Standing Desks
Some people find that although they get up regularly from their desk that they can still experience pain and discomfort while working at their desk. Therefore, some people choose to get a standing desk at the office.
There are two types of standing desk: fixed and adjustable. An adjustable desk allows you to have both a desk suitable for sitting as well as a standing desk.
At Rhapsody’s Chiropractic we recommend using a height adjustable table so you can enjoy the benefits of sitting and standing while at work.
Some of the main benefits of a height adjustable desk include:
- By standing when you work, your body weight is evenly distributed, and your spine retains its natural curves. Your body works as it is designed to.
- Standing while you work means it is difficult to have your spine at an angle, and your body will settle into its natural form.
- Sitting for too long may also cause problems with your pelvic joints. If your pelvis is tilted, you could easily end up straining some of the muscles in your lower back. Standing up ensures your pelvis assumes a more natural position, giving you better posture.
- One of the main benefits of a height adjustable desk is that it facilitates posture changes — spend part of the day standing and part sitting down.
If you are already experiencing problems with your back because of long hours sitting at a desk, then transitioning to a sit/stand desk may help to alleviate this.
What sort of desk should I be looking for?
If you’re thinking of making the move from a normal desk to a sit/stand desk, there are now plenty of options which can be found through a simple Google search. We recommend the following:
- Firstly, maintaining good posture is still just as relevant standing than sitting, although your body will naturally correct itself when standing.
- Next, make sure you have your keyboard and mouse at a suitable height so you can maintain your screen eye level as you raise the desk to standing level. You don’t want to strain your neck and shoulders by having to look down at a screen, nor create problems from reaching too far with your arms and shoulders.
- You may also need to change your shoes. If you are going to be working on your feet for hours, comfortable shoes such as trainers rather than formal shoes may be more appropriate.
- Many standing desk advocates recommend using an anti-fatigue floor mat.
Standing for too long may present its own health issues, so it is recommended you find a workable ratio combining both sitting and standing. In fact, the transition from working whilst sitting to doing so whilst standing may take a while to get used to, after which you should start to enjoy some benefits.
