Part of a Healthier Lifestyle

Stand-up desks are part of the active furniture category, appealing to people who strive for a healthier, more active lifestyle, even as they work. The category includes:

When it comes to burning calories, standing uses more than sitting; it’s just a question of how much. In a study of 74 participants who did computer work while sitting, standing, or walking, the researchers discovered that:

Sitting burned 80 calories per hour.
Standing burned 88 calories per hour.
Walking burned 210 calories per hour.

Research has also discovered that people working at standing computer desks tend to move more throughout the day, shifting their weight from one foot to another, leaning, twisting, and just being more active. This may help to burn even more calories than previously shown.

Says Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, Chief of Preventive Cardiology at the Mayo Clinic: “Standing not only burns more calories, the additional muscle activity is linked to lower rates of heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes, so the benefits of standing could go beyond weight control.”

Don’t Stand Alone

Of course, stand-up desks are most effective when used properly. For more information on proper ergonomics associated with stand-up desks, consult StartStanding.org.

Other ideas for standing desk practices include:

Wearing comfortable shoes with no or low heel.
Standing on an anti-fatigue mat, which uses soft material, such as rubber, to reduce the wearing effects of a hard floor.
Taking short walk breaks every 30 minutes or so.
Getting a headset or speaker to avoid bending your neck if you’re on the phone a lot.
Avoiding hunching or leaning on the desk as though it is a counter.
Shifting your weight from foot to foot throughout the day to reduce lower back stress.

And, like any new activity, using a standing desk is something that should be done in increments at your own pace.

Keep in mind that you have other active furniture and ergonomic options, including active seating and active workstations. Check out a full selection of standing desks.

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Work-From-Home Wellness: Standing Desks