Standing work stations

diaryoffatdad
diaryoffatdad Posts: 175 Member
edited October 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all,

my job as a student is to read, and read a lot. one of the things that has been popping up in the 'physical activity' 'obesity' literature lately is standing work stations. Our lives have become very sedentary, "wake up-drive to work-sit at desk-drive home-sit at computer or tv-go to bed" if you think about how humans used to live, hunting and gathering,working very hard physically for the days meals, traveling great distances by foot, and so on its no wonder we have as a society gained weight. Our energy balance is way off, energy dense food is readily available with very little to no effort required in order to attain it.

So a lot of research has gone into environmental development to make communities more apealing to physical activity, active transport from school and work and getting people in general more active. The biggest part of many North American people's lives is spent at work infront of a desk, where your energy expenditure is minimal. The new research is suggesting standing work stations, your computer and all of your desk space simply elevated to a height that accomodates standing,

The research is fresh and not very robust but intial thoughts are that it will have little to no negative effect on productivity, but will exponetially increase your energy expenditure throughout the day. I've thought about converting my desk as an experiment, but I also wanted to see what other people thought about this

What do you people think, could you work standing all day,

Replies

  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I think this is just a plot by Dr. Scholls.
  • daniface
    daniface Posts: 338 Member
    i very much wish that i did not have to sit all day. i hate it.
  • ABetterBalance
    ABetterBalance Posts: 298
    I've seen them, and I like the idea. I also like the idea of "desks" that go on treadmills and stability ball office chairs.But then, I frequently get distracted by shiny new things. :laugh:

    I think anything that gets employers and their employees to look at being more active and healthy during their work day is a plus. I doubt these standing stations are the solution, but at least it's got people thinking outside the box a little. It will be interesting to see what else people come up with the combine activity with the 8-5 workday.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    What, you've never seen a fat cashier? I don't think standing up all day gives you much exercise. But I do know that standing in one place all day makes my feet ache.
  • oneoddsock
    oneoddsock Posts: 321 Member
    I would hate that - I have problems with my feet and that sounds like a killer. I've read about people sitting on exercise balls instead of normal desk chairs, which sounds like a great idea fitness-wise.
  • diaryoffatdad
    diaryoffatdad Posts: 175 Member
    I think this is just a plot by Dr. Scholls.

    Hahaha, i bet he is involved somehow,
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
    no. If I could work on my feet all day, I'd still be a waitress. I went to school so I could get a 9-5 job and SIT DOWN. No. Being active for 8 or 9 hours is for young people and HIGHLY OVER-RATED. It just wears you out, it's hell on your feet and gives you varicose veins
  • Just1forMe
    Just1forMe Posts: 624 Member
    Absolutely a great idea. I don't sit when I am on my computer at home....I dance :) I "walk" while I am watching TV. The saying "Stand when you can sit, walk when you can stand, run when you can walk" is true. Each of those things burns more calories exponentially. So does parking at the back of the lot, taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
    All of these things incorporated into a lifestyle will burn more calories. I wear a Body Media Fit and I can easily burn an extra 500 calories per day making those small changes over a day sitting on my computer.
  • monroe61
    monroe61 Posts: 620 Member
    I used to stand all day long...for over 9 years...and i was still fat...still am fat now that I sit at a desk all day too.
    I work in a factory and used to stand at an assembly machine for 8 hrs building the grill that goes on your car!!

    Standing doesn't do any good you need to move. I like the idea of my computer mounted to a treadmill though :)
  • phinners
    phinners Posts: 524 Member
    I'm a lab scientist and theres very little sitting in my job. It's hard work and painful.
  • RaeMe
    RaeMe Posts: 11
    I wish that my workplace would let me have a standing desk! My husband has one at home and loves it. As an added benefit, it can be great for your back.
  • noexcuses1218
    noexcuses1218 Posts: 332 Member
    Funny you should mention that - I just started using a standing workstation Monday and although I probably shouldn't have gone straight to eight hours a day, it's been a huge help for me and my hips already. The anti-fatigue mat hasn't been delivered yet, but it's on its way. I've been sitting for almost 12 years now and finally decided I just couldn't take it anymore. Add some good dance music to get your feet moving throughout the day, get out from behind the desk - just like you would if you're stuck in a chair - and it seems to be helping. I do have bad-*kitten* shoes, though, (Brooks Glycerin 9) and that makes a difference. Got them for running, walking, cross-training and standing. Will wear them out in a couple more months, but it's worth it.

    Couple more notes - if you don't maintain some kind of body awareness throughout the day you can mess yourself up standing as well as sitting. Engaging the lower abs is incredibly helpful for avoiding low back problems.

    I used an exercise ball chair for several years and after a while it was just as painful to sit as it had been in the traditional office torture device.

    Try it and see. I had my dad build me a simple riser for my computer, which may be more cost-effective for a trial run than spending $400+ on a standing workstation.
  • ABetterBalance
    ABetterBalance Posts: 298
    http://www.amazon.com/Trek-TD-01-TrekDesk-Treadmill-Desk/dp/B002IYRBI0

    Treadmill desk. It cracks me up. :happy:

    But I'll admit, if given the opportunity, I would play with that for about a week. When I worked in a gym we would bring the stability balls into the office to sit on, and I would stand on the bosu ball when I had to make phone calls. None of those were serious workouts, but it made the day more fun sometimes.
  • diaryoffatdad
    diaryoffatdad Posts: 175 Member
    What, you've never seen a fat cashier? I don't think standing up all day gives you much exercise. But I do know that standing in one place all day makes my feet ache.

    Its not about exercise, its about your base energy expenditure. if you were standing the idea would be that you would move around a lot more than you would sitting.

    in reality the hour someone spends in the gym "exercising" is nothing compared to the other 23 hours they spend being sedintary.

    but i do hear you about sore feet, this would obviously be something that wouldn't be incorporated overnight, you would have to work yourself up to it to become accustomed to it
  • Pronoiac
    Pronoiac Posts: 304
    Y was able to have my work station converted to a standing station about 9 months ago. I love it. Mt productivity has even increased. I would have a very hard time going back to a normal desk at this point. The benefits of standing most of the day are so well discovered, even at this early stage, that it is clearly a high leverage way to increase health (for those that are capable of doing it) I do have a tall chair and I sit about 15-20% on the average day. Maybe a bit more if I have pounded the legs that morning. : )

    Even if one has a job that requires sitting for most of the day, get up and move around as often as possible. Go for walks on breaks, find any/every reason to get up at regular intervals.
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    two of my co-workers have the standing desks and they love it. Soon, our whole department is going to be upgraded to them.

    You do tend to move around a lot more and they say it does wonders for their backs (i.e. not hunched over a desk all day).
  • blazergrad
    blazergrad Posts: 603 Member
    I'd be screwed. :tongue:
  • phinners
    phinners Posts: 524 Member
    I'd be screwed. :tongue:
    :D
  • Pronoiac
    Pronoiac Posts: 304
    What, you've never seen a fat cashier? I don't think standing up all day gives you much exercise. But I do know that standing in one place all day makes my feet ache.

    I've seen obese folks run marathons. No amount of activity will replace poor nutrition and lifestyle choices, including standing all day. A standing station does not replace healthy diet or regular exercise, but it does add 'work load' that can be easily applied.
  • diaryoffatdad
    diaryoffatdad Posts: 175 Member
    So the study that got me really interested in this was about using it in schools. they took 2 grade 1 classes gave one normal desks and followed them for the school year. The second class got desks that were able to accomidate either standing or sitting and they let the kids decide what they wanted to do, sit or stand, all year long, so at any point in the day the kids could stand up or sit down as they pleased. It was something silly like 90% of the time the kids choose to stand, all year long, when they measured their activity levels the kids standing had higher energy expenditure, no negative effect on behavior or grades and the kids loved it.

    maybe if we start ingraining little lifestyle changes like this into our children they will grow up more inclined to carry on with healthier choices?
  • ABetterBalance
    ABetterBalance Posts: 298
    maybe if we start ingraining little lifestyle changes like this into our children they will grow up more inclined to carry on with healthier choices?

    I think little choices and changes incorporated early on is a great way to approach this. I know one of my friends teaches second grade, and her school has allowed the children the option of bringing a stability ball to sit on. She said it was chaos in the classroom for about a week and then it settled down. Now about 50% of the kids still use the ball instead of a chair with no issues.
  • jskaggs1971
    jskaggs1971 Posts: 371 Member
    This is an interesting thread to me -- I just spent part of this afternoon converting my desk at the office to a standing desk. I find that days when I stand up most of the time, I feel more energetic and don't get the post-lunch slump. SO, I'm going to give it a whirl for a few weeks at the office. If it works out well, I'll boot my desk chair to the curb.

    That said, I do have a couch in my office too, so I can always take a seat for those long conference calls and such. Wish me luck, y'all.
  • Samantha1941
    Samantha1941 Posts: 99 Member
    Yes, I stand all day at work. I pretty much always have since I work in retail. I really don't mind it as long as I wear flats instead of heels I'm a-okay. I worked a desk job before and I hated it, I was so bored and fidgety and (warning:tmi) my backside would go numb
  • Samantha1941
    Samantha1941 Posts: 99 Member
    sorry, it posted twice.
  • Mitchlou84
    Mitchlou84 Posts: 135
    What, you've never seen a fat cashier? I don't think standing up all day gives you much exercise. But I do know that standing in one place all day makes my feet ache.

    I've seen obese folks run marathons. No amount of activity will replace poor nutrition and lifestyle choices, including standing all day. A standing station does not replace healthy diet or regular exercise, but it does add 'work load' that can be easily applied.

    You may have seen obese people run marathons, but that is not to say they have poor nutrition and lifestyle choices. In fact how can they have bad lifestyle choices with all the training marathon running requires.

    There are sometimes other reasons for obesity than poor nutrition and lifestyle choices.
  • it_be_asin
    it_be_asin Posts: 562 Member
    I sit at my desk at work all day and it's murder on my upper back and shoulders. Whether a standing desk or other arrangement would be better - I'm not sure. Like most people, I've always had a desk job.
  • gurlondrums
    gurlondrums Posts: 187
    My coworkers and I have brought this up to our superiors on multiple occasions. Standing desks, treadmill desks, cycling desks, a balance ball, hand weights, a little stepper, ANYTHING - they always say no. We're only allowed to move from our desks at our designated break times or to use the facilities. And it's not like we're so busy we can't do one of those things. I stand up at my desk when I can't take it anymore but then my back hurts from leaning over to look at my computer screen. So frustrating. Hate my job. ARGH!

    [vent over]
  • littlesis412
    littlesis412 Posts: 314 Member
    no. If I could work on my feet all day, I'd still be a waitress. I went to school so I could get a 9-5 job and SIT DOWN. No. Being active for 8 or 9 hours is for young people and HIGHLY OVER-RATED. It just wears you out, it's hell on your feet and gives you varicose veins

    ^^^ this. I am a cashier so I have to be on my feet all day. The blood just pools up in my legs and I'm miserable. And the majority of the people I work with are overweight. I will admit it would probably be different if you could move around even a little to help the blood flow. But since I'm stuck on a little mat all day I don't like the sound of this idea. I do however think that the balance balls and standing school desks are a good idea. One of my friends and I would always stand in the classes with teachers that would allow it. And some kids just can't handle sitting still for hours at a time. I hate sitting at desks all day as well. Hopefully they can find a solution somewhere in between.
  • darrcn5
    darrcn5 Posts: 495 Member
    When I worked as a waitress, I could eat pretty much any thing I wanted and not gain weight. I started gaining when I got a desk job at a bank, so I definitely believe it could help.
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