The debate over standing desks: my neighbor vs my doctor

My neighbor swears by his $800 standing desk from a fancy brand, saying it fixed his back pain in 2 weeks, but my doctor told me standing too much can mess up your knees and veins. I spent last month trying both: standing 4 hours a day, then sitting the rest, and I honestly felt more tired and achy than before. Do you guys lean one way or the other on standing desks, or do you just pick what feels less bad on any given day?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph482d ago

Yeah I read somewhere that prolonged standing can actually increase your risk of varicose veins and joint problems over time, so your doctor might be onto something. @viola_garcia56 sounds like she found the sweet spot with that 45 minute switch - I tried something similar using a kitchen timer but kept forgetting to actually stand up. Maybe the trick is just paying attention to your body instead of forcing a set schedule, you know?

viola_garcia562d ago

I got a basic $120 standing desk off Amazon after my back started hurting from sitting all day. I tried standing for 3 hours straight and my knees were killing me by the end of the week. Now I switch every 45 minutes with a timer on my phone, and that mix keeps me from getting too sore either way. It's not a miracle fix but it helped my back without wrecking my legs.

the_riley1d ago

hmm yeah I get what you're saying but I kinda see it differently. @joseph48 maybe the varicose vein thing is real but I feel like sitting all day gave me way worse problems in my hips and lower back than standing ever has. I started with a cheap standing desk too and honestly just switching back and forth every hour or so worked better for me than any timer. maybe it's just me but I'd rather deal with a little knee stiffness than the constant ache I get from sitting all day.