Paper at the National Conference of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia Highlights Benefits of Sitting and Standing to Work
Ergomotion have long been promoting their motiondesk-electric height adjustable desks as a much healthier and more productive way to work.
At the National Conference of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia (Adelaide, November 2008), Mark Dohrmann, a Consulting engineer and Certified Professional, Ergonomist, gave a paper on โThe benefits of sitting and standing to workโ.
The paper highlighted the benefits of being to alternate between sitting and standing at the desk while working throughout the day. Some of the benefits for the customers on using the electric sit stand height adjustable desk were included in the paper.
Some interesting extracts from the paper are:- The ill effects of prolonged sitting have been cited – increased static muscle fatigue, discomfort in the back and legs, especially where it is not properly adjusted and movement is only intermittent. So, too, prolonged standing (with its increased demands on muscular energy) is not ideal.
Prolonged standing can make the feet sore, increase swelling at the legs and ankles, and can encourage varicose veins. However, combining sitting and standing in balanced proportions can compensate for the ill-effects of just sitting or just standing.
Persons who have suffered in the past from painful necks or backs in seated jobs are sometimes surprised to find relief through periods of standing, and will quickly see the connection between their head-neck posture and the location of what they have to look at โ a matter which is affected by the work height position.
Secondly, it is also reasonably apparent that although both sitting and standing individually have advantages and disadvantages, in proper proportions a combination of sitting and standing appears to be the best, healthiest (and subjectively most preferred) solution.
