Standing Desks in a Nutshell

Standing desks aren’t new and apparently have been used by the likes of Winston Churchill and Benjamin Franklin. There have been studies from both camps about the pros and the cons. The Pro camp says that heart rate increases while standing, and therefore helps you lose more weight than if you were sitting down. Posture is improved and in some cases, people with arthritis have fewer symptoms. In the Con camp, there are those who say that prolonged standing can also be very detrimental and, depending on the style of desk, it can be a very costly affair. And since people can be of different heights when standing, the sizing is another issue.

Whatever your opinion, the standing desk is here to stay so let’s look at some different styles.

Remember: If you do intend to buy one, the desk should be hit right below the elbow for proper height, your face should be between 20-26 inches from your screen, preferably with a 20 degree tilt. This means it would not be a good fit for a laptop, unless you buy a separate monitor and mouse.

Fixed Height Desk

It’s pretty much self-explanatory. You have a desk that is a set height but you will have to physically stand in front of one to see if it is a good. Even if you it does say it would be good for a person of a certain height, you have to consider the length of your arms, from your shoulder to your elbow.

Adjustable Standing Desk

There are a variety when it comes to this type.

You have ones with a crank arm so that you can bring it up or down (like this Focal Upright Furniture Lotus Workstation).

There are electronic desks that can be adjusted at the push of a button (like this one from GeekDesk).

There is even one that is portable and hooks onto a door or a wall (the Ninja Standing Desk).

The adjustable version of the standing desk can get pretty expensive so take that into consideration.

Some people have also gotten creative and placed a treadmill under it which requires tons more of cash so weigh your options.

Now, the problem is that people shouldn’t be sitting for as long a stretch as eight hours because it isn’t healthy. There are also desk exercise bikes.

While sitting at your desk, you can be pedaling away with this contraption from DeskCycle.

The final verdict is that both sitting too long, as well as standing too long, is bad for you. So without getting too rude, if your boss asks why you walk around so much, you can say it’s for health reasons.