Everyone needs to take care of their health, but sitting at work staring at a screen can often be one of the biggest hindrances to an active, healthy lifestyle. Recently that’s led to a boom in the ergonomic chair industry, with health gurus and activists recommending certain sitting postures to standing desks and stability balls. But, some experts swear by the effectiveness of standing desks and chairs, saying they are the first step in developing a healthier attitude at work.
The Problem
Most medical and health experts agree: sitting for long hours in front of your computer could be detrimental to your health – even if you exercise.
Studies have shown that hunching over your laptop for extended amounts of time can cause health issues that include:
- Obesity
- Increased blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- Excess body fat around the waist
- Abnormal cholesterol levels
In its most extreme form, being inactive for long hours could directly lead to certain terminal illnesses, like cardiovascular diseases and even cancer.
With so many complications and consequences, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we’re on a quest to find the ideal working position.
The Solution
Among the most popular solutions that have been brought forward to curb the negative effects of our “modern” working environments are the standing desk and stability balls.
1. The Standing Desk
Though the standing desk has only recently taken off in popularity, you’d be surprised to know that it was actually quite a common way of working way back in the 1400s. Brilliant minds like Leonardo da Vinci were at their most inventive when they worked as they stood.
Even people like Thomas Jefferson and Ernest Hemingway were known to complete their best work while standing, and a standing desk was actually considered a status symbol during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Today’s standing desks allow you to put your computer or laptop at eye-level while you work by extending upward. This offers numerous health benefits, including:
- Burning more calories by increasing your heart rate
- Preventing chronic health conditions, like obesity, increased blood pressure and more
- Increasing creativity due to the worker’s ability to shift positions whenever they feel uncomfortable
Standing for your entire work day isn’t recommended – experts recommend making the switch gradually, by alternating short intervals of sitting and standing.
2. The Stability Ball
A relatively new form of office furniture, stability balls were first developed in 1963. The Italian inventor Aquilino Cosani perfected the design of a large, puncture-resistant ball then used in treatment programs for newborns and infants.
Since then, stability balls have been used in various physical therapy environments and have recently made their move into the office because of their numerous health benefits, including:
- Strengthening your core as you contract your muscles to balance
- Improving your posture, since sitting up straights helps you maintain balance
- Exercising muscles that normally remain idle
- Freeing your movement due to the less-confined space
- Preventing chronic health conditions, like obesity, increased blood pressure and more
The stability ball also gives you the opportunity to burn calories thanks to the constant resistance your body engages in while sitting.
So, which one’s right for you?
This all depends on your personal preference. Consult your doctor before picking one over the other. You need to know whether your new working position won’t actually be bad for you due to any pre-existing health conditions. Once you have the all-clear, ask yourself these questions:
- Would you prefer to sit or stand as you work?
- In the case of the stability ball, do you have a desk that it would fit under and not make you reach up or hunker down?
- Which one of the two working methods would fit your office setup better? Would you need to redesign anything or move any furniture?
- Would it be strange to hover over visiting colleagues or clients in the case of a standing desk? Consider the formality of your office and whether either option would be a good fit.
It is decisions like these that will help you choose the type of setup you should go with. Most importantly, pick an option you’re comfortable with. Test out both options before settling down and remember to alternate your position often to get the most out of whichever you choose.
