The Surprising History Of Standing Desks

The popularity of standing desks has grown big in the last few decades. The many health benefits offered by these desks is what's fuelling their demand. But most people have been confusing these desks as new products, which is not correct. You will be surprised to learn how old standing desks are.

Standing desks have been around for several centuries. But started growing popular late in the 20th century due to increased lifestyle diseases as a result of sedentary life. That's why everyone today wants to switch to standing desks in the office.

Although the modern standing desk has been improved in technology, its design and use have not changed. Now, let's look at the long history of the standing desk and its evolution into modern times.

History of Standing Desks

Nobody can tell when the first standing desk was made or used. But there are pieces of history that can trace when these desks many centuries ago. According to the recorded history, the first time that a standing desk was used was in the 1400s. The first person recorded in history using a standing desk was Leonardo da Vinci.

 

While painting one of his popular masterpieces, Mona Lisa, he used a standing desk. This shows he was using a standing desk for most of his work. However, there is no evidence that he invented these desks.

It would then take several centuries for the standing to be traced again in history. It is in the 1700s that these desks would then appear again. During this time, they were being used as a solution to various lifestyle problems. The use of these desks in the 18th century was after Samuel-Auguste Tissot's findings on health problems associated with deskbound individuals.

In 1797, Job Orton, a Presbyterian minister, recommended the use of standing desks. He cautioned that slouching and sedentary life could be harmful to their health. In this case, he was categorical that they should use standing desks.

Job Orton's findings would be re-emphasised by a self-help book of 1858 for office workers. By this time, more people were working in offices where they spent most of the day seated. With the booming of writing services, the writing industry was a big employer. But slouching and poor posture were a big problem. The self-help book emphasized the use of standing desks to alleviate various health concerns.

In 1883, a scientific article by Dr Felix Oswald re-emphasised the use of standing desks. In the same 19th century, there was a huge improvement on standing desks with crank-adjustable varieties coming into the market.

There were also many patents filed for the modernised standing desks by the end of the 19th century. By the end of the 20th century, standing desks popularity exploded across the world.

Famous People In History Who Used Standing Desks

Apart from Leonardo da Vince, many other famous people in history used standing desks. Most of these people were usually writing or drawing. Here is a list of prominent persons that used standing desks: 

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is the first president of the United States. He's credited for many things, among them creating a cohesive America and stopping the infamous slave trade. But most people don't know that he was a stander. One quote from his Emancipation proclamation gives evidence of using standing desks. He mentions that his standing desk is what inspired him to end the infamous slave trade. 

Thomas Jefferson

There is evidence that Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of the USA, used standing desks. The recorded history is that he ordered for standing desk in the late 1700s. The 'tall desk,' as it is referred to, has 6 peg legs for better stability. It has a secondary desktop beneath it for the extra surface when needed. The desk is still displayed at the Monticello.

Lewis Carroll 

Lewis Carroll was an English writer best for the famous children's fiction books. If you haven't read his work, look up Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He lived in the 19th century and is one of the prominent people known for using standing tables. It is believed that he wrote he wrote most of his tales at a standing desk.

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway is an American novelist who won the Nobel Prize in literature. He is known for his incredible writing and is said to be one of the best writers of the 20th century. But one thing most people don't know about him is that he was a stander. He used a standing desk for most of his writings. However, it is important to note that a knee injury is one of the reasons why he used standing desks.

Vladimir Nabokov 

Vladimir Nabokov is another writer that is believed to have used standing desks for most of his work. The Russian-American novelist is ranked as one of the top writers of the 20th century. But he didn't spend most of the time standing while writing. What he had was a makeshift standing desk where he starts the writing. That's he is put among prominent standers.

Donald Rumsfield

Donald Rumsfield is one of the most renowned US Secretary of Defence. He served in two different regimes. But what stands out about him is the use of a standing desk. Did you know that he was working standing for most of the day? Well, he once said that he stands 8-10 hours a day. That's why he is considered as one of the serious standers.

Winston Churchill

Last in our list of famous people who used standing desks is Winston Churchill. The famous prime minister and statesman used a standing desk most of his official. It's also important to note that he was in the British army for many years before joining politics. This could the place where he got used to standing desks.

Final Thoughts

The standing desks are not a new thing. They have been around for centuries. But over the years, they have grown popular because of the health benefits they offer. The modern standing desk is more advanced to promote efficiency and productivity. They offer better features and more health benefits due to their height adjustability.

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