Studies have shown that employees spend about 62% of their time sitting in the workplace for different reasons (having meetings, eating lunch, and working on a computer). The number is even higher, with most college students spending 75% of their time sitting in class.
Prolonged sitting is associated with several dangerous health conditions, including a higher risk of obesity, weight gain, cardiovascular problems, diabetes, some types of cancers, and even premature death. To combat this, you can buy an adjustable-height desk or a standing desk converter to alternate between standing or sitting.
Standing for work is a better alternative to sitting for prolonged hours. But you must get it right to avoid further strains, injuries, and adverse health issues. Here's how to spend time on your feet.
How Do You Stand at a Standing Desk?
You must adhere to the general guidelines of standing desks to get the most out of them. Without good precautions, you're likely to develop side effects such as back and shoulder pain and aching legs and feet.
The ideal way to use a sit-stand desk is by alternating between standing and sitting. You can also bend your kneesslightly to reduce the pain in either leg during prolonged use. Here are guidelines for properly using a standing desk in these cases.
If You're Standing
1. Maintain proper posture
To do this, first, keep your neck straight and your shoulders relaxed, not tense. Then ensure that your knees are slightly bent while you're on your feet to prevent your knee joints from locking and your knees from being hyperextended. Most back pains are caused or aggravated by bad posture and sedentary habits. Maintaining a proper posture will improve your workstation productivity and quality of health.
2. Keep the desk at elbow level
Adjust your standing desk until you can comfortably place your elbows on it. Keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle, and ensure your neck aligns naturally with your wrists should also be directly in front of you. You can raise or lower the height of the standing desk to align your forearms parallel to the desktop. Our standing-desk height calculator can help you choose the best height.
Your hands should also be able to maneuver the keyboard with wrists relaxed and straight. Your fingers can face downwards to touch your keyboard; however, your wrist should always be upright. This way, you prevent injuries, such as strains, from developing in your hands and arms.
3. Practice a sit-stand habit
Having set up your workstation to the best comfort and ergonomic levels, you must avoid standing at them for prolonged hours. Set a timer to alternate between these positions to get the most out of your standing desk. Whether you feel strained or not, maintaining a good sit-stand habit reduces the chances of experiencing any adverse health effects from either extreme.
4. Consider helpful accessories
Many workstation accessories exist to help boost productivity and improve our well-being. For sit-stand desk users, some of these include balance boards and anti-fatigue mats. Balance boards help you maintain good balance on your feet while standing. Others also provide a good under-foot sensation that improves your mood. Anti-fatigue mats also reduce the strain you'll usually feel from standing for too long.
5. Shift your weight intermittently
Ensure that you're also, from time to time, shifting your weight from one foot to the other. A footrest might help you move your weight more effectively. Staying too long on either foot can be uncomfortable and is unadvisable. If you're having difficulty maintaining your standing posture, consider getting a balance board.
If You're Sitting
Alter the height of your ergonomic chair or stool until the top of the seat cushion is parallel to the base of your knees. Let your feet remain flat on the floor and ensure a gap, about the size of your fist, between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees. Your feet should remain parallel to the floor while your knees are at an angle of 90 degrees. This adjustment allows you to maintain good posture and prevent back pain.
You must also keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle and let your arms hang loosely close to your torso and your armrests barely touching your elbows. Lift or lower your adjustable desk until the top meets the underside of your forearms. As always, check to ensure your hands are floating over the keyboard with your wrists straight and relaxed.
Continuous wrist movements can raise the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome due to the compression of their internal structure. Practising good sitting posture can save your arms and hands from injury.
If You're Kneeling
An alternative to standing or sitting at your workstation is kneeling or half kneeling. Apart from maintaining the proper alignment of your spine, kneeling is a natural state for your body. You can adopt several kneeling positions, such as keeping one leg forward and placing the other on a balanced surface like the Desky Balance board.
You can also position both knees on a kneeling chair, keep one leg on the floor, and leave one kneeling on a chair. When you kneel, you put your pelvis and spine in a much-needed neutral position, keeping your posture upright, decreasing slouching, and alleviating the stress on your spine.
It’s not uncommon for your knees to become achy or tired after a long time spent kneeling. Therefore, to decrease the pain and discomfort, ensure to change positions. Alternate the leg you’re kneeling on at certain intervals, sit or stand at your desk for a while, or stand up and take a short walk.
How to Get the Best of Your Standing Desk?
To maximise the advantages of using a standing desk, adhere to the guidelines below.
- Change your positions between moving during breaks, standing, and sitting. This way, you wouldn't be stuck in a particular place for extended periods. Excessive standing can lead to diminishing returns.
- Be sensitive to the signals your body sends you. If you notice any constant discomfort or pain in a particular area, such as your back, shoulders, or legs, it’s time to change positions.
- If you have any chronic illnesses, pre-existing health conditions, or pregnancy, you should discuss with your healthcare practitioner if a standing desk is suitable for you.
- Wait to change to a standing desk. Begin with standing at your desk for short bursts and slowly increasing the time you remain on your feet.
- Place objects like your fridge, waste bin, chair, and such out of the way. That way, they're less of a tripping hazard when you’re standing.
Why Should I Buy A Standing Desk?
Studies have shown that using a standing desk helps your body burn just a little more calories than sitting. Standing for long periods may not necessarily help you lose weight or keep you from gaining some. But the advantages do exist, and some of them are:
- Decreases the risk of back and shoulder pain, which are more than likely after prolonged sitting, especially with bad posture.
- Regulates your blood sugar after a meal. It returns to normal when you're standing as opposed to sitting.
- Even though more studies are still being carried out in this area, using a standing desk, to an extent, helps decrease the risk of cardiovascular problems, cancer, diabetes, and premature death.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I position my computer monitor properly?
Place your monitor directly in front of you, at about an arm's length distance. It should be positioned with its top at eye level or below, tilted up to 20 degrees. Your line of sight is perpendicular to the screen surface when you’re staring at the centre.
If you're using multiple monitors simultaneously, ensure they are positioned side by side with their edges touching. If it's such that you make use of one monitor far more than the other (especially as much as four times more), then that monitor should be kept directly in front of you while the other should be to the side.
Also note that if you wear bifocals, your monitor should be 1 to 2 inches below your chin level to give you a more comfortable and relaxed viewing.
How do I properly position my keyboard and mouse?
The keyboard and mouse are on the same level surface, with the elbows positioned close to your body and bent at a natural angle (between 90 and 120 degrees). Remember to keep your wrists straight and your hands slightly below your elbows.
If you're looking to reduce how frequently you use your mouse, consider using keyboard shortcuts instead. You should also adjust the sensitivity of your mouse to enable you to use a light touch. You might also consider changing your hand to operate the mouse by alternating the side of the keyboard you place it on.
How do I properly position additional objects on a standing desk?
If you use any objects or office equipment, like staplers, binders, or telephones, fairly frequently, then they should be kept within reach to keep you from excessive and unnecessary stretching.
What footwear is appropriate for a standing desk?
You don't have to worry about footwear much when sitting down, but with a standing desk, shoes that will be comfortable and help you maintain proper posture are a top priority.
For this reason, ensure that you wear supportive shoes with low heels. If your standing time is prolonged or extended, you should invest in compression socks or anti-fatigue mats.
How much standing time is recommended?
Medical professionals recommend that before you switch to a standing desk exclusively, you should prepare your body by having up to two hours of standing and movement throughout your work. After a while, you can slowly increase it to four hours stretched out over the workday. Remember that whether sitting or standing, it is crucial to take a 2-minute break to move around and stretch every 20 to 30 minutes.
There are also some habits you can adopt to help you increase how frequently you move about in your office. They include walking to the printer or water fountain yourself, taking the stairs instead of the elevator sometimes, and choosing a parking spot farther from the primary entrance.
Summary
If you have already changed from a sitting desk to a sit-stand desk or a full-on standing desk at work, you're on course to improve your health in ways you'll be grateful. Remember that switching your desk type might have side effects, especially if the change happens inappropriately.
Make the switch gradually, and ensure that the desk set-up is perfect. This way, your body will adapt accordingly, and you'll experience the advantages of this kind of workstation.
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