Sit-Stand workstations are changing the way people work at their computers, helping minimize the impact of a sedentary lifestyle. Here are nine ways regularly using a sit-stand at your office or home office benefits your personal health.
1. Reduce Lower Back Aches and Pains
In a recent study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine "Impact of a Sit-Stand Workstation on Chronic Low Back Pain Results in a Randomized Trial," Stanford University researchers concluded that lower back pain may be improved through the use of sit-stand workstations. Postural variation, or the intermittent transition from sitting to standing, was the key difference noted between the use of traditional and sit-stand desks in the study. Of
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This a combination of medical conditions including abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, elevated glucose, low HDL and high triglycerides. Overall metabolic syndrome increases the risk for Type 2 diabetes. By incorporating periodic standing and movement during the day, along with regular exercise, anyone concerned about pre-diabetes can boost metabolism and contribute to overall health.
5. Improving Cardiovascular Health
Studies show that adults who spend two or more hours per day sitting have a 125% increased risk of health problems related to cardiovascular disease. Simple lifestyle changes such as including standing and moving during the day can help improve cardiovascular health.
6. Contributing to a Positive Attitude
Just like the body, physical activity and standing help enhance mental health as well. A study of nearly 9,000 women found that those who sat for seven hours per day—and were physically inactive—were three times as likely to have symptoms of depression than individuals who sat for fewer than four hours. An additional boost of positive energy wouldn't hurt, even if exercise is already part of your lifestyle. Standing up during the day and making time to move can help your
Some hypothesize that moderate levels of exercise will decrease the symptoms of mental health conditions (Blumenthal et al., 2007; Diaz & Motta, 2008; Motta, Kuligowski, & Marino, 2010; Rosenbaum, Nguyen, Lenehan, Tiedemann, van der Ploeg, & Sherrington, 2011) and therefore be used as an alternative or complimentary treatment option for mental health (Libby, Pilver, & Desai, 2012).
Adjustable workstations are increasingly becoming a main benefit for organizations using them. When using computers at the workplace, employees typically sit down for longer periods without adjustable designed workstations. Such situations can lead to regular back injuries, stress injuries and other forms of injuries. All these injuries result in lost work time and reduced productivity. Using adjustable workstations reduces employee fatigue, makes them comfortable and helps them avoid standing or sitting in awkward postures. Adjustable designed workstations lowers the rate of suffering from tunnel syndrome injuries, which improves both employer and employee morale. This is characterized by improved productivity, reduction in employee absenteeism and minimal workplace complaints (Washington (State), 2009).
Brody's editorial, "Posture Affects Standing, and Not Just the Physical Kind" she introduces how her husband worked at an office slouching over all day and how people would tell him how bad that was for his health but he didn’t care, tends to show that people who’ve slouched and have gotten used to it, they end up not caring about how they’re turning out to be. Coming to the topic of technology ruining our posture this shows that since these people have to work sometimes in a small working space they have to do the worst to be comfortable and sometimes this involves slouching to get a better view of the computer. Concluding that most of these office workers have very rude moods or are always stressed when it comes to helping customers/clients because they’re slowing creating back problems or stress due to their constant
A majority of the nurses and transportation workers had a less than 5 years of experience at work. Years of experience did not seem to have a significant association with low back pain. This differed with Rahman et al. [12] who observed that job tenure along with awkward posture can cause low back pain. The prevalence of low back pain among nurses and transportation workers was analyzed in the study. The crude odds ratio of nursing reporting back pain was (OR 1.633) and transportation workers (OR 1.156). Furthermore, the association between the low back pain in the past 3 months persisted after controlling for overexertion, high demand, low control, being harassed at work, the White race, married and having more than one minor child. As the majority of the nursing workforce comprised of females, being married and having children seemed to increase the low back pain as in addition to their jobs they have to take care of house and kids. [11]. About 13.59% nurses had more than one job which could contribute to low back pain especially if the other job is also physically demanding. A majority of nurse reported low back pain, however, they did not perceive the pain as work-related. Less than 1% discussed the low back pain with their doctors. The reason could be that with intermittent pain, nurses try to take medications regularly to alleviate the pain. [10] However, medications only provide short-term relief,
Increases in this type of behaviour has been associated with significant increases in the risk of developing chronic diseases with an increase of 112% relative risk of diabetes being reported by Wilmot et al (2012). A significant amount of research is now being conducted into the effect that prolonged sitting, as a sedentary behaviour, has on the risk of type-2 diabetes. The main effect of sitting idle for a prolonged amount of time is that the muscles required for upright movement such as the legs, back and truck, become redundant. The result of this is that we consequently decrease the energy expended as result of intermittent muscular contractions throughout the waking day (Hamilton et al 2007). One particular study found that an increase in 1 hour of television watching in which the participants would be seated, there was a 26% increase in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in women (Dunstan et al 2005). Bed rest studies have also been used to assess the affects of prolonged inactivity in relation to insulin action and glucose
Chronic lower back pain is on the rise in not only America, but is on the rise in the world. According to a study by the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases in 2010, approximately one in ten people suffer from lower back pain, which makes lower back pain the leading cause of disability in the world (http://ard.bmj.com/content/early/2014/02/14/annrheumdis-2013-204428). This rate is on the rise and should be extremely alarming as common activities, including working a desk job, can contribute to chronic lower back pain. While there are many different methods to treat chronic lower back pain, including physical therapy, therapeutic
Data collected by Lumo Lift Posture Coach, which makes a device that attaches to one’s shirt and gauges how often a person slouches, alerting them to correct their position. According to the information gathered, only 36% of Americans’ workdays are spent sitting
Information from the website Healthy Kids shows that sitting still all day long often causes many problems; “Children who are sedentary for long periods of time are more likely to be overweight or obese.”
In “Reducing Occupational Sitting Time and Improving Worker Health: The Take-a-Stand Project, 2011” researchers Pronk NP1, Katz AS, Lowry M, Payfer JR studied employees in Minneapolis during March to May in the year 2011 to study the prolonged health risk factors of sitting for long periods of time. Researchers developed a study that was designed to limit the amount of time employees sit ultimately improving upon their health in sedentary jobs. The study occurred during a 7 week period with two groups. Group one was given a sit-stand device and group two did not receive a device. Ultimately the group whom was given the sit stand device reduced sitting time by 224% or 66 minutes a day, reduced upper back and neck pain by 54% and improved
As you can see, an improved posture can have a domino effect and improve other parts of your body, which can result in better overall health.
Today, we're gonna be talking about posture, specifically in children, but also in adults. When you lose your core because you haven't got any fitness, and you have haven't been exercising, you can slouch, you can walk improperly, you can hurt your hips and your back. Today, I'm gonna be using my book, Nurses on Our Own, for nurse Sally to walk with this on her head like we used to to keep from slouching. Our mother's always told us to sit up straight, and if you don't have your shoulders up straight when you use the computer or when you're bent over, or you bend your head over, it's like 30 pounds of weight on your head and on your spine. So it could be a terrible problem. Now you can use balancing, you can use trampolines, you can use all
This is due in part by the increase in professional jobs that require workers to sit most of the day. Sitting for extended periods of time will atrophy important back stabilizing muscles, causing imbalances along the back, resulting in spinal curvature disorders. These disorders frequently are the root cause of back pain for those who are afflicted with them.
It is important for us to sit in a good position in order to avoid back pain and coccyx pain which also known as Coccydynia. It also helps to balance one’s position so that the person did not fall down easily and cause fractured when a person falls hardly on their buttocks.
Those who worked more than eighty hours a week increased their risk of coronary heart disease by ninety-four percent. The increased risk found in the study may be due to distorted sleeping and eating habits. When workers spend too much time in the office, they often choose fast food establishments over cooking their own healthy, nutritious meals for dinner (Cohen). Furthermore, people who work long hours usually do not exercise often. The Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study found that people who have a high sedentary lifestyle have a 112 percent increase risk of Type 2 diabetes (Bixby). Another study showed that people who sit for more than twenty-five hours a week have an increased risk in developing metabolic risk factors, such as bad cholesterol and insulin resistance (Washington Post). On average, a person sitting for too long is likely to burn fifty less calories. Burning less calories, in addition to the six pounds gained from consuming a multitude of office snacks, can have a detrimental effect on an individual’s health (Bixby).
You don’t have to be participating in unhealthy workouts to cause extra back pain---it can happen in your office or at the dinner table. Prevention.com claims that sitting puts 40% more pressure on your spine than standing. Who would have known?