Health Benefits of Standing Desks

What is a standing desk good for?

A standing desk enables you to stand while working and therefore helps reduce the amount of time spent sitting on a daily basis. The use of a standing desk, due to a decrease in the sitting time, has been proved to help reduce chronic shoulder and back pain (Harvard Medical School), lower blood sugar (Luminohealth) and decrease the risk of heart disease (Harvard Medical School). Also, it’s been shown that the use of a standing desk leads to increased well-being (BMJ 2018), which is no surprise as health and well-being go hand in hand.

Do standing desks really work?

Yes, many studies have shown that the use of a standing desk when working has a large number of health and well-being benefits (Harvard Medical School, Luminohealth, healthline). Their use appears to help mitigate blood sugar rises, decrease the risk of heart disease and reduce chronic shoulder and back pain, as well as improve mood and energy levels.

Will a standing desk help me lose weight?

As of now, it seems standing while working won’t help with weight loss on its own (MedicalNewsToday). However, standing desks have been proven to help with other health issues such as blood sugar spikes, back pain and heart diseases (Harvard Medical School).

Will a standing desk help with neck pain?

Yes, the right use of a standing desk can certainly aid with the reduction of neck pain. However, it’s also important to ensure enough physical activity throughout the day, which will help reduce regular neck pain completely (Baudry Therapy Centre).

Can a standing desk cause back pain?

If you aren’t used to standing much when working, a rapid change from sitting to standing can lead to new issues, including back pain (Harvard Medical School). Poor posture when using a standing desk can also lead to additional back pain.Therefore, it’s recommended to increase the standing time incrementally until it makes up about 25% - 50% of the total standing/sitting time (Harvard Medical School) and maintain a good posture while standing to receive all the benefits that come with the use of a standing desk.

Will the use of a standing desks increase my well-being?

Yes, the use of a standing desk has been shown to improve one’s well-being (flexispot, BMJ 2018). Since health and well-being are closely linked to each other, improvements in health thanks to less sitting lead to improved well-being in the case of using a standing desk.

How long should you stand at your standing desk?

Unless you’re used to standing a lot, it’s advised that you begin with short standing intervals ranging from 10 - 15 minutes and work your way up to longer periods of time if suitable (Luminohealth).

Occasionally lifting a leg and moving your body to a small extent can help extend the duration for which you will be able to stand comfortably (Technology.org).

However, it’s advised that you don’t stand for too long as it can lead to back pain and other similar issues. Ratios of 1:1 and 2:1 of sitting and standing are generally recommended as the most appropriate solution to improving and maintaining one’s health in an office job (ergonofis).

When to use a standing desk?

You can use a standing desk anytime you want. However, it’s recommended that you change to a different position than standing every 20 minutes or so (Startstanding).

What material should a standing desk be made of?

Standing desks can be made of any suitable material such as wood, bamboo, plastic or metal. However, we at hydesk care about our environment, which is why we make our standing desks from bamboo as using bamboo for such a purpose is one of the most sustainable solutions.