillow to support your spine.

Don't cross your legs – you want your limbs aligned to promote blood flow. Keep your feet grounded and bent at 90º.

Use a chair with wheels to reduce turning, and adjust the height of the chair so that your elbows are also at 90º and can easily rest on your desk or keyboard. 

Then, adjust your computer so you're looking straight ahead at it.

Standing With Sciatica

If you're standing, be cautious of how long you stand without taking a break. Standing is generally less painful than sitting, and alternating your position is the best thing you can do to reduce pain and avoid uncomfortable consequences.

If you're standing at work, ensure you have a supportive work environment that you can modify to support a standing posture. A standing desk is the best way to keep your body aligned and happy while working and standing. 

You may even want to use a small elevated surface like a box or step stool to take the weight off your legs one at a time while using your standing desk, switching legs about every 10 minutes.

Does Standing Make Sciatica Better or Worse?

Since sitting places a lot of stress on the discs in between your spine's vertebrae and makes sciatica symptoms worse, standing releases this tension and can help your nerves decompress as long as it's not for a prolonged period.

Standing keeps your body active and your core engaged while your joints and spine are in line. The key here is using good posture. If you let your posture go, you can move your spine out of alignment and create unneeded physical stress.

Using a standing desk can be one way to stay standing mindfully, just set a timer for every 30 to 60 minutes to sit down in an office chair with lumbar support or take a walking break.

Standing is not the end-all and be-all answer to relieving the pain. Too much standing is also not a good thing. Using a standing desk with an imbalanced weight can also cause more stress on one side than another. Finally, standing with slacked posture can also do more harm than good.

To avoid making your sciatica worse by standing, follow these three helpful tips:

• Break up your day into smaller sections where you alternate standing and sitting.
• Stand with your weight equally distributed between both feet, with your ankles, knees, hips, core, shoulders, and head in line. Your feet should be planted hip-width apart and feel grounded.
• Ensure good posture with your shoulders back, head up looking forward, and elbows bent at a 90º angle as you work at the desk.
• Use an ergonomic chair to help decrease back pain and improve posture.

Whether standing helps or hurts your pain is up to you. If you do it right and with varied frequency, you can relieve pain and prevent it from worsening. If you get sloppy with your posture, forget to take breaks, or stand mindlessly for too long, it might make things worse.

How Standing Desks Help Sciatica

If it's possible to add one to your workspace, using a standing desk is the easiest way to relieve the pressure placed on the nerve.

When we sit for hours at a time in a desk chair, especially if it's with poor posture, it can lead to flareups. While you could make it a goal to stand up every so often, a standing desk integrates it into your work and day. You'll no longer have to think about sciatica relief, it will just be something that you do naturally as part of the habit change.

When you're searching for a standing desk to relieve your sciatic pain, not just any desk will do. Check out the unique designs and durability of adjustable and standing desks from Desky. Browse our different models, chairs, and accessories to create the perfect standing desk workspace for you.

source https://desky.com.au/blogs/news/do-standing-desks-help-sciatica

Should You Use A Standing Desk All Day?

Office workers around the globe spend as much as 8 hours a day sitting in their office chairs. That's not including the time spent sitting in the car for the commute to and from work which can add even more sedentary hours to the day, especially if there's traffic. 

It doesn't end there. You'll most likely want to unwind after a long day at the office. So you grab your dinner, lay back, and watch your favorite show before heading off to bed. And the cycle continues. 

These sedentary habits aren't out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, many people spend most of their waking hours without any significant movement. According to experts, sedentary behavior is "the new smoking" because they agree that the adverse side effects are similar. 

You've probably seen at least one colleague of yours working in front of an odd-looking tall desk. Well, welcome to the world of standing desks! 

Standing desks have become an innovative solution to reduce the number of hours spent sitting in front of the computer screen. They allow you to incorporate light activity during your usual work routine. 

Besides breaking the monotony of sitting all day, standing more often comes with both physical and cognitive benefits that we'll cover that make a standing desk a worthy investment. 

How Many Hours Should You Be Standing in a Day?

So, you've purchased your first standing desk, and you are ready to incorporate more standing time during your workday. Now the questions on how to use it arise. 

Should you be standing every hour or all day? How much should you be standing to enough to reap the health benefits? And is it possible to stand too much? 

Let's dive in and discuss the appropriate amount of hours you should be standing to offset the risks of prolonged sitting while avoiding the dangers of standing for too long. 

Is Standing for 8 Hours Bad?

A sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, and heart disease. All of which are associated with smoking, over-consumption of alcohol, and other bad habits. But is standing all day the answer? The short answer is—no. 

While standing more often can be a relatively simple way to offset some of the risks associated with sedentary behavior, specialists say that it is possible to stand too much. 

Most experts agree that standing for more than 5-6 hours in an 8-hour shift can negatively affect the body. Prolonged standing can cause lower back pain and swelling of the feet in some people. Others have reported varicose veins, cramped leg and foot muscles, and fatigue after long hours of standing. None of which are pleasant. 

As a rule of thumb, the body doesn't like to stay in any position for too long, and the same goes for standing. 

Try breaking up some of your standing time with light stretches and a few squats or steps in place. 

Other ways to include more movement in your day include using the elevator and taking the stairs whenever you get a chance. Walk to the copy room to make copies and walk to the front desk instead of calling. 

You could also try to suggest walking meetings in your office. They are a great way to get a bit of fresh air and get your blood circulating in the middle of the workday. 

How Often Should You Stand Up?

Specialists have found that it's best to alternate between sitting and standing to reap all the benefits of standing but none of the risks associated with being upright for too long. 

The optimal ratio most people should aim for is a sitting standing ratio of 1:1 or alternating between one hour of sitting and one hour of standing throughout the day. So, ultimately you'll be sitting for four hours and standing for four hours during your shift. 

More than six hours of standing can put you at risk of adverse symptoms like lower back pain, varicose veins, and other discomforts we've mentioned. 

While people have become more aware of the dangers of sitting for extended hours, it's best to transition into standing so often slowly. 

It would be best to gradually work your way up to a 50/50 sitting and standing day. Depending on your fitness and health status, you may want to start with a 2:1 sitting standing ratio, where you are standing for thirty minutes every hour. 

Still, it's essential to listen to your body, so if you can only stand for five to ten minutes at a time, start there and work your way up. You will get there eventually. 

To get the most out of sit-stand workstations, utilize your standing hours for phone calls and other tasks you feel comfortable doing while standing up. Save functions like writing or drawing for your sitting hours. 

What Are the Benefits of Standing?

Standing utilizes more large muscle groups and therefore requires more energy than sitting—resulting in more calories burned! So you could multitask and burn extra calories while doing your daily tasks. On average, you burn approximately 88 calories per hour of standing. It may not seem like much, but every bit adds up, especially for people who spend most of their time in the office.

Standing desks aren't just for office or desk job workers. People who work from home are equally prone to sedentary behavior, if not more. Home office workers can find great benefit in adding a standing desk to their home work station.  

People who use standing desks tend to break overall sedentary behavior, with other benefits. Standing is associated with a lower risk of obesity-related diseases like metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and more. So, a standing desk could be a simple way to achieve better health. And improving your health is one of the best investments there are. 

People who work at standing desks have reported becoming more active in general—taking more steps around the office and making more movements. 

Companies and employers sometimes worry that implementing a standing desk may cause their employees to be easily distracted from their work tasks. When, in fact, the opposite is true. 

Employees who work at standing desks show increased alertness and productivity compared to those who sit for the duration of their workday. Standing at work has also been associated with creative problem-solving. So, as you see, it's a win-win for both the company and the workers. 

Standing more also may help alleviate lower back pain associated with prolonged sitting by decreasing the pressure on your vertebrae. That's also a plus because workers will need fewer sick days. 

Is Standing Too Much Unhealthy?

Factory workers, doctors, nurses, and other professionals who spend most of their day on their feet report more cases of lower back pain, varicose veins, and foot swelling. That is why it's crucial to take sitting breaks after prolonged standing. Seems like you can get too much of a good thing. 

Is It Bad To Use a Standing Desk All Day?

Is it okay to use a standing desk all day? Suppose you're using your standing desk correctly, with the proper setting, good posture, and alternating between sitting and standing at no more than a 1:1 ratio. In that case, you'll be able to use your standing desk intermittently throughout your whole work shift. 

On the other hand, if you try to push your limits and try standing for 6 hours or more, then you are probably doing yourself more harm than good. This is of course dependent on the individual as there are those who are more accustomed than others to standing for long periods of time. 

A better strategy to make the transition to standing easier is to gradually increase the number of minutes you're standing. There are simple accessories you can buy if you want to add additional comfort measures to your new sit-standing workstation. For example, you can invest in an anti-fatigue mat or a standing desk mat. 

Anti-fatigue mats add extra cushioning beneath your feet and encourage slight movement, promoting healthy circulation. This can decrease the chance of lower back pain and leg cramps. 

It’s important to also stay hydrated, and standing requires a bit more energy than sitting, so your body could use the extra fluids, and this can prevent you from feeling dizzy. 

Remember, remaining in a standing position for more than 5-6 hours can have health risks. If you happen to be someone who finds yourself on your feet most of the day, take sitting breaks when possible, even if it's just for 5 minutes. 

People with specific health problems and pregnant women should be cautious and sit whenever they feel the need to do so. And remember, it’s important to stay hydrated. 

How to Use Your Standing Desk Correctly

Yes, a standing desk can be a great way to improve your posture, burn some extra calories, and be more alert at work, but what if you’re not maximizing its full potential? 

Suppose you're not using your standing desk correctly. In that case, this can negatively affect your posture, causing you lower back pain, and you won't reap all of the potential benefits. 

Make sure that you're using your standing desk correctly. The point of the standing desk is to improve your posture, but without the correct setup, you could be harming yourself instead. 

Many standing desks are available on the market, so you must do your research and get the best one for you. You'll want to purchase an adjustable standing desk, that way; you can customize it to your height and form. Make sure your sit-stand desk is light and user-friendly. If it’s rigid and bulky it’ll be more of a hassle to use which will increase the likelihood of you abandoning the concept altogether. 

While setting your sit-stand desk, stand up properly and maintain a straight head and neck, and set your standing desk so that your computer screen is at your eyes level. You don't want to have to look down at your monitor, as this can lead to poor posture. 

You should also tilt your display towards you at a 10-20 degree angle, but make sure it's not too close to your face. Using adjustable monitor arms is recommended.

Mounting your screen on a monitor arm will make these adjustments simple. 

When typing on your computer, you want your elbows to be at a 90-degree angle, where your forearms are parallel to the floor. And your wrists should lay comfortably on the keyboard. 

If you experience some tension in your wrists, try accessories that provide your keyboard with a negative tilt. The angle may help alleviate wrist pain. 

As mentioned before, an anti-fatigue mat like the Desky Anti-Fatigue Rectangle Standing Mat can make standing more comfortable. The extra cushioning can alleviate lower back pain.

You also want to maintain good posture during your sitting hours. Invest in an ergonomic chair that will support your head and neck and keep you in an upright fashion while you relax. 

Adjust your chair while applying the principles described previously- monitor at eye level, elbows at a 90-degree angle, comfortable wrists, etc.

Whether you are working in an office or from home, customize your working space to make it as functional and comfortable as possible. Down to small details, like easy access to your computer mouse, file cabinet, and even your mug. You don't want to put yourself in awkward positions every time you want a sip of coffee which can break your workflow. If you need more tips, take a look at our article on the best home office setup.

If you're using a laptop, it will require more accessories and adjustments, such as a wireless mouse and keyboard. 

It's important to remember that while standing burns more calories than sitting, it does not replace physical activity, but it's better than nothing. 

As we've already learned, it's best to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the workday to avoid the potential health risk that comes with overdoing either one. It's recommended not to stand more than four hours during an eight-hour work shift. You can set a goal to stand every thirty to sixty minutes for every sitting hour. Looking for your dream standing desk? Take a look at Desky's range of standing desks today!

source https://desky.com.au/blogs/news/use-standing-desk-all-day

Standing Desk vs. Ergonomic Chair: Which Is Better?

Anyone who spends a lot of time typing understands the physical strain it involves. We imagine that desk work or remote work is easy on our bodies, but the opposite is often true.

Using a computer requires that you repeat fine motions over and over, leading to issues like carpal tunnel syndrome. The impact extends to the rest of your body as well. Back pain, shoulder pain, weight gain, and other health problems are inevitable when you spend 8 hours a day typing away in a chair with improper posture. 

Sedentary workplaces aren’t great for your well-being, but you have to make a living, right? What can you do to avoid chronic pain while keeping your job? 

Height adjustable standing desks and ergonomic chairs are possible solutions. These are two ways to optimize your workday for better physical and mental health. What are the differences between the standing desk vs ergonomic chair, though? 

We’re going to take a look at these two options today, giving you some insight into the benefits they provide and whether one of them might be a good fit for you.

What Is a Standing Desk?

A standing desk, also called a sit-stand desk, is essentially a raised desk. It’s a working platform that doesn’t require a chair because its surface is functional while the user stands. 

 

Sounds pretty simple, right? Standing desks are simple, but they’re optimized for your health. They’re adjustable and can accommodate people of any size. There are also a number of options when it comes to design, additional platforms, and aesthetics. For example; you can get a manual standing desk or electric standing desks.

Take our electric standing desk, the Desky Dual Melamine Sit Stand Desk, for example. The Desky Dual's desk tops come in a variety of shapes such as the Ergo Edge in order to accommodate posture health. It’s also possible to adjust the desk from the sitting to the standing position with the touch of a button. So, if you’re getting a little tired from standing for a few hours, you can instantly sit down and give your legs a rest. 

This is the case with most standing desks. You don’t have to stand, but it’s always an option and standing for periods of time throughout the day is the healthiest option as we’ll discuss in another section. Height-adjustable desks are great for those who sit and stand throughout their work day.

Standing Desk Converters

You can also find standing desk converters that turn your desk into a standing desk. This is a great option when your office has established furniture and it would be impractical to add a new good quality standing desk. Converters are also exceptional for those who work remotely and engage with a number of different workspaces. 

Someone who works primarily at coffee shops, for example, has little-to-no control over their workspace. They’re sitting most of the time, often at cramped tables that jam your wrists inward and provide no ergonomic relief. 

Bring a standing table converter along and you have the option to sit or stand wherever you are. So, a standing desk might be an established piece of furniture or it could be an addition that allows you to manipulate existing workspaces. 

What is an Ergonomic Chair?

An ergonomic chair is one that’s created with your health in mind. In comparison with the standard office chair, the ergonomic chair provides support to your back and spine, holds your wrists in the proper position, and provides a general improvement in wellness. 

Traditional office chairs (and office furniture in general) weren’t created with ergonomics in mind. Old office furniture might have even been created before computers were ubiquitous in the workplace. 

You sit with feet planted, elbows at your side, wrists extended, and your head pointed at a screen. Your neck adjusts to the level of the screen in relation to your line of sight. When your head points up or down at the screen, your neck arches and holds the weight of your head. 

Good posture requires that your spine is in alignment and your head is facing straightforward. When you’re arching your neck for prolonged periods, you start to feel the effects in the rest of your upper body. Back pain, particularly shoulder pain, starts to emerge after a day or two. 

To make things worse, you’re sitting in a chair without lumbar support or back support in general. Your shoulders hunch forward, your head angles downward, and your wrists struggle to keep up. All of these instances of bad posture feed into one another, creating a tight back. 

Muscular issues are the first effect of poor posture when you’re sitting for upwards of six hours at a time. Risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic issues, decreased productivity, and heart disease all join in the long list of risks that come from sitting for forty hours every week. 

You can think of extended sitting as the “new smoking.”

Ergonomic chairs provide a significant amount of release to your body, supporting you so you don’t have to suffer the physical pain of bad posture in the office. 

What Are the Pros of Standing Desks?

There are myriad benefits to using a standing desk while you work. 

To start with, standing desks improve the posture issues we described above. You can manipulate the standing desk so that the computer screen sits at eye level. This way, you don’t strain your neck and hunch forward to account for the weight of your head. Furthermore, we tend to stand with better posture than we sit with, especially after a while. 

Sitting requires us to adjust our lower back and hips in the right position so the rest of the spine can sit in alignment. If the chair doesn’t have proper lumbar support, it's unlikely that you’ll sit in a healthy way. 

Beyond spine health, though, there’s a lot of evidence to support standing instead of sitting. For one, standing burns calories and sitting doesn’t. Studies suggest that standing through your workday can actually burn more than 170 calories that you’d keep if you were sitting.

Sitting directly after you eat contributes to a higher blood sugar spike than you would otherwise experience. You generally want to keep blood sugar spikes low after meals, and standing is a great way to curb those levels. Individuals who are at high risk for diabetes or already have diabetes might benefit a lot from standing for a half-hour or so after their lunch break. 

Mood and Productivity

You can also expect a boost in your mood when you switch to a standing desk. Another study showed that individuals who stood at their desks had better moods and outlooks than their peers who remained seated. 

Energy levels drop when you’re sitting in the same position for long periods of time, and health experts predict health benefits for their patients who have more energy and keep a positive outlook. 

In the case of work, that means you’ll have a happier mentality throughout the day. That contributes to higher productivity. 

There are plenty of reasons to explore standing desk options and a lot of good reasons to ditch your old office chair. Sitting is an effective way to work, though, and it’s unreasonable to expect that everyone can stand through their workday. 

If you reduce your time standing and replace your old desk chair with an ergonomic chair, though, you’ll make a massive improvement. 

What Are the Pros of Ergonomic Chairs?

Ergonomic chairs boast a lot of the same benefits that standing desks do. The first and most important benefit is the relief that these chairs provide to your spine and back. 

You swap the hunched, curled, and painful way of sitting for a more relaxed and supportive one. It’s really important to take a step back and think about the importance of your spine. Your spine is literally your support beam. It impacts everything you do. 

If you have a serious issue with the spine, you risk damaging your nerves, mobility, and freedom to participate in everything that you enjoy. Think of that importance in relation to the way that we sit at work. 

If you’re hunched and straining your upper back, you’re putting yourself at serious risk for long-term health issues. Sure, a day or two of strained seating is fine, but magnify that eight-hour session over the course of the whole year. That’s a couple of thousand hours spent in a strained position. 

If you do your job for, say, ten years, that’s almost a third of your life spent warping your muscles into unhealthy positions. If you replace those 20,000-odd hours with a healthy posture, your risk of serious health issues decreases across the board. The average office worker spends about 1,800 hours at work each year - think about what that means for the pressure on your spine. 

It’s also worth remembering that tired muscles aren’t productive muscles. Have you ever taken an extra break or two throughout the day to relax your wrist muscles? Worried that carpal tunnel syndrome is coming your way in the next few years? 

Those breaks and anxieties all impact the quality of the work you do. You don’t do as much work, you’re distracted by the bodily pain you’re in. An ergonomic chair can provide relief for these issues. 

What Are the Biggest Difference Between Standing Desks and Ergonomic Chairs?

The biggest difference between a standing desk and an ergonomic chair is the fact that standing tends to be better for your health than sitting. So, spending all of your time at a standing desk might be a better option if your health allows you to. 

That said, there are always going to be times when you’re required or expected to sit at a desk. If you’re in the workplace, it’s hard to get around that fact. Whether you need to go to regular meetings or your workplace requires uniformity and doesn’t allow standing, you might need to utilize an ergonomic chair. 

In most scenarios, though, people enjoy a combination of sitting and standing while they work. It gets tiring to be on your feet for eight hours a day, week after week. So, our recommendation is to invest in a comfortable ergonomic chair with adjustable lumbar support as well as a standing desk. 

The benefits that individuals experience from this shift will depend on a few things. First, consider how long you’ve been sitting in a desk chair with improper posture. Next, think about how long you’ve experienced the pain in your back and neck. 

Depending on how serious the pain is, you might need to couple ergonomic solutions with professional help. If you’ve only been seated eight hours per day for a couple of years, you might notice that your pains go away quickly when you use a standing desk. 

In any case, though, you’ll experience reduced risk for cardiovascular issues, an improved mood, and a general uptick in productivity when you make the switch from a standard office chair to a stand-up desk. 

The same is true for ergonomic chairs. The relief that an ergonomic chair provides can lift the fog of the workday make you realize just how sore and tight your back was before. 

Interested In More Ergonomic Solutions?

Hopefully, our look at the differences between the standing desk vs ergonomic chair was helpful to you. Making small changes like these can have powerful impacts on our health, well-being, and increase productivity.

We’re here to help with more ideas. See our article on the best desk setup for productivity for further insight into methods for improving your health and work efficiency. 

source https://desky.com.au/blogs/news/standing-desk-vs-ergonomic-chair

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