Action Physiotherapy Weighs in on Study Suggesting Workplace Standing Desks Make People More Likely to Sit at Home
Action Physiotherapy weighs in on a study regarding the effectiveness of standing desks
Brampton – November 10, 2015 /MarketersMedia/ —
Action Physiotherapy (www.ActionPhysiotherapy.com), a leading provider of effective physiotherapy serving the Brampton area for over 20 years, is weighing in on a study that found that using standing desks at work may encourage people to sit more at home.
A recent study by researchers from Loughborough University monitored office workers who had a standing desk installed at their work. Each participant had activity monitors which measured their posture and physical activity level to determine how much they were sitting. While there was an initial decrease in the time spent sitting, there was a return to normal levels after three months. And while the workers continued using standing desks at their office throughout the duration of the study, they compensated by sitting more around their homes. (Source: Reynolds, G., “Stand More at Work, Sit More at Home,” The New York Times web site, November 4, 2015; http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/04/stand-more-at-work-sit-more-at-home/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=1.)
“While a lot of people focus on reducing the time they spend sitting at work, many ignore the time they spend sitting elsewhere, as this study shows,” says Robert Kappes, M.Sc (PT), Registered Physiotherapist at Action Physiotherapy. “If using a standing desk at work causes people to sit more around the house, then there aren’t going to be any health benefits.”
Standing desks are typically promoted as a good way to improve posture and health, but these findings show that they may not be making a big difference in a lot of cases. Standing desks certainly aren’t unhealthy, but they are only one part of improving fitness and reducing ailments like chronic pain.
“Physical activity and proper posture needs to be integrated throughout the entire day and not just at the office,” Kappes adds. “Sitting for long periods of time is not healthy and a lot of people don’t realize that sitting with their friends or spouse is just as bad as sitting at an office desk.”
Prolonged periods of sitting have been linked to numerous health problems, such as an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. Prolonged sitting can also cause damage to the spinal structure, resulting in poor posture and persistent back pain.
There are a lot of simple techniques that people can use to reduce the time spent sitting. For instance, taking small regular walks around the office is a great way to break up long periods at the desk. Doing exercises while watching TV can also help with remaining active at home, as can spending time jogging or working out with friends.
“While the study casts doubts on the benefits of standing desks, it only shows that standing desks should just be one part of a larger health regimen,” Kappes concludes. “Don’t expect to buy a standing desk and suddenly have great posture and health. Instead, people need to look at all the ways they can improve their health and start making small changes to their day-to-day routines.”
Action Physiotherapy is a top provider of physiotherapy in Brampton, providing effective pain relief using a patient-focused approach. To learn more, visit www.ActionPhysiotherapy.com.
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