Apparently standing desks can hurt too

I have worked in an Aeron chair for most of my career. The majority of my day is spent sitting down -- sometimes at my computer and sometimes in meetings. That's what my job is like right now. If you're like me, when you get home from work you go right back to the computer like a moth to a lamp. Advice about moderation is completely lost on me because I'm a glutton for computing -- that's just my reality. To mitigate the amount of time I sit during the day, I built a standing desk and spent my evening hours using it. It was great -- my posture improved and the contrast from sitting is something my body really enjoyed. I stood barefoot on a rolled up Yoga mat thinking that it would be a sufficient cushion. My weight is ~150 lbs and I would not consider myself unfit -- I walk several miles a day to and from work. Nonetheless my feet became increasingly sore. At first I thought nothing of it because I've often had sore feet from activity and it's never been chronic. Gradually the pain increased and became persistent through my day. By the time I realized I had become afflicted by Plantar fasciitis it was too late. I immediately abandoned the standing desk but recovery has still been extremely slow. The injury isn't massively painful but it can take _multiple_ years to heal in bad cases. Mostly the pain is a constant reminder that I am a moth.

Use my cautionary tale however you see fit, but remember that the lesson boils down to one real truth: there is no way to avoid the health hazards associated with excess computing.

Sitting for too long causes Thrombophlebitis too.

Standing desks are fine. Just like sitting, you don't stand all day. You take breaks. You move around.

The greatest benefit of a standing desk is you're more readily able to take breaks. You're already up. I think anyone with a sitting day job can attest to skipping breaks because of the effort of standing up. Yes, you heard me correctly, and it's true. Sometimes you're so into a problem or issue your brain tells you to skip taking a break because it's not worth the effort of getting up.

You don't wear flip-flops a lot walking long distances, do you? The lack of heel-support is a huge contributing factor to over-pronation and probably Plantar Fasciitis. If you're not wearing flip-flops, are you walking several miles with proper support shoes for that distance if you have a flat foot? Something like the Asics Kinsei or Kayano series.

I'm a runner and regularly walk/run several miles to work too. I have no arch in my foot, but this was a couple years before I ever got a standing desk. I developed serious foot pain one summer wearing flip-flops everywhere.

I also have a standing desk I've had for 2 years now. It's a Geek Desk, and has a motor that allows it to raise from sitting to standing. First couple months I definitely had some new aches and pains, but they eventually went away. Two years later, I don't have any pains now. I don't stand all day though, I alternate between sitting and standing, and I take breaks about every 25 minutes.

I wonder about your posture on your makeshift standing desk. If the desk wasn't at the correct height it could also cause problems.

Edit - Also I picked up one of these years ago and use it daily, helps a ton: http://www.amazon.com/Medi-Dyne-ProStretch-Unilateral-Stretc...