Benefits of Standing at Work {Do You Need an Adjustable Height Ergonomic Desk?}
Most computer users spend most of their day sitting in front of their computer. This stationary position for hours on end can strain your body, resulting in aches and pain in your back, shoulders and neck. A change of position can seem inviting, but it is hard to maintain good typing posture if you move your entire body. Maybe it is time for you try an adjustable height ergonomic desk.
A recent study by Cornell University’s Human Factors and Ergonomics Research Laboratory found that most people prefer to work on an adjustable desk that allows them to stand part of the day while still working on their computers. When this option was available, people chose to stand about 20% of their work day. You, too, may appreciate the benefits of sitting and standing at work.
Benefits of the Sit-or-Stand Ergonomic Desk:
- Comfort: In the Cornell study on sitting and standing, people who had the option of standing at their computer, while maintaining ergonomic posture, reported less discomfort in both their upper bodies. This can be especially beneficial if you have problems or pain in your neck and shoulders. It can also be helpful for back injuries, when you often need time standing to relieve pain and tightness. Even if you do not have injuries or specific pain, rotating between sitting and standing can relieve musculoskeletal discomfort by about 20%.
- Productivity: One of the tips you will often find for increasing productivity at work is to get up and take a break. This same principle is true, even if you are not taking an actual work break. A USC study discovered that the brain can process information 5% to 20% faster while standing. When you start to feel physical stiffness, or you are struggling to find a word or solve a problem, standing up can relieve strain on the body and increasing blood circulation to the brain.
- Health: In addition to the health benefits of relieving pain and discomfort, medical research has determined that people who stand at their jobs tend to be healthier than those who sit. A study at the University of Missouri found that standing up is often as important as exercising in the process of burning calories and losing weight.
There are incredible health and productivity benefits to using an adjustable height ergonomic desk. The developments in ergonomic desks have provided many flexible options. Look into well-designed desks such as the Hercules Sit-or-Stand Ergonomic Desk that sits on your current work surface and adjusts your monitor, keyboard and mouse together in one move. Consider your productivity and discomfort throughout a work day to determine if you could benefit from more flexibility to sit or stand at your computer.