Should you combat sitting disease by conducting your work while walking at a treadmill desk? By now, we’ve all heard about the dangers of sitting extended periods of the day (most likely staring at a glowing monitor). So what’s the best solution? Is a treadmill desk the answer?
Following are a few startling facts. There’s no question about it.
Ready? Here we go.
According to JustStand.org:
- The American Medical Association (AMA) agrees that sitting for extended periods of time can be bad for personal health. Theirpolicy recommends organizations offer sitting alternatives, including standing desks.
- Excessive sitting impacts our body’s metabolic system: “Today, our bodies are breaking down from obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, depression and the cascade of health ills and everyday malaise that come from what scientists have namedsitting disease.” ~ James Levine, MD, PhD
- Sedentary lifestyles increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. “For people who sit most of the day, their risk of heart attack is about the same as smoking.”~Martha Grogan, Cardiologist, Mayo Clinic
- Combatingsitting disease with added gym-time may not work: most people don’t have time for MORE exercise, and more exercise time may not even reverse sitting disease.
- Global studies show, on average, we sit 7.7 hours a day, and some results estimate people sit up to 15 hours a day.
And according to WebMD, “A growing body of research shows that long periods of physical inactivity raise your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. In January 2010, British experts linked prolonged periods of sitting to a greater likelihood of disease. And that same month, Australian researchers reported that each hour spent watching TV is linked to an 18% increase in the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease — perhaps because that time is spent sitting down.”
With more and more disturbing research on sitting disease coming to light, a host of solutions are being implemented in workplaces everywhere.
How do we reduce the impact of sitting disease in the workplace?
One solution seeming to gain a lot of traction is using treadmill desks in place of a regular seated workstation or sit-stand workstation.
Are treadmill desks ergonomically correct?
The idea: If being sedentary is the problem (sitting at a desk all day), then perhaps the solution is to get active (walk on a treadmill desk during the workday).
The logic makes sense on the surface, but what many people fail to consider is the unintended impact walking all day could have on their musculoskeletal system. In addition to that, several studies have shown decreases in performance/productivity while working on a treadmill desk.
The bottom line: Most experts recommend leaving the treadmill at the gym. If you insist on using one, do so for limited periods of time.
Consider a sit-stand workstation option to utilize postural rotation. Many research studies show that a combination of sitting and standing positions can reduce the effects of sitting disease, improve metabolism and burn more calories throughout the workday.
Ergonomics professor and researcher Alan Hedge recommends you: “Sit to do computer work. Sit using a height-adjustable, downward titling keyboard tray for the best work posture, then every 20 minutes stand for 2 minutes AND MOVE. The absolute time isn’t critical but about every 20-30 minutes take a posture break and move for a couple of minutes. Simply standing is insufficient. Movement is important to get blood circulation through the muscles. And movement is FREE!”
Research and articles on treadmill desks
JustStand.org
For more research and information on sitting disease and how a sedentary lifestyle effects your health, visit JustStand.org. ErgoTron launched JustStand.org as a way to as a way to raise awareness of sitting disease and collaborate with researchers and supporting studies to further our understanding of sedentary behavior and its antidotes.
Effect of using a treadmill workstation on performance of simulated office work tasks.
This study of the productivity effects of a treadmill desk found that compared with the seated condition, treadmill walking caused a 6% to 11% decrease in measures of fine motor skills and math problem solving, but did not affect selective attention and processing speed or reading comprehension.
Sitting and Standing at Work
World renowned ergonomics expert, Professor Alan Hedge, concludes this article on sitting and standing at work by saying, “Sit to do computer work. Sit using a height-adjustable, downward titling keyboard tray for the best work posture, then every 20 minutes stand for 2 minutes AND MOVE. The absolute time isn’t critical but about every 20-30 minutes take a posture break and move for a couple of minutes. Simply standing is insufficient. Movement is important to get blood circulation through the muscles. And movement is FREE! Research shows that you don’t need to do vigorous exercise (e.g. jumping jacks) to get the benefits, just walking around is sufficient. So build in a pattern of creating greater movement variety in the workplace (e.g. walk to a printer, water fountain, stand for a meeting, take the stairs, walk around the floor, park a bit further away from the building each day).”
Get Moving: The Case for Postural Rotation
This ebook from JRB Studio explains the case for postural rotation with considerations for physical wellness, productivity, personal preference and payback/ROI.
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