Standing Desk vs. Sitting Desk

There has been an ongoing discussion regarding standing desks and whether or not they are actually changing the work environment the way they were intended to. 

It doesn’t sound like much of a concern and seems to be one of those topics where you can let people form their own opinions.

But the fact of the matter is people, spend excessive hours at their desk each day, and these hours are starting to add up and are causing major health problems all around the globe.

How so? 

Well don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with sitting, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with standing. However, the issue is prolonged sitting or standing. 

Whether or not you are standing or sitting, it’s an extreme amount of hours where you are experiencing serious physical inactivity. 

Physical inactivity is responsible for 6% of deaths globally.

That is roughly 3.2 million people, which is greater than the mortalities from HIV and lung cancer combined. 

So what is so bad about sitting desks?

Body Pains:

Sitting increases force on our lower spines. When we sit or lean forward there is a much greater force on our spines than when we are standing. 

This causes the tight hips and a sore back that bothers you on a daily basis.

With a sore back, your whole body is under strain and this causes pain to broaden throughout your body and increases the likelihood of injury and chronic pain.

One should experience these side effects immediately after sitting in a desk chair all day.

However, there are also numerous side effects that are not immediate and will only arise years from now with serious repercussions;

Weak Legs and Glutes:

By not using your legs for long periods of time, of course, your muscles will weaken.

And without strong muscles to stabilize and support you, you are way more prone to injury. 

Weight Gain:

By sitting for hours on end each day, you are unable to burn a sufficient amount of calories and thus gaining weight is inevitable. 

Heart Disease:

Study’s indicate that people who sit for prolonged amounts of times have 147% higher risk of suffering from a stroke or heart attack. 

Diabetes:

Additionally, people who spend excessive hours of sitting have been known to have 112% increased risk of diabetes. 

Physical inactivity has been known to cause an increase in insulin resistance in the body which is a forerunner to diabetes.

Varicose Veins:

Sitting for long periods of time causes blood to collect in your legs, resulting in varicose veins which although are not harmful, are not a pretty sight. 

Standing Desks and their benefits:

Standing desks have been all the hype as they keep you out of your seat and on your feet! (And being on your feet reaps some major health advantages.)

• Standing reduces the risk of weight gain and obesity as you are burning more calories in your day and keeping active. 
• Standing lowers blood sugar and cholesterol and keeps weight off. (All of which lower the risk of heart disease.) 
• Standing can help or ease back pain or reduce chronic back pain. (Standing people reported a pain-free day.) 
• Standing has been known to increase energy levels and improve your mood.
• Standing also encourages creativity, boosts productivity and tones your muscles. 

Lastly, many standing desks also have the option to be converted into a sitting desk. This means you can have the best of both worlds!

To conclude, with recent studies raging about the benefits of standing more and the drawbacks of prolonged sitting, standing desks are a must-have in the modern working world and should definitely be considered.