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Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

sciencealert.com

211–220 of 230 posts

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#211

You don't actually stand all day. You rotate so you aren't sitting or standing too much. Do people really not understand that?

This study showed alternating sit-stand more often completely prevented pain during an extended work period in 100% of participants, compared to standing and a high end ergonomic chair: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00036...

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#212
post #140

So, sort of motivated by reading that many other people seem to experiment with standing desks, I installed a standing terminal at home. Used it sporadically (so only an hour at a time or so) for a few months. Then, my right foot developed a very painful problem. Dragged that with me the whole winter. When I went to the doctor, they didn't find (suprise!) any cuases. Took me 8 months to recover my right foot totally.…

We are working on this and did a related study which included a group of participants more sensitive than average to standing and sure enough- more frequent posture changes from standing eliminated discomfort in 100% of participants. If curious: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00036...

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Humans are nothing like chimpanzees physiologically. Homo sapiens has a semi-aquatic mammal build.

> Humans are nothing like chimpanzees physiologically. Homo sapiens has a semi-aquatic mammal build. Looks at chimp. Looks at whale. Looks at dolphin. Looks at human. Scratches head like a confused ape.

Whales and dolphins are not "semi-aquatic". Think more beaver and polar bear.

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Humans are probably meant to hunt, forage, or socialize for most of the day.

totally agree - the article seems to imply that you shouldn't be sitting or standing while doing that for at least 4 hours

You usually move around while doing those activities.

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My point is that the underlying technology is there, in a way that's accessible to users, so it's just a matter of use case and implementation and the market for such technology. If all you think about is the reasons it won't work, then you'll never try. Some great companies have come from people that didn't know they shouldn't try. As far as technology though, Airplay is what macOS uses to project the video, and the…

> I don't want people to see the video I'm transmitting, I should not transmit it in the first place. Lol, you tell me I'm looking for reasons it won't work (when I'm the one saying how cool it would be, just incredibly hard to do) and you're the one limiting the concept to a toy home office setup. Good one. Dare to dream outside of your daily experience.

Oh you're a dreamer! Should have just told me you weren't going to do any work, contribute anything useful or finish anything.

Apple started in a toy home office aka garage. I'm sure they won't mind the company.

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Humans are nothing like chimpanzees physiologically. Homo sapiens has a semi-aquatic mammal build. Looks at chimp. Looks at whale. Looks at dolphin. Looks at human. Scratches head like a confused ape.

Whales and dolphins are not "semi-aquatic". Think more beaver and polar bear.

Looks at polar bear. Looks at beaver. Continues scratching head.

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#217
post #63

Here's an article [1] from a few years ago from Cornell ergonomics researchers that is still relevant the discusses the pluses and minuses of both sitting and standing desks. Here is their recommendation: > Sit to do computer work. Sit using a height-adjustable, downward titling keyboard tray for the best work posture, then every 20 minutes stand for 8 minutes AND MOVE for 2 minutes. The absolute time isn’t critical…

That essentially reads to me as "you can't both be focused on computer work and be active enough to be healthy" Break my concentration EVERY 20-30 minutes to move around for at least 2 minutes? That's at least halving my productivity. It's a total non-starter. It's the sort of advice that everyone pays lip service to, but almost no one is actually able to follow.

Only being able to concentrate while sedentary is a habit not a rule of nature.

Like many people throughout time I do much of my best thinking while walking or exercising. To the point that to crack a hard problem is often easiest if I get up and go for a stroll.

This is even easier given that there is seldom only one problem to crack. The combination of switching tasks and moving about, getting the blood pumping, seeing new things, and breaking pattern is an incredibly reliable way to generate good ideas, solutions and approaches.

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#219
post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That essentially reads to me as "you can't both be focused on computer work and be active enough to be healthy" Break my concentration EVERY 20-30 minutes to move around for at least 2 minutes? That's at least halving my productivity. It's a total non-starter. It's the sort of advice that everyone pays lip service to, but almost no one is actually able to follow.

That is the optimum frequency — if you just wanna reap in the health benefits it could look like: 0 min: start working 10 min: refactored a few things, get a glas of water, look out of the window 40 min: started working on a particular though problem, somewhat stuck, get up and stretch a little while thinking 60 min: found a good solution to though problem, keep it in your head, goto kitchen get another glas of water…

>found a good solution to though problem

> -keep it in your head,

+write it down

Re: Standing desk might be as bad as sitting all day

#220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can keep working with your (aka thinking) head while moving around. Sometimes change or setting can give birth to now ideas or approaches.

Not necessarily. I can sometimes take my problem with me and sometimes that's even the best thing to do, but not always and certainly not every 20 minutes. If you're in a typical office environment it's a complete non-starter as someone at the water cooler will smash your flow into tiny pieces.

> someone at the water cooler will smash your flow into tiny pieces.

Sounds like an argument against rto to me...

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