Author Topic: Anyone here using a standing desk? (Read 83911 times)

mouser · « **on:** April 19, 2011, 09:48 PM »

There was another article recently (can't locate it) about how sitting all day is worse for you that they previously thought -- and more articles recently about standing desks.

Anyone here have any experience trying that?

Renegade · « **Reply #1 on:** April 19, 2011, 11:32 PM »

Not here. But I've often thought of a treadmill with a keyboard and mouse on top.

But I'm too lazy to get off my ass and do it.

nudone · « **Reply #2 on:** April 20, 2011, 01:41 AM »

I've worked somewhere that a manager did it. He seemed happy about the change. I just wonder about it being a strain on arms and back if you are typing a lot.

phitsc · « **Reply #3 on:** April 20, 2011, 01:45 AM »

Unfortunately not. But the people I know who use one are happy with it. Both of them were forced to use it because of back problems.

Now that summer is coming here it will be easier again to follow the water trick, i.e. have a small bottle of water and drink lots of it, in order to force you to stand up and walk around often for refill and bathroom.

cranioscopical · « **Reply #4 on:** April 20, 2011, 05:39 AM »

Not I… but in the summer I'm quite pleased with my hammock support.

Renegade · « **Reply #5 on:** April 20, 2011, 06:41 AM »

My Prediction

All responses will be in the negative because everyone's too preoccupied sitting on the fat asses and farting around on DC all the time~!

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #6 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:04 AM »

Here here - I must say my back hurts and my carpal tunnel syndrome is playing me up as I type, not to mention eye strain and a feeling of nausea from all the junk food.

Otherwise I feel fine.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #7 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:44 AM »

Honestly, I can't stand computers ... So I have to sit down.

Renegade · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:47 AM »

Honestly, I can't stand computers ... So I have to sit down.
-Stoic Joker (April 20, 2011, 07:44 AM)

Hahahahaah~!

Nice~!

f0dder · « **Reply #9 on:** April 20, 2011, 08:17 AM »

Standard desk at home, but when I worked at post.dk they had adjustable tables, so you could switch between sitting and standing... and that's what's best, really, doing a lot of different positions.

allen · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2011, 08:56 AM »

I'd mentioned this a while back with my physical therapist, who dismissed it as absurd that it was a good idea. Her concerns were the added strain on back and knees, largely. Her suggestion as an alternative mode of sitting was to use an exercise ball. My desk is too high to try it, so I've just been making a conscious effort to make my desk ergonomically sound.

f0dder is right though, there's no ONE way that you should spend the entire day.

rgdot · « **Reply #11 on:** April 20, 2011, 08:59 AM »

Like mentioned moving about is good, your eyes too, every 20 minutes or so make sure your eyes are concentrated on something farther away for 30 seconds.
As far as standing all day it would probably kill my ankle.

f0dder · « **Reply #12 on:** April 20, 2011, 09:08 AM »

Her suggestion as an alternative mode of sitting was to use an exercise ball.
-allen (April 20, 2011, 08:56 AM)

Good suggestion! Takes a while getting used to them, though, and I'm sure a lot of people would dismiss them during that period; you're going to be using your muscles a lot more than you are while just sitting in a chair, and for an initial period this may very well result in a bit of muscle ache. Good for you, though, and once you've flexed those muscles for a while, the pain goes away - if not, then you're really doing something wrong

(post.dk had exercise balls as well).

tomos · « **Reply #13 on:** April 20, 2011, 11:02 AM »

I tried an exercise ball for a while, but it kept rollling (forwards or backwards - I cant remember).
Maybe it was too big, I dunno...

I've seen a small exercise ball in a metal "frame-chair" - seemed comfortable - but I just sat in it briefly, & have no idea if they widely available.

mwb1100 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 20, 2011, 12:32 PM »

I've worked with someone who used an exercise ball at their desk.

One day it burst while he was sitting on it and he landed on the floor pretty hard. It was one of the funniest things I've seen; I'm just glad he wasn't hurt (physically anyway). I still chuckle a bit when I think about it.

wraith808 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 20, 2011, 12:58 PM »

Like mentioned moving about is good, your eyes too, every 20 minutes or so make sure your eyes are concentrated on something farther away for 30 seconds.
As far as standing all day it would probably kill my ankle.
-rgdot (April 20, 2011, 08:59 AM)

I try to take a 5 minute break every hour. It does lessen my productivity (startup/wind down is definitely an issue), so I miss it sometimes, but continued health is more of a concern.

f0dder · « **Reply #16 on:** April 21, 2011, 04:48 AM »

I tried an exercise ball for a while, but it kept rollling (forwards or backwards - I cant remember).
-tomos (April 20, 2011, 11:02 AM)

It's kinda supposed to - you get exercise from trying to make it not roll

kfitting · « **Reply #17 on:** April 21, 2011, 06:31 AM »

Everytime this comes up I say the same thing... sorry for being a squeaky wheel! But, more important than sitting on a chair, standing, or sitting on a ball is your overall posture. I've also been very impressed with the overall ideas presented in this blog on movement quality and efficiency:

http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/

In particular, I found the following articles very helpful, though I recommend reading around the blog:
Three essential elements of good posture: http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/2010/12/23/three-essential-elements-of-good-posture/
Movement Reversebility: http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/reversibility-or-how-to-avoid-sitting-on-a-whoopie-cushion/
Efficiency is the essence of coordination: http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/coordination-part-ii/
The skill of relaxation: http://toddhargrove.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/coordination-part-ii/

In the end, I stand or sit at work as I decide to depending on how I'm feeling. I just feel these discussions (and many discussions in general) turn to the "things we can buy" rather than treating the problem (which usually involves self-mprovement... much harder!).

tomos · « **Reply #18 on:** April 21, 2011, 06:42 AM »

I tried an exercise ball for a while, but it kept rollling (forwards or backwards - I cant remember).
-tomos (April 20, 2011, 11:02 AM)
It's kinda supposed to - you get exercise from trying to make it not roll
-f0dder (April 21, 2011, 04:48 AM)

I remember now, I would slide forwards - but my trousers would stay in the same place

- not comfortable**

(but, as I said it could have been that the exercise ball was too large.)

** Actually that's a problem with any seat that slopes down, towards the front of the chair - which position (slope) encourages better posture. A bit of a catch 22 I find.

tomos · « **Reply #19 on:** April 21, 2011, 06:46 AM »

Everytime this comes up I say the same thing... sorry for being a squeaky wheel! But, more important than sitting on a chair, standing, or sitting on a ball is your overall posture.
-kfitting (April 21, 2011, 06:31 AM)

I'm still using the Gokhale method (link to dc post). I can (and do) sit upright - no back support - all day

I still dont do it perfectly (mainly due to my hip being slightly out of alignment - but doing this helps that too).

(thanks for the links btw)

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #20 on:** April 21, 2011, 07:01 AM »

Like mentioned moving about is good, your eyes too, every 20 minutes or so make sure your eyes are concentrated on something farther away for 30 seconds.
As far as standing all day it would probably kill my ankle.
-rgdot (April 20, 2011, 08:59 AM)

I try to take a 5 minute break every hour. It does lessen my productivity (startup/wind down is definitely an issue), so I miss it sometimes, but continued health is more of a concern.
-wraith808 (April 20, 2011, 12:58 PM)

I'm on a simular schedule, as I have to step out for a cigarette every few hours. I tend to use the time to collect and refocus my thoughts to avoid forest-for-the-trees type project hiccups. I'd even go so far as to say that close to 85% of the nagging issue break throughs occured out by the dumpster while I was having a smoke.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #21 on:** April 21, 2011, 07:06 AM »

I remember now, I would slide forwards - but my trousers would stay in the same place - not comfortable**
-tomos (April 21, 2011, 06:42 AM)

First time I ran into one of those Swedish exercise balls was on a client site that used them at their desks. So I can indeed confirm said rather unpleasant phenomenon.

40hz · « **Reply #22 on:** April 21, 2011, 07:13 AM »

Closest I've ever come is using a workbench or a drafting table for extended periods of time.

In the case of the workbench, I felt better at the end of the day than I normally would if I'd been sitting. The drafting table was more of a mixed experience. Maybe it felt a little better than sitting. But still not much, since I tended to lean whenever I was writing. So I think feeling better had more to do with all my moving around while at the workbench than it did with my not sitting at it.

Tried the exercise ball thing. Didn't like it. I couldn't get decent enough posture while trying to keep it where I wanted it. I also tend to roll slightly forward and back depending upon what I'm doing. (Closer in for most typing, further back for predominantly mousing tasks.) After a while, my lower back started getting sore with the ball. (Somebody told me it worked better if you sorta bounced slightly while you were on it?) Also bought one of those "kneeling chairs" that used to be in vogue. I liked it. My back felt great. But my knees started aching after a few days. Stopped using the chair and the pain went away. Started using it again and the pain returned. In the end, I gave it to a friend and never looked back. Been using a good ergo-type chair ever since. No regrets on that score even though I'm painfully aware I sit in it far too many hours straight for my own good.

I'm gonna side with f0dder. I think he's right when he said regularly changing positions seems to do more than anything else.

And I'll also be the first to agree that just sitting all day is probably the worst thing you can do.

Hmm...maybe I should try a standing desk? They're easy enough to build...

allen · « **Reply #23 on:** April 21, 2011, 09:55 AM »

I'm on a simular schedule, as I have to step out for a cigarette every few hours. I tend to use the time to collect and refocus my thoughts to avoid forest-for-the-trees type project hiccups. I'd even go so far as to say that close to 85% of the nagging issue break throughs occured out by the dumpster while I was having a smoke.
-Stoic Joker (April 21, 2011, 07:01 AM)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure since I quit smoking I've become a lousier programmer. Maybe it'll buy me some extra time, to make up for the decreased efficiency

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #24 on:** April 21, 2011, 11:33 AM »

I'm on a similar schedule, as I have to step out for a cigarette every few hours. I tend to use the time to collect and refocus my thoughts to avoid forest-for-the-trees type project hiccups. I'd even go so far as to say that close to 85% of the nagging issue break throughs occurred out by the dumpster while I was having a smoke.
-Stoic Joker (April 21, 2011, 07:01 AM)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure since I quit smoking I've become a lousier programmer. Maybe it'll buy me some extra time, to make up for the decreased efficiency
-allen (April 21, 2011, 09:55 AM)

Yeah, I've thought about it...But mom told me quitters never win...

...So I decided (in the interest of balance) to just cut it down to a bit. I was at a pack a day, which turned into 2+ packs for long night high pressure projects. Now, after self imposing a no smoking in the house rule, I've been able to stretch a pack out to 3 days consistently for over a year now.

I do feel better now, and I haven't had the urge to disembowel a coworker with a letter opener just for saying hello...Which tended to be a frequent problem when I was down to 2 cigarettes a day (Stress has to be dealt with "properly"...).