Using A Standing Desk - Should You Stand All Day?

Now that you have bought a new standing desk or about to get one, how should you use it? Should you stand all day? Absolute not. Standing for long hours is not good for your health.

But what’s the proper way of using standing desks? Well, if you are buying these desks for the first time, this article is for you. We have put together interesting facts as to why you need to moderate your standing time.

Here is everything you need to know about the proper use of standing desks. But let’s start with why you shouldn’t stand the whole day.

Why You Shouldn’t Stand Too Much

The fact that they are called standing desks does not mean you stand all day. It will be harmful to your health. These desks are simply designed to help users get rid of a sedentary lifestyle.

So, they enable you to avoid sitting for long hours, hence alleviating health problems associated with sedentary life. Standing for too long can cause lower back pains and discomforts in lower limbs problems. By standing for long hours, you make your legs to carry all your weight body. This will cause problems on your leg's muscles, varicose veins and tendons. Standing too much also hamper circulation in your legs and feet. That’s what causes the discomfort.

Standing for too long also exposed your lower back more pressure due to the upper body weight. Your lower back muscles and tendon will be carrying more weight of the upper body than they are supposed to. That’s why you should alternate between sitting and standing. It helps to reduce pressure on the lower body and also improve circulation in the legs.

Alternate Between Standing and Sitting

Sitting too much is what standing desks are designed to alleviate. But that does not mean that you also stand all day. As mentioned above, you might end up exposing yourself to severe health complications. So, one of the safety rules of using these desks is avoiding standing for long hours.

It’s recommended that you alternate between sitting and standing. This is to reduce the impact of too much sitting and too much standing. You can develop your own sit/stand schedule depending on the kind of job that you do. But what is the recommend alternation ration?

The best Sit/Stand Alternation Ratio

To get the most out of your standing desk, you need to get the sit and stand alternation timing correct. You need to know the intervals at which you should be seated or standing. Whereas everyone can have a schedule that suits them the best, a ratio of one hour of standing and one or two hours sitting is the most ideal.

Therefore, you can work while sitting for 30 minutes and stand for the next 30 minutes. Similarly, you can sit for one hour and stand for the next 30 minutes. With either of the two, you can enjoy the full health benefits of adjustable height desks.

But depending on the kind of job that you do, you can have a tailored alternating ratio. If you work the best when sitting, then make sitting hours longer. But if you produce more when standing, making sitting hours shorter. This would plan would ensure that your productivity is not being affected.

Adjust To Ergonomic Setting

Don’t forget to get the ergonomic setting of these desks right for you to get maximum benefits. Most of the health problems such as back pains are caused by slouching when working on the desk. So, get the right height when sitting as well as standing.

The monitor should be straight directly to your face. Make sure that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. The surface of the desk should reach the bottom of your forearm. That’s what ergonomic setting of the standing desk is all about.

To get the most out of your standing desk, have an effective sit/stand alternation ratio. Don’t sit too much and don’t stand for too long. Make sure that your desk is always adjusted to the ergonomic setting. Lastly, buy a reputable standing desk brand to enjoy maximum benefits.

source https://heightadjustableworktable.com/blogs/news/standing-desks