Why Standing Desks Are Overrated • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#111

Post by buboard » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 5:52 PM UTC

netcan wrote: post #68

You know what the problem with problems is? I'll tell you the problem with problems... :) Imagine Jules. Jules likes to put her laptop on the counter and work standing for an hour after lunch, while having her coffee. ...helps her digestion, or neck or something.. Personally, I like standing and/or walking while working too. I think better, it feels like. I like walking meetings, especially if we're going to be schem…

But but, you have to be ideologically invested in everything you do. and you have to fight those barbaric sitters!

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#112

Post by matwood » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 5:56 PM UTC

robotmay wrote: post #7

Well, obviously it's not a replacement for exercise. Was anyone ever claiming that? Because I'd think it's fairly obvious that standing still doesn't exactly burn the calories off. The key is moderation, like with everything. Alternate between sitting and standing. This past year I've started to get problems with my legs caused by sitting. Exercise relieves it, but the aches return when I sit down again. I just spend…

If you work at home, it should be easy to run through a quick stretching workout at some point during the day. I can't recommend Peter Attia enough for this:

https://peterattiamd.com/move-defines-live/

I do some version of the above before every weight workout (so almost every day). And, I'll do some other version randomly throughout the day when I need a break.

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#113

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 5:59 PM UTC

babahoyo wrote: post #110

closeparen wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Businesses can't seem to admit that they're spending money based on employee preference. There has to be a metrics-driven productivity or healthcare spending argument to justify the budget.

wow that is pretty dystopian

[deleted]

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#114

Post by incadenza » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 6:01 PM UTC

This just in! Standing is not exercise. I’m glad we cleared up this hotly debated topic.

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#115

Post by tristor » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 6:07 PM UTC

WhompingWindows wrote: post #8

This article is by a pediatrician, not a physical therapist or a subject matter expert. The article basically consists of the author pointing to some studies on the subject and concluding that there's not yet definitive, decisive evidence as to the long-term benefits of standing desks. Anyone who reads about standing desks knew that already. And, as someone who is known amongst friends and colleagues for using one, I…

I'm with you on this. I had two surgeries caused by injuries from sitting too long/much. I switched to a sit/stand desk and began doing PT exercises which resulted in a general improvement in my quality of life and resulted in my doctor saying a planned possible third surgery was not going to be necessary. It's like any other lifestyle choice, those choices do have effects. They may not be absolute and they may be different for different people, but if it works for you it works for you. It's silly for people to crap all over us for doing something that we have directly experience an improvement in our lives and work from.

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#116

Post by bitwize » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 6:07 PM UTC

trhway wrote: post #109

epmaybe wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I will chime in here and say that I found an inexpensive standing desk implementation here: http://iamnotaprogrammer.com/Ikea-Standing-desk-for-22-dolla...

my post-office-move cardboard boxes, fine-tuned by printing paper packs, beat even that on price. Ia typical efficiency style of BigCo, some departments in our company have very nice expensive top-of-the-line sit/stand desks issued to everybody and most of the people there never use them for standing, while in other departments like ours one can't get it even after passing through the gauntlet of ergonomic forms and…

I'm going to put out a guess and say that most of the department with the nice desks have "Manager" or "Director" in the title, and your department is something like software, which is management for purposes of determining overtime exemption and plebs for every other purpose.

It's like the bit about open-plan offices. Management knows they're shit and you can't get work done in them. That's why they have offices of their own. You have to live with them as part of "paying your dues". And because it's an affordable panopticon.

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#117

Post by krooj » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 6:12 PM UTC

robotmay wrote: post #7

Well, obviously it's not a replacement for exercise. Was anyone ever claiming that? Because I'd think it's fairly obvious that standing still doesn't exactly burn the calories off. The key is moderation, like with everything. Alternate between sitting and standing. This past year I've started to get problems with my legs caused by sitting. Exercise relieves it, but the aches return when I sit down again. I just spend…

Just in case you haven't done it yet, go see the doctor when you get those aches, since they might not be benign. One of the darker sides of sitting all the time is haemostasis: your blood isn't moving enough. That's a condition which can lead to deep venous thrombosis - blood clots. You really, really don't want a DVT. Stay hydrated and move - preferably every 20-30 minutes.

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#118

Post by khalll » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 6:13 PM UTC

Overrated? Just plain stupid.

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#119

Post by jackconnor » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 6:14 PM UTC

Their results are that standing desks help with back problems, but don't provide cardiovascular exercise - yea, not shit. This is exactly what everyone thought, so I have no idea why this click-baity article exists.

Standing desks don't cure cancer, they don't stop baldness, and they won't do anything for your allergies either, I'm shocked they didn't include these as reasons standing desks are "overrated".

Re: Why Standing Desks Are Overrated

#120

Post by vemv » Mon, Nov 19, 2018, 6:14 PM UTC

At work, I hate sitting (despite owning a couple very specific chairs that I'm actually comfortably in) and I also hate standing.

Both seem to keep my body/mind tense - which is at odds with the deep focusing/relaxation I need for working on creative solutions for long stretches of time.

Very recently I discovered the wonders of beanbags, reclinable armchairs, and so on. I might even try a hammock one day. All these mix well with wireless keyboard/trackpad + a projector.

Looking forward to build my next-gen home office in this style (current sofa/projector combo is just me squatting the office event room).