Author Topic: Anyone here using a standing desk? (Read 114,108 times)

urlwolf · « **Reply #75 on:** July 18, 2011, 06:20 PM »

I've used a standing hydraulic table for ~7 months now. I do 70% standing, switching back and forth to sitting when I feel like it. I would not change my setup for anything in the world.

barney · « **Reply #76 on:** July 18, 2011, 06:21 PM »

Quote

The long periods of standing just allow the damage caused by the valve failure to happen quicker

???

Sounds like a circular argument to me. Or, perhaps more correctly, a specious one. It still says that you'll get varicose more quickly by standing because of bad valves, and states prior to that, that the valves, at lest on the tested group (all female

) failed early on in their life.

Standing may not cause the problem, but is acknowledged to accelerate it.

That's like saying someone is obese because of a medical condition, not because of dietary excess ... either way, they're still fat

.

barney · « **Reply #77 on:** July 18, 2011, 06:27 PM »

Quote from: urlwolf on July 18, 2011, 06:20 PM

I've used a standing hydraulic table for ~7 months now. I do 70% standing, switching back and forth to sitting when I feel like it. I would not change my setup for anything in the world.

Now that seems practical. Just out of curiosity, where did you obtain the table? That might work will for this decrepit wreck that houses whatever is me $:-\$ , but most all of what I've seen is industrial, usually heavy duty and heavy price.

urlwolf · « **Reply #78 on:** July 18, 2011, 09:29 PM »

It is heavy as hell, yes.
The brand name is linak. I bought it used in Berlin.

mouser · « **Reply #79 on:** September 07, 2011, 10:43 AM »

ArsTechnica report on standing desk experiment: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/09/taking-a-stand-my-experience-working-at-an-elevating-desk.ars

Lashiec · « **Reply #80 on:** September 20, 2011, 11:26 PM »

A brief article from Cornell University, with conclusions extracted from studies done there, and the recommendation of taking a break by getting up once in a while, like many posters have suggested through the thread.

Something that everyone should be doing to avoid the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome, right? Yeah, me neither

wraith808 · « **Reply #81 on:** September 21, 2011, 02:38 PM »

Quote from: Lashiec on September 20, 2011, 11:26 PM

A brief article from Cornell University, with conclusions extracted from studies done there, and the recommendation of taking a break by getting up once in a while, like many posters have suggested through the thread.

Something that everyone should be doing to avoid the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome, right? Yeah, me neither

I use kirby's alarm to set alarms on every hour to take a break for 5 minutes. And every three hours during that time, for the first minute I do a minute of deep breathing. It helps more than it would seem for such a simple change...

mouser · « **Reply #82 on:** April 10, 2014, 11:15 AM »

Although I haven't tried a standing desk, I know enough about such ideas to know this would be my experience:
http://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2014/04/09/killed-standing-desk/

40hz · « **Reply #83 on:** April 10, 2014, 06:14 PM »

Quote from: mouser on April 10, 2014, 11:15 AM

Although I haven't tried a standing desk, I know enough about such ideas to know this would be my experience:
http://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2014/04/09/killed-standing-desk/

[attach]

wraith808 · « **Reply #84 on:** April 10, 2014, 07:02 PM »

It's not just slouching, however. Note the posture of his back. If your monitors and keyboard are not at the correct angle, you will tend to crane your head forward while in that position. Until I lowered my chair, I found myself doing that, and had aches and such in the back of my neck. Your neck needs to rest supported (which is the reason that the high backed chair is important also).

40hz · « **Reply #85 on:** April 10, 2014, 07:26 PM »

Hmm...now that I think about it, my monitor is elevated and angled downward when I do that. I'll also keep a small wireless keyboard/trackpad combo (or rigid backed 1/4" graph paper pad) in my lap most times too. I also frequently use Dragon-NS with a headset in combination with the above.

wraith808 · « **Reply #86 on:** April 10, 2014, 07:55 PM »

Yeah... I was already doing most of this. Because of trends and studies, I kept thinking about moving to a standing desk. Glad to read this, however.

paulobrabo · « **Reply #87 on:** April 10, 2014, 08:37 PM »

Quote from: 40hz on April 10, 2014, 06:14 PM

Most of the people who I've heard advocate for standing desks are noticeably athletic younger people with no disabilities or old injuries to deal with.

Like her:
(see attachment in previous post)
You know the type.

I'm certainly not her, being otherwise lazy and closer to 50 than I have ever been – but I work on my standing desk at least 8 hours a day. I read the linked article some days ago because the title caught my interest; I thought I would find a good, sound medical reason the author had discovered to kill his standing desk... and in the end it was only the pain – certainly a good reason, but a very personal one, because I've never felt any.

My story goes the other way round because I had much pain in my back... until I started to work standing. I would suggest everyone interested to have a go: use a makeshift platform to work standing some hours a day for some days. I'm far from a paragon of health, but I just can't work sitting down anymore. It feels like I am literally chained to the chair, unauthorized to move and robbed of my most sacred personal freedoms

40hz · « **Reply #88 on:** April 10, 2014, 10:33 PM »

@paulobrabo - ^Well...I guess it's a good thing I said "most of the people" and not "all of the people" huh?

paulobrabo · « **Reply #89 on:** April 10, 2014, 10:47 PM »

Quote from: 40hz on April 10, 2014, 10:33 PM

@paulobrabo - ^Well...I guess it's a good thing I said "most of the people" and not "all of the people" huh?

Of course!

But it's always the damn exceptions that won't let you sleep!

tomos · « **Reply #90 on:** April 10, 2014, 10:50 PM »

I suspect these things depend on your posture and, if relevant, your reason for having back pain in the first place. I'd imagine that standing could help correct, or exacerbate a back problem, depending on what it is.

FWIW, standing gets me in the legs. After an hour or so I have to keep going up on my toes, after a couple of hours, I just want to put my feet up for the rest of the day.
Then again, I dont like sitting for too long either $:-\$

This is making me think about my desk setup - think my monitor is too high for the way I sit...

Vurbal · « **Reply #91 on:** April 11, 2014, 01:04 AM »

I couldn't work standing up now because of my bad knee. By bad I mean serious enough the doctor would have recommended replacement before my last surgery except I was only 26. I expect to finally have my first knee replacement either this year or next. If that alleviates my back problems I would seriously consider a standing desk.

barney · « **Reply #92 on:** April 11, 2014, 01:31 AM »

Quote from: tomos on April 10, 2014, 10:50 PM

I suspect these things depend on your posture and, if relevant, your reason for having back pain in the first place. I'd imagine that standing could help correct, or exacerbate a back problem, depending on what it is.

Imagine no more $:-\$ . As an old cripple, I have a fused hip. It's fused fifteen (15) degrees forward and ten (10) degrees to the side. As a result, I neither sit nor stand comfortably. Drives me crazy when I read about proper posture anent discussions about sitting or standing while at a desk

. I've been able to use a slant board in the past for extended coding/reading sessions, but that's not a currently viable option

. And sitting or standing for more than about twenty (20) minutes at a time aggravates lower spine (degenerative disk disease, lower five (5) vertebrae).

Not bitching about it, and this thread has been quite entertaining - almost comical at moments - but I stand/sit as a tribute to the phrase that not all things fit all people

. (You should see my reaction(s) to most exercise commercials

.)

paulobrabo · « **Reply #93 on:** April 11, 2014, 07:24 AM »

Maybe it's since we're not perfectly healthy (who is?!) that each of us should spend a lot of time and thought looking for an optimal solution for our own condition and way of working. The way we work is in the end the way we will (or wish) to be living in the foreseeable future.

There are no fit-all solutions, but there are paradigms that we should all weigh and examine deeply. The mind is weak, but the flesh wants to find a way!

Now that I think of it, in the early morning (before 6 a.m.) I do some writing lying down on my bed, using my netbook.

For some of us a mix of different solutions will maybe work better than a single one. We humans are not known for not being complicated. $:-\$

mouser · « **Reply #94 on:** October 15, 2015, 05:03 PM »

Recent article:

Quote

"Now a large study undertaken by the University of Exeter and University College London and published in the International Journal of Epidemiology suggests that the problem isn't sitting, it's not getting enough exercise, and that standing (which may be more comfortable for some people in any event) doesn't help.."

http://boingboing.net/2015/10/15/sit-down-already-standing-des.html

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #95 on:** October 15, 2015, 09:00 PM »

Quote from: The Article

study author Melvyn Hillsdon of the University of Exeter said in a statement. "Any stationary posture where energy expenditure is low may be detrimental to health, be it sitting or standing."

They had to do an entire study just to figure that out??

IainB · « **Reply #96 on:** October 17, 2015, 10:37 AM »

Quote from: Stoic Joker on October 15, 2015, 09:00 PM

Quote from: The Article
study author Melvyn Hillsdon of the University of Exeter said in a statement. "Any stationary posture where energy expenditure is low may be detrimental to health, be it sitting or standing."

They had to do an entire study just to figure that out??

They arguably haven't "figured out" anything if they have to use the qualifier "may". For example, who knows but that pigs may have wings, one day?
Some people (not me, you understand) might say that any university that publishes supposedly epidemiological research of questionable use/quality may be more concerned with attracting funding than with adding to the body of useful human knowledge, but I couldn't possibly comment.

In any event, I would suggest that such research is probably irrelevant, and that the only research that made (and still makes) standing desks a no-brainer for management is likely to be that accounting "research" which could demonstrate indisputably that standing desks:

require a lower area of floor space per employee, which enables higher density packing, which reduces the average fixed costs (rent and rates based on square footage of occupancy), thus enabling a higher average profit per employee to be achieved.
enable reduced/minimised office set-up, downsizing/upsizing or relocation costs, and reduced/minimised downtime associated with same, compared to conventional offices.

There's no doubt that, for some people, the ergonomics of sitting versus standing will have different effects depending on their peculiar musculo-skeletal geometry/health - e.g., the guy who said he has eliminated his back pain by using a standing desk. You could examine this sort of difference by (say) sitting on a big ball instead of a chair (it can be very comfortable and encourages the spine to line up into near-perfect posture when thus seated).

However, this guy seems to be onto something entirely new: Effect of One-Legged Standing on Sleep.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #97 on:** October 17, 2015, 11:26 AM »

Surprisingly through answer for a wise crack (mine that is).

Quote from: IainB on October 17, 2015, 10:37 AM

Some people (not me, you understand) might say that any university that publishes supposedly epidemiological research of questionable use/quality may be more concerned with attracting funding than with adding to the body of useful human knowledge, but I couldn't possibly comment.

I do like the ball idea though. I've thought of trying it...(waistline has been better)...but just haven't managed to commit to it yet.

JavaJones · « **Reply #98 on:** October 18, 2015, 08:44 PM »

I've got a standing desk and I find it best to mix sitting and standing throughout the day. Which is why I think the only good standing desk options are the convertible/adjustable ones, and especially the motorized ones. I was lucky enough to find one at a great discount on Craig's List ($200 for a nearly brand new $1000 desk). I'd have a hard time justifying the full price, admittedly, but I do find the mixed sit/stand throughout the day feels better for me in general.

- Oshyan

wraith808 · « **Reply #99 on:** November 14, 2017, 02:37 PM »

Reviving this topic rather than creating a new one:

I've gotten into the Standing Desk since I've been at home. I posted my setup on Gadget Weekends, but will replicate it here.

Quote from: wraith808 on September 10, 2017, 09:30 PM

I've purchased a few things recently, and figured I'd put them in one post.

First, I purchased a rather simple stand that I now have four of- it was so cheap and so useful and so easy to use, I had to buy a couple for my wife.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072B6BG38/

The next two are semi-related:

I've been using a logitech headset for my meetings at work, and wanted something with better wireless and better fidelity, so I purchased a Sennheiser RS185: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TOT9G1W

It's great! The most I've ever spent on headphones, but the $70 difference between the logitech when they first came out to the sennheiser really sold me on the fact that yes, audio gear gets better as you spend more.

But I needed a microphone. I initially was trying to make it a headset, using the antlion modmic: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R98JVVU/

It was ok, but annoying. From finding the mute switch when in meetings, to adjusting the mic (it uses rare earth magnets to attach it to the base on the headphones- really cool idea, not so good in practice), and of course adhering to the headphones was touch and go.

So I decided to just go with a full microphone, and it was the best decision ever!

I purchased the Blue Yeti Blackout Edition: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N1YPXW2/

People say it's like I'm in the room with them. The little blinking light for the mute is always visible, and easy to cancel with just a button press. It's great! The only thing is having two audio devices, sometimes skype will reset to using the Blue Yeti as the default device for audio also. But that's just a minor annoyance, and I think it's skype more than anything else.

Those two together are a bit more expensive than I ever thought I'd get to for a sound setup, but it's definitely made work meetings from home more bearable.

The last things were the Stand Steady standing desk surface- https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BXOGHQI and the ErgoTech freedom arm- https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008TYF0F4/

I've wanted to get a standing desk, but have resisted it. I have a very good desk, and really didn't want to get another. I thought of one of those ergodesk/vivodesk additions to the desktop that allow you to raise and lower, but still use your desk. But they're pretty expensive too, and after trying it out, I'm not sure that it would work as well for me.

Then I thought, I have my laptop sitting there, and my desktop. What if I made one a standing station, and the other my sitting station. For a fraction of the price of even the ergodesk/vivodesk, I got an easy to use station, and the monitor raises and lowers on the laptop station, so I can bring it down easily- but honestly don't do it much; I just put the monitor in the highest position, and put my stand there next to it, and have pretty much left it that way. I got a mat to go along with it (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KJT547K/), and it really does seem to work to reduce stress, and I feel better, because sometimes I just want to stand up and stretch out the kinks.

Having two stations for me is the best arrangement. When my Garmin Vivoactive says I need to move, I take a short walk, and then when I come back, I switch. As I'm working on a remote computer anyway, I don't have to adjust between the two. The standing setup doesn't have two monitors, but I've been questioning two monitors lately as I seem more productive and focused with one.

I have a terrible picture of my setup- it's rather difficult to get a good picture as there's a bookshelf behind the visible part, so I can't get any distance on the setup.

There are some changes, i.e. different keyboard, removed my server machine, added the yeti and sennheiser. That's important because the Yeti has such good pickup, I can switch between stations without dealing with a boom mike, and having very good audiophile headphones.