“Standing for long periods of time is not good either” Standing desks should be used differently

Standing desks have been popular for over 10 years because they are beneficial to the health of modern people who use computers for several hours every day. But a new study based on years of data and tens of thousands of participants pours cold water on these claims, suggesting that standing desks don’t help with some important health problems.

International Journal of Epidemiology, December 2024A research team published a study based on data from more than 83,000 participants in the UK who had experience working both seated and standing. The research team found that ‘fixed hours’ increased the risk of circulatory diseases.

Sitting for more than 10 hours a day over a long period of time increased the prevalence of heart disease by 13% and circulatory disease by 26% over 7 years. The longer participants sat, the higher their average heart rate and the greater their risk. Therefore, the argument that we should periodically work while standing at a desk instead of sitting on a chair is gaining strength.

Even more concerning is the data: fixed standing hours do not significantly reduce this risk. Even if you are not seated, standing still for several hours has been shown to significantly increase your risk of orthostatic circulatory problems, including “orthostatic hypotension, varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, and venous ulcers.” Medical professionals already know that repeated periods of standing still for weeks, months, or even years can lead to adverse outcomes.

this reportis academically very dense. What is concerning is that, in addition to those who mainly sit, the risk of circulatory disease was not significantly reduced even among those who stood for two hours a day. Simply put, sitting for long periods of time is bad, standing for long periods of time is also bad, and mixing the two patterns does not change anything.

The researchers recommended that people engage in meaningful exercise that sufficiently contracts their muscles, such as walking every 30 minutes, to avoid the risk of cardiovascular disease and orthostatic circulatory disease.

The most frustrating thing for modern people suffering from spinal problems is that it is difficult to find research that quantifies the best method. Computer ergonomics in particular, and especially ergonomics as it relates to marketing of all kinds, often boils down to ‘atmosphere’.

As someone who suffers from back pain and regularly uses a standing desk (or an alternative to a traditional chair, such as a yoga ball), the most useful conclusion I’ve come to is that, above all, you need to listen to your body’s signals. If your back or shoulders hurt after sitting at a desk all day, it’s a sign that something needs to change. Let’s actively find a method that suits you. This is because a method that is effective for one individual may not be effective for others.

There is a joke that if you say you feel pain when doing a certain movement, the doctor will prescribe you to “don’t do that movement.” This is a very common sense story. If you can’t avoid sitting or standing in the same position for hours every day, at least seek out specific advice on regular exercise and diet and put them into practice.
editor@itworld.co.kr