Standing desk

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Man working at a standing desk Standing desk illustration.svg
Man working at a standing desk
Standing desk with multi-monitor setup and vertical monitor Standing desk.jpg
Standing desk with multi-monitor setup and vertical monitor

A standing desk or stand-up desk is a desk conceived for writing, reading or drawing while standing up or while sitting on a high stool.

Contents

History

1778 sit-stand desk made for Marie Antoinette to use while pregnant. Mechanical table (Table mecanique) MET DP102669.jpg
1778 sit-stand desk made for Marie Antoinette to use while pregnant.

Several writers and statesmen wrote standing up: Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, [2] Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [3] and Vladimir Nabokov. Some of them had specially made desks or lecterns. [4]

Variations

Standing dresser desk Standing dresser desk.jpeg
Standing dresser desk
A woman using a sit-stand desk in its standing position. Sit-stand desk.png
A woman using a sit-stand desk in its standing position.

Standing desks have been made in many styles and variations. Standing desks may be specialized to suit particular tasks, such as certain variations of the telephone desk and desks for architectural drafting. Some standing desks may only be used while standing while others allow users to sit or stand by adjusting the desk height with an electric motor, hand crank, or counterbalance system. [5] Some desks are also constructed like teacher's lecterns, allowing them to be set on top of an existing desk for standing, or removed for sitting.

While height of most seated desks is standardized, standing desks are made in many different heights ranging from 70 to 128 centimetres (28 to 50 in). Ideally the height of a standing desk fits the height of its individual user. With seated desks, adjusting the height relative to the user can be accomplished by adjusting the height of the user's chair. However, because users of a standing desk move around more than when seated, using a pedestal to adjust the user's height is not practical.

To solve this issue, a standing desk may either be custom-made, to suit the height of the user, or made with adjustable parts. For writing or drafting, the angle or slant of the surface may be adjustable, with a typical drawing table or table à la tronchin. If the desk is made for computer use, the legs may be adjustable. Another option is a platform made to sit on top of a regular seated desk that raises the desk's surface to a useful height for standing. Such platforms may be fixed height or adjustable.

A height-adjustable desk or sit-stand desk can be adjusted to both sitting and standing positions; this is purported to be healthier than the sit-only desk. Sit-stand desks may be effective at reducing sitting time during the work day between 30 minutes and two hours per working day but the evidence is low quality. [6]

Some antique standing desks have an open frame with drawers, and a foot rail (similar to those seen at a bar) to reduce back pain. A hinged desktop could be lifted in order to access a small cabinet underneath it so that the user could store or retrieve papers and writing implements without needing to bend over or stand back from the desk.

Effect on health

Low-quality evidence indicates that providing employees with a standing desk option may reduce the length of time some people sit in the first year. [6] This reduction in sitting may decrease with time. [6] It is not clear how standing desks compare to other work-place interventions to reduce the length of time employees are sitting during the work day. [6]

Sit-stand workstations may reduce low back pain among people in the workplace. In a sedentary population, changing posture may reduce the chance of developing low back pain. [7]

There is no international consensus on recommended levels of sitting and standing while at work, and suggested workplace practices vary in different countries. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drawing board</span> Desk used for drawings and architecture

A drawing board is, in its antique form, a kind of multipurpose desk which can be used for any kind of drawing, writing or impromptu sketching on a large sheet of paper or for reading a large format book or other oversized document or for drafting precise technical illustrations. The drawing table used to be a frequent companion to a pedestal desk in a study or private library, during the pre-industrial and early industrial era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sitting</span> Resting position of human body weight, primarily supported by buttocks in contact with objects

Sitting is a basic action and resting position in which the body weight is supported primarily by the bony ischial tuberosities with the buttocks in contact with the ground or a horizontal surface such as a chair seat, instead of by the lower limbs as in standing, squatting or kneeling. When sitting, the torso is more or less upright, although sometimes it can lean against other objects for a more relaxed posture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-collar worker</span> Social class; person who performs intellectual labor

A white-collar worker is a person who performs professional service, desk, managerial, or administrative work. White-collar work may be performed in an office or other administrative setting. White-collar workers include job paths related to government, consulting, academia, accountancy, business and executive management, customer support, design, economics, science, technology, engineering, market research, finance, human resources, operations research, marketing, public relations, real estate, information technology, networking, law, healthcare, architecture, and research and development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chair</span> Piece of furniture for sitting on

A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. It may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in various colors and fabrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desk</span> Type of table often used in a school or office setting

A desk or bureau is a piece of furniture with a flat table-style work surface used in a school, office, home or the like for academic, professional or domestic activities such as reading, writing, or using equipment such as a computer. Desks often have one or more drawers, compartments, or pigeonholes to store items such as office supplies and papers. Desks are usually made of wood or metal, although materials such as glass are sometimes seen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer desk</span> Furniture for computer users

The computer desk and related ergonomic desk are furniture pieces designed to comfortably and aesthetically provide a working surface and house or conceal office equipment including computers, peripherals and cabling for office and home-office users.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lectern</span> Reading desk on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud

A lectern is a standing reading desk with a slanted top, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon. A lectern is usually attached to a stand or affixed to some other form of support. To facilitate eye contact and improve posture when facing an audience, lecterns may have adjustable height and slant. People reading from a lectern, called lectors, generally do so while standing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sedentary lifestyle</span> Type of lifestyle involving little or no physical activity

Sedentary lifestyle is a lifestyle type, in which one is physically inactive and does little or no physical movement and/or exercise. A person living a sedentary lifestyle is often sitting or lying down while engaged in an activity like socializing, watching TV, playing video games, reading or using a mobile phone or computer for much of the day. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to poor health quality, diseases as well as many preventable causes of death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office chair</span> Chair designed for use at an office

An office chair, or desk chair, is a type of chair that is designed for use at a desk in an office. It is usually a swivel chair, with a set of wheels for mobility and adjustable height. Modern office chairs typically use a single, distinctive load bearing leg, which is positioned underneath the chair seat. Near the floor this leg spreads out into several smaller feet, which are often wheeled and called casters. Office chairs were developed around the mid-19th century as more workers spent their shifts sitting at a desk, leading to the adoption of several features not found on other chairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choir (architecture)</span> Area of a church or cathedral

A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tabernacle. In larger medieval churches it contained choir-stalls, seating aligned with the side of the church, so at right-angles to the seating for the congregation in the nave. Smaller medieval churches may not have a choir in the architectural sense at all, and they are often lacking in churches built by all denominations after the Protestant Reformation, though the Gothic Revival revived them as a distinct feature.

A sitting disability is a condition in which a person has difficulties sitting or is unable to do so at all; usually due to pain. This can affect people who face little or no chronic problems with standing, as well as those who do, such as mobility aid users.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music stand</span> Stand to hold songbooks or sheet music

A music stand is a pedestal or elevated rack designed to hold sheets of music in position for reading. Most music stands for orchestral, chamber music or solo orchestra-family instruments can be raised or lowered to accommodate seated or standing performers, or performers of different heights. Many types of keyboard instruments have a built-in or removable music rack or stand where sheet music can be placed. Music stands enable musicians to read sheet music or scores while playing an instrument or conducting, as the stand leaves the hands free. For choirs, singers typically hold their music in a folder, and singers performing solo recitals or opera performances typically memorize the lyrics and melodies. Some singers use stands, such as lounge singers and wedding vocalists who have a repertoire of hundreds of songs, which makes remembering all of the verses difficult.

The complications of prolonged standing are conditions that may arise after standing, walking, or running for prolonged periods. Many of the complications come from prolonged standing that is repeated several times a week. Many jobs require prolonged standing, such as "retail staff, baristas, bartenders, assembly line workers, security staff, engineers, catering staff, library assistants, hair stylists and laboratory technicians". The basic physiological change that occurs in the body during prolonged standing or sudden stand from supine position is that there will be increased pooling of blood in the legs. This decreases the venous return, and so there will be decreased cardiac output, which ultimately causes systolic blood pressure to fall (hypotension). This hypotension may lead the subject to faint or to have other symptoms of hypotension. Standing requires about 10% more energy than sitting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treadmill desk</span>

A treadmill desk, walking desk or treadmill workstation is a computer desk that is adapted so that the user walks on a treadmill while performing office tasks. Persons using a treadmill desk seek to change the sedentary lifestyle associated with being an office worker and to integrate gentle exercise into their working day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheelchair</span> Chair with wheels used by people with mobility deficiencies

A wheelchair is a mobilized form of chair using 2 or more wheels, a footrest, and an armrest usually cushioned. It is used when walking is difficult or impossible to do due to illnesses, injury, disabilities, or age-related health conditions. Wheelchairs provide mobility, postural support, and freedom to those who cannot walk or have difficulty walking, enabling them to move around, participate in everyday activities, and live life on their own terms. []

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saddle chair</span>

A saddle chair uses the same principles in its design as an equestrian saddle. It is equipped with a chair base on casters and a gas cylinder for adjusting the correct sitting height. The casters enable moving around and reaching out for objects while sitting. Some saddle chairs have backrests, but most do not. Some models also have a swing mechanism in the seat, which increases small movement mobility to the low back and stomach for the goal of better circulation in soft tissues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ergonomics</span> Designing systems to suit their users

Ergonomics, also known as human factors or human factors engineering (HFE), is the application of psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems. Primary goals of human factors engineering are to reduce human error, increase productivity and system availability, and enhance safety, health and comfort with a specific focus on the interaction between the human and equipment.

Total Worker Health is a trademarked strategy defined as policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. It was conceived and is funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Total Worker Health is tested and developed in six Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health in the United States.

A monitor mount is a supportive bracket or arm designed to hold up a computer monitor, laptop, notebook or other display screen. Monitor arm and monitor bracket are other common terms for this device.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ergonomic hazard</span> Physical conditions that may pose a risk of injury

Ergonomic hazards are physical conditions that may pose a risk of injury to the musculoskeletal system due to poor ergonomics. These hazards include awkward or static postures, high forces, repetitive motion, or short intervals between activities. The risk of injury is often magnified when multiple factors are present.

References

  1. "Mechanical table (Table mécanique), 1778, Jean Henri Riesener, French". Metropolitan Museum of Art (US).
  2. Plimpton, George (Spring 1958). "Ernest Hemingway, The Art of Fiction No. 21" . The Paris Review. No. 18.
  3. Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth (1882). The Riverside Literature Series: Longfellow's The Children's Hour, Paul Revere's Ride, and other Poems. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. p. 7.
  4. Rybczynski, Witold (2016). Now I Sit Me Down: From Klismos to Plastic Chair: A Natural History. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 198. ISBN   9780374713355.
  5. "Features Of A Standing Desk". Billlentis. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Shrestha, Nipun; Kukkonen-Harjula, Katriina T.; Verbeek, Jos H.; Ijaz, Sharea; Hermans, Veerle; Pedisic, Zeljko (2018). "Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 (12): CD010912. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub5. ISSN   1469-493X. PMC   6517221 . PMID   30556590.
  7. Agarwal, Shuchi; Steinmaus, Craig; Harris-Adamson, Carisa (2018-04-03). "Sit-stand workstations and impact on low back discomfort: a systematic review and meta-analysis". Ergonomics. 61 (4): 538–552. doi:10.1080/00140139.2017.1402960. ISSN   0014-0139. PMID   29115188. S2CID   3574633.

Further reading