Standing Desks

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Not the right forum I know but I'm trying to persuade my work to buy some standing desks for our office. I've done tons of research in terms of stats but I don't know many businesses that actually have them in their offices so don't get a personal perspective.

So my question is, does your office have standing desks and what do you think about them? AIBU to ask for them for the office?

I'd love a standing desk. I have to get up every 20 mins or so to stop my back aching and my bottom going numb.

I have one (electric, adjustable), asked for it when I got pregnant. It really helps, my legs swell up if I sit too long, so I mostly work standing.

Hazle, you got one when you were pregnant? I couldn't stand more than 5 mins when I was in my third trimester!

Anybody got any links? I m tall, and a workplace chair and table combo is rarely comfy for me.

I'm 35 weeks and sit down maybe 5 minutes per day, just feel better standing. Still in heels too. Guess I'm a little weird like that, but really, if I sit too long then legs feel funny and hips hurt when I stand up again. Fine when standing.

Everyone has one in DHs office (about 50 people here I think.) He loves it. Sometimes sits, but mainly stands because he spends lots f time away from his desk in meetings.

I've seen people improvise them in my office with filling cabinets on top of a regular desk but they didn't seem to have their keyboards in a very good place. I would definitely like to try a proper one out.

I need to change position regularly, as I have HMS and an unstable pelvis, so would probably appreciate one so I can stretch out and wriggle a bit. I struggle to stand like that for more than about 15-20 minutes at a time, though, so it would need to be a flexible option, rather than fixed.

I used to be a chef and worked on my feet on all day ... I used to love being able to sit down! Varicose veins are common in chefs - I know 2 who had theirs 'done' in their late 20s. Also swollen ankles, sore aching feet - standing all day is not 'good for you' and you don't get used to it. (I remember getting two days off in a row once (and I was early 20s) and realising on way to work after I wasn't walking like a 90 yr old!).
I also had DVT. I was told I couldn't work on my feet any more but when it got a bit better and I could (or rather had to) I was told to avoid standing in the same place for more than 30 mins -to go for a little walk.

Just standing in the same place is not good for you. I think most of the negative stuff about office jobs and sitting is due to a lack of activity -not because you are sitting...
So I think you need a desk that is comfortable for your height - maybe one with the ability to stand and sit- rather than just a standing desk. A treadmill desk sounds like a good idea maybe but then you are just doing repetitive movements and it is probably distracting.
I suspect doing an active job with varied movements is probably much better for you than any kind of desk...but if you have to work a desk job walking around every 30 mins is probably a better idea than a standing desk.

I agree with unlucky - it's not sitting per se that is bad for you, but inertia - that would be the same if you are standing ll the time.
Indeed, when my friend had to have surgery on varricus veins, she was told it was not helped by hours standing by the ironing board each week, and that they would definitely recommend sitting to iron, not standing.

What's the difference between a "standing desk" and a shelf, or work surface ?

Adjustable desks/tables are fine but standing only is a breach of HASAWA.

All desks in our office are adjustable. No one stands. Ever

They are great. But Expensive. Usually a company will buy them if a person needs them for medical reasons. But to kit a whole office out would be very expensive when many people don't want them.

If you buy a few, who decides who gets them? That will cause problems too. And what if the people who have them need to move area in the office, the whole desk will have to be moved.

Unless a company can easily afford to get one for everyone, regardless of whether they want it or not, its going to cause problems.

I've never heard of a standing desk. In fact I've never even seen an adjustable desk.

Sounds like a decent enough idea as long as people aren't forced to stand if they don't want to.

Our local library has adjustable height desks. The staff love them. Most sit, a couple stand.

Speaking as someone who has sat at a desk for 30 years in very sedentary jobs and now has severe osteoarthritis in both knees and misaligned joints which my Dr says is very much linked to too much sitting in a fixed (bad) position and not enough movement - I would say push as hard a you can to get these type of desks.

They'd be great in the classroom. You naturally stand to access the computer for the register and to control power point, but out of hours you sit for planning and marking. It's too uncomfortable bending over to do the register, and the moment I sit the rogues start talking. I wouldn't waste my breath asking though!

At least I'm not sedentary though

About a quarter of the desks at DH's place are standing. They seem to be popular (at least with the people who asked for one). Expensive though.

We have standing desks with bar stools in my office. They are good when someone needs a chat or when sketching, apart from that, not very comfy, a lot of people asked to revert to low desks or get very fancy chairs.

My manager has a treadmill desk in her office, as well as a standard desk. She uses it to attend to her emails while walking. She loves it.

I would really like a combined standing/sitting desk. Sounds great.

I'd LOVE a treadmill desk but I think that's one request too far!

I did say an adjustable desk as I know standing in the same position all day is as bad as sitting.

Right, I have requested! Hope it isn't ignored.

I would love a standing desk. I hate sitting all day, it makes my bum hurt.