There are many talks now about the benefits that height-adjustable desks bring. How true are they? Are height-adjustable desks so beneficial for your well-being indeed?
Let us have a closer look at their supposed benefits and check whether these beliefs have some proofs.
Here, we will check the following benefits that supposedly come with an adjustable table:
- Weight reduction and prevention of obesity;
- Reduction and elimination of the pain in the back;
- Prevention of diabetes development;
- Increase in productivity at work.
Some Things to Remember
Any tool shall be used reasonably. We agree that a standing desk might bring particular benefits, say, it can help to reduce the pain in the back, one shall understand clearly that even the best height-adjustable desk cannot be used to treat medical conditions. For example, if you suffer from scoliosis, a height-adjustable desk will not cure it.
Any tool shall be selected very carefully, and an adjustable table is not an exception. It shall not only fit in the space allocated for it but be convenient. Some companies offer a special tool online called custom desk builder. With it, you can check online different parts and combine them to create your perfect desk. To help you decide, the tool even shows the price of your potential choice.
When your desk arrives, make sure you install it according to the instructions. Check whether it moves smoothly. Equip your working place with an ergonomic keyboard, do not forget about a mouse. They contribute to preventing of tunnel syndrome and the feeling of numbness in wrists and fingers. Buy an ergonomic carped for feet. It reduces the stress that your feet are imposed on when standing. Finally, do not forget about a comfortable chair. You are not going to stand all the time, are you?
Now, determine what standing periods are convenient for you. It is recommended to stand not more than 30 minutes at the start. Then, you can increase the standing time. Only if these requirements are kept, you can count on some benefits.
Lose Weight While Working: Does It Work?
When you are standing you burn more calories than when you are sitting. This is an accepted truth. But how many calories do you burn? Does it really help to reduce weight?
Studies show that when typing you burn around 80 calories per hour. While standing though, you burn around 90 calories per hour. The difference is not crucial. Some people insist that if you work out after work, it will help more.
Indeed, you cannot compare the calories loss during a workout and during standing. However, the gym is not efficient for anybody. There are people who use it very beneficially. Some people complain though that after the gym, they feel so hungry that they start eating everything and regain the lost calories in excess. It happens because their bodies perceive the sudden calorie loss as something negative, as a threat, and try to compensate for it asap.
If you belong to the first group, a good workout will help much more than working the entire day in a standing position. However, if the second case is about you, a good height-adjustable desk might be beneficial indeed. Do not expect that the results will be seen immediately or at least soon. Little by little, you will be burning more calories than you usually do. Your body will not alarm about the calorie loss, so slow the process is. Thus, with time, you might be losing weight.
Get Rid of the Pain in the Back: Is It Viable?
When you are sitting, your back must adjust to the chair shape. It is not its natural position. Therefore, long sitting periods might result in the aches in your back.
If you use a standing table, your back can take its natural shape. Thus, pains that are caused by the unnatural bent of the spine will be eliminated indeed.
Do not forget though that prolonged standing periods hide a different danger. When you are standing, the load to your back increases. Long standing periods can result again in the ache in the back, but this, time, due to tiredness. That is why it is important to interchange standing with sitting and make exercises from time to time. Only then your height-adjustable desk can bring the desired relief from back-ache.
Diabetes Prevention: Is Standing Desk Suitable?
After eating, the sugar level in the blood tends to increase by some people. In the long run, it might lead to the development of diabetes. Making a walk helps to reduce or to eliminate the effect. However, walking is not always possible if you work in an office. As an alternative, you can stand instead of sitting. Even though the effect is lower than the one of the walking, but it is better than having no alternative. Thus, a standing table helps to significantly reduce the risk of getting diabetes.
Reasonable Use Is the Key to Success
To make the best out of your height-adjustable desk, make sure you use it reasonably. Do not expect that it will solve all your problems. It can increase the comfort level of your working place significantly, but it cannot cure already existing medical conditions.
Those who suffer from diabetes shall not count on being cured just by using a height-adjustable table. If one has scoliosis, no desk will help, too. In such cases, it is recommended to get a consultation with a doctor and proceed with the needed cure.
Height-adjustable desks are a great solution if you want to improve your working place and reduce the risks of many sitting-related health problems. Your smart approach is crucial to use all the benefits of this furniture element.
