We’ve posted a few blogs recently on how sedentary behaviour dominates modern life, and exploring the reasons as to why sitting has been dubbed “the new smoking”.
In our last post on sitting, we talked about a recent study presented at the 2015 World Diabetes Congress by Joseph Henson MD, which found that breaking up prolonged sitting with 5 minutes of standing every half hour can improve cardio-metabolic health.
When examining the health risks linked to prolonged periods of sitting, office workers are often cited as a pertinent at-risk group. As awareness of the harms of sedentary lifestyles has grown, so too has the interest of office workers obtaining standing desks.
Standing desks, or sit-stand workstations, are a growingly popular and effective way for the modern workforce to inject more standing time into their workday. What is often left out of the conversation, however, is how to best transition to standing more at work without causing yourself unnecessary strain or injury.
So now that you have your standing desk, here are some of our suggestions to keep in mind…
- Ease into it. Much like when you make any lifestyle change, you’ll notice some discomfort when you first start. Make sure you introduce standing at work incrementally; start for short periods of time, and gradually build up into it.
- Is it possible to stand too much? It’s important to be aware that too much standing comes with its own risks. Many people experience physical discomfort as a result of prolonged sitting; standing might mean that the site of discomfort changes. Too much standing can increase your chances of musculoskeletal problems, such as back pain. This is why an incremental approach is beneficial, and asking your chiropractor for good standing posture advice can help prevent this.
- How will I know when I need to sit? When it feels ‘better’ to slouch rather than stand tall, it’s time for a sit down. When you feel a ‘numb bum’ from sitting too long, it’s time to stand. Find the best times that work for you between ‘no numb bum’ and ‘no slouching’.
Our chiropractors can give you a more tailored approach for you, in addition to providing you with some desk stretches to help you adjust to introducing more standing into your day. Call us on 3221 1346 to make an appointment with one of our experienced chiropractors and see how can help you quit the sit!
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