Agreed. My doctor said to me that a lot of people raving about standing desks in their 20s will have serious regrets about them in their 50s. He also said that being seated but moving around for a few minutes every hour was fine, which is a similar point to that made in the article - standing still for an hour is just as inactive as sitting still for an hour.
> standing still for an hour is just as inactive as sitting still for an hour.
That's not true. Everything I have read about it says that standing burns more calories. I notice that I shift my weight and move my legs, etc, when I am standing. It's marginal, but there is definitely a difference.
I'm no health expert, so take what I say with a pinch of (low-sodium) salt. However, it does seem to me that the amount of calories you burn standing up for a few hours is not going to make much difference to your health.
You're correct, unless you use a treadmill desk or you're one of those people who can't sit still and bounce around while they type (like me!). Just because you're standing doesn't mean you have to be a statue.
There's something else to consider though: lipoprotein lipase. It's generated in large amounts by your leg muscles and is used to break down fat into energy. Sitting causes a steady decrease in lipoprotein lipase production in your legs. The longer you sit, the less lipase you produce.
At that point, losing weight becomes extremely difficult and you start craving sugar for energy. There's a theory of weight management that people who don't gain body fat manage it because, throughout any given day, your insulin levels go up and down, you store a little fat then you burn a little fat. The ability of your body to switch back and forth between burning sugar and fat is called metabolic flexibility. Sitting destroys that flexibility.
Lots of swaying helps keep everything loose as well as keeping focused on using the leg muscles to support yourself instead of relaxing and letting the cartilage do all the work which is the only real concern I've come across for a standing desk.
Maybe it's not about calories or even being active. Maybe it's about perspective.
When I'm standing (or even better walking), I tend to have a much more "knock out the open issues" mentality. It's not a panacea, when I need to think deeply about something sitting down to do it is preferable. But the change in perspective you get from standing up can be as important as any health benefits.
Personally I wish I could do more of my meetings walking around the green areas around my office or home.
Before the actual article content, it shows 17 ads for standing desks then a huge infographic on why sitting is bad. It's literally 90% down the page until the article starts. here are the reasons:
1. Cost – Cost is definitely a concern for many people and businesses alike. The simple truth is that the cost of your stand up desk could be as little $20.00 to as much as $1,500.00 for one of the adjustable electric models. The geniuses over at Ikeahackers.net have a do it yourself plan that costs as right around $29, that is still quite sleek and professional in appearance. Another option that helps to reduce the cost for a company is one that my own employer actually adopted. They purchased one standing work station for each department. If an employee feels like standing up and working for awhile they simply walk over to an open station and log-in to the network for an hour or so. For an employer this is a great way to introduce the concept to see how it’s received, while controlling costs.
2. Long Days – Most people work at least 8 hours per day, and that’s a significant amount of time to be on your feet. As the son of a pharmacist, a profession that used stand up desk long before they were cool, I can assure you that long days on your feet can lead to socks that even the family dog runs away from. Spending 8 to 10 hours standing can do a number on your body, especially if you’re not used to physical activity, and that can cause new aches and pains.
3. Foot Pain/Soreness – One of the top complaints of people who’ve tried a standing desk is that their feet were extremely sore the next day. A pair of shoes that are pleasantly comfortable for sitting all day can start feeling like evil little pin cushions when you give them some real use. My suggestion is that you combat this in two ways. First, be sure to at least bring a pair of comfortable shoes with you to work that you can use while you are in the standing position. Secondly, you may want to spring for a padded floor mat, which adds an additional layer of cushion.
4. Back Pain – Oddly enough one of the reasons many give for adopting a standing workstation is because of back pain that they believe is caused by working seated at a computer for so long. The simple truth is that any workstation that is not set up properly can and often will cause you to experience pain of some sort. Many people who I’ve talked with have reported more back pain after switching to a standing desk configuration. Remaining stationary in either the sitting position or the standing position causes constant loading on the lower back. Research has shown that standing in the same position for longer than 30 minutes may cause back pain, a reduction circulation, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease (see #7 below).
5. Lack of Privacy – One of the benefits of a standing workstation is that it allows you to converse and collaborate with coworkers more easily. Of course, this also means that you lose a certain element of privacy when more people are able to both see and hear you, and you’re also more likely be blasted by the phone calls and conversations of others.
6. Less Focus – Any of the above concerns can lead to a reduced level of focus. In fact one of the concerns employers often have when it comes to standing desks is not whether or not the change will improve performance, but whether it will kill performance completely.
7. You’re Still Inactive – Even if you adopt a standing work station and it works out wonderfully for you, you’re just an inactive standing desk jockey instead of a sitting one. One of the keys to feeling less aches and pains, as well as avoiding the increased risks that plague the sedentary worker, is to become more active throughout your workday. Dr William Haskell of Stanford calculates that simply taking 2 minutes out of every hour to walk and fill your water bottle, or talking with a co-worker down the hall, or running an errand can help you avoid gaining the caloric equivalent of 11 pounds over a decade!