18 votes

Why standing desks are overrated

13 comments

  1. [4]
    rkcr
    Link
    I don't know who thinks a standing desk is exercise, but the rest of the article makes good points about how sitting studies have been misinterpreted.

    I don't know who thinks a standing desk is exercise, but the rest of the article makes good points about how sitting studies have been misinterpreted.

    10 votes
    1. Gaywallet
      Link Parent
      It requires more calories than sitting, which is where I think people get the idea from... but sitting requires more calories than laying down, and no one says sitting is an exercise.

      I don't know who thinks a standing desk is exercise

      It requires more calories than sitting, which is where I think people get the idea from... but sitting requires more calories than laying down, and no one says sitting is an exercise.

      10 votes
    2. teaearlgraycold
      Link Parent
      I never got that impression. We have standing desks at work. I thought it was just a comfort thing. Want to stand and work? You can. Don't? You can sit.

      I don't know who thinks a standing desk is exercise

      I never got that impression. We have standing desks at work. I thought it was just a comfort thing. Want to stand and work? You can. Don't? You can sit.

      5 votes
    3. StellarV
      Link Parent
      I know I'm more likely to want to walk around if I'm already in a standing position than if I were sitting. Just standing in one place versus sitting in one place won't be hardly any difference...

      I know I'm more likely to want to walk around if I'm already in a standing position than if I were sitting. Just standing in one place versus sitting in one place won't be hardly any difference for calories burned and each position has its own positives and negatives.

      1 vote
  2. [2]
    aphoenix
    Link
    Years ago when I worked at a University, I had a desk that was adjustable. When I wanted to, I could take a few minutes, and just raise the height of the desk to standing height and then work...

    Years ago when I worked at a University, I had a desk that was adjustable. When I wanted to, I could take a few minutes, and just raise the height of the desk to standing height and then work standing.

    I didn't think of it as exercise (it's not exercise) but it was convenient, comfortable, and erased a lot of discomfort that one may have from just sitting in the same position for 8 hours.

    I think it's interesting that we live at a time where we can write opinion pieces like this and actually have a discussion about it. We've gotten to the point that there's a legitimate debate about how to be when we're at a desk.

    10 votes
    1. frickindeal
      Link Parent
      I have to run in and out of my office a lot, so I adopted a sort of counter-level desk that allows me to sit on a tall drafting stool, or stand, whichever is more convenient. I find I stand a lot...

      I have to run in and out of my office a lot, so I adopted a sort of counter-level desk that allows me to sit on a tall drafting stool, or stand, whichever is more convenient. I find I stand a lot of the time, and while it's not exactly exercise, I move around a lot more when standing than I do when sitting.

  3. [4]
    patience_limited
    Link
    I switched from sitting to standing a few years ago to mitigate shoulder problems. It was great for a while, until I started getting hip and knee problems from standing for extended periods. tl:dr...

    I switched from sitting to standing a few years ago to mitigate shoulder problems. It was great for a while, until I started getting hip and knee problems from standing for extended periods. tl:dr - don't do any one thing for extended periods.

    3 votes
    1. [3]
      Parliament
      Link Parent
      You gotta get an adjustable desk. I have two, one for work and another for the home office. I stand probably 15-30 mins per hour.

      You gotta get an adjustable desk. I have two, one for work and another for the home office. I stand probably 15-30 mins per hour.

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        patience_limited
        Link Parent
        Already got one, and the trick is paying attention to when I need to change positions.

        Already got one, and the trick is paying attention to when I need to change positions.

        1 vote
        1. Parliament
          Link Parent
          I have an ergonomic mouse from Evoluent that comes with software that will tell you when to take a break and when to start working again. I have carpal tunnel and also use that as my signal for...

          I have an ergonomic mouse from Evoluent that comes with software that will tell you when to take a break and when to start working again. I have carpal tunnel and also use that as my signal for when to stand.

          1 vote
  4. Troll
    Link
    I both sit and stand at my desk. Standing has been much better for my overall posture. I think rotating between positions would probably be the best thing to do.

    I both sit and stand at my desk. Standing has been much better for my overall posture. I think rotating between positions would probably be the best thing to do.

    2 votes
  5. OzPoider
    Link
    My office, which is a federal govt department in Australia, has sit stand workstations installed. You can sit, or pressing buttons raise your desk to stand. Height adjustment driven by an electric...

    My office, which is a federal govt department in Australia, has sit stand workstations installed. You can sit, or pressing buttons raise your desk to stand. Height adjustment driven by an electric motor.

    I just wish the desks would have a silent motor. All day long, all around me, is a constant low pitched whirrrrrrrrrr of peoples desks being raised or lowered. It's quite distracting.

    Talk about a first world problem! :-)

    2 votes
  6. DonQuixote
    Link
    Hard to reconcile a standing desk with a three hour NYC business lunch.

    Hard to reconcile a standing desk with a three hour NYC business lunch.