Standing desks

rom · 26-11-2014 11:58pm #1

So I have been sitting for 8 hrs a day 5 days a week since I was 4. I have back issues. At HQ you can get a converter desk that can be sitting or standing but our office is not compatible. Paid a lot on getting my back sorted so if this can help me I will give it a go.

So I bought the parts for the following and plan to stand part of the day. Checking emails in the morning etc and some other things like that. I have 3 monitors so I can just set one on this.

http://iamnotaprogrammer.com/Ikea-Standing-desk-for-22-dollars.html

crisco10 · 27-11-2014 10:15am

yup, been hearing a lot about standing desks. And similarly have used them at company HQ. Trying to get them in our office and there is light at the end of the tunnel but a surprising amount of resistance and even scoffing from other office inhabitants!

I love them personally when I am based out of HQ for a while; really good for impromptu at-your-desk-meetings as well as the health benefits of being able to stand and work at the same time.

plodder · 27-11-2014 10:22am

Some groups where I work have standing only meetings in an office that has no chairs. It's quite a clever move, but I think it doesn't have much to do with back health :pac:

average_runner · 27-11-2014 11:35am

We would have standing meetings, also some of our desks you can raised them up if u want to stand up

woody1 · 27-11-2014 1:13pm

have heard of people sitting on swiss balls instead of office chairs, better posture and core workout . keep meaning to try it out but never get round to it..

rom · 27-11-2014 2:16pm

Used to do a weekly video call with a guy in Japan a few years back. He would be on a space hopper for the whole thing. iChat would constantly pixelate due to the movement. Was crazy to watch.

boogiewonder · 28-11-2014 9:09pm

I am a huge fan of standing desks. Not for losing weight/fitness but for the fact that I feel better just by not sitting hunched over. Alternating between sitting and standing is ideal. Now when I am forced to sit for a long time I remember how bad it was. My legs and back start to complain and I feel tired. I think more companies should offer these desks
I bought one here: standingdesk.ie
Worked out great. It has a motor so I just click between my two optimum heights.

rom · 02-12-2014 11:44pm

2 days using this and its great. I feel very focused and less tired during the day. The tip is to wear light shoes.

davejacko · 12-05-2015 11:05pm

Hi,
I have had bad back problems, bulging disks and the usual neck pain due to 10+ years of sitting at a PC.

I spent far too much money on chiropractors and osteopaths and finally got myself a standing desk and it solved all my problems within weeks.

Wrote an article about it here: http://www.friday.ie/journal/standing_desk/

Firedance · 12-05-2015 11:17pm

rom wrote: »

2 days using this and its great. I feel very focused and less tired during the day. The tip is to wear light shoes.

And use a yoga mat to stand on. I converted my desk when marathon training last year & it made a massive difference - problem is no one I work with runs so they all just thought I was crazy & I'm back sitting now

I must fix that tho thanks for the reminder! Had been looking at the varidesk too.

rom · 12-05-2015 11:39pm

5 months later still great. No back issues anymore. Light shoes are important.

dastardly00 · 12-05-2015 11:42pm

I'd absolutely would love a standing desk! Although would you need to concentrate much to make sure your posture is good when standing?

rom · 12-05-2015 11:44pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

I'd absolutely would love a standing desk! Although would you need to concentrate much to make sure your posture is good when standing?

tbh I thought that also but no if its setup correctly.

rom · 12-05-2015 11:51pm

What I built mine out of

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GMMDFF2/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GMM9G0U/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_2
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GMMD98A/ref=pe_385721_37038051_TE_3p_dp_3

Then got bolts screws and washers in the local hardware shop. they just needed to be wider than the legs. I used the washers so it would be a bit more secure. that then with a few tiny screws with very big heads to tie the shelf down to the bracket. I would recommend having the bracket bottom flat the same level as the bottom of the table if possible as it may be a tad off balance if you don't do it. So I put something under the brackets to make it more secure but its not really needed. It was about 10 mins with a drill tbh. Best thing I have ever done.

davejacko · 13-05-2015 9:17am

dastardly00 wrote: »

I'd absolutely would love a standing desk! Although would you need to concentrate much to make sure your posture is good when standing?

No, when you stand your posture should be good anyway, mine is. My issue is that when I'm sitting I lean into the screen and can't stop it.

annapr · 13-05-2015 9:27am

sitting at desks using keyboards and screens is an ergonomic disaster... and most people don't have them set up properly (correct distance, desk at right height, etc.). I've seen people with back and neck issues use standing desks for medical reasons, they do help.

Walking desks are all the rage in the US now... basically a treadmill under the desk going very slowly... but means you are active rather than standing still.

If that came in here, you'd have boardsies wearing their garmins to work, etc.

Firedance · 13-05-2015 9:38am

annapr wrote: »

sitting at desks using keyboards and screens is an ergonomic disaster... and most people don't have them set up properly (correct distance, desk at right height, etc.). I've seen people with back and neck issues use standing desks for medical reasons, they do help.

Walking desks are all the rage in the US now... basically a treadmill under the desk going very slowly... but means you are active rather than standing still.

If that came in here, you'd have boardsies wearing their garmins to work, etc.

that's already a thing

mine very kindly beeps at me throughout the day displaying the word 'move' i.e. you've been sitting on your ass too long

NetwerkErrer · 13-05-2015 9:54am

davejacko wrote: »

No, when you stand your posture should be good anyway, mine is. My issue is that when I'm sitting I lean into the screen and can't stop it.

No, Already ingrained muscle imbalances and tight muscles don't just disappear when you stand. Sitting will worsen these problems but if you don't strengthen and stretch your back muscles and core, The imbalances and tension still exists and simply doesn't disappear because you are standing.

If everyone's posture was good when standing, why do so many people walk around all scrunched up with concave shoulders and jumped backs? Treat the problem at the root.

dna_leri · 13-05-2015 1:29pm

Firedance wrote: »

[/B]

that's already a thing mine very kindly beeps at me throughout the day displaying the word 'move' i.e. you've been sitting on your ass too long

What Garmin does that?

I'm looking for an android phone app that does the same thing, any suggestions?

Firedance · 13-05-2015 2:27pm

dna_leri wrote: »

What Garmin does that?

I'm looking for an android phone app that does the same thing, any suggestions?

I have a garmin Forerunner 15 which has an activiity tracker built in, it tells you how many steps you've taken in a day and how many calories you've burned based on that as well as being a GPS watch. If it senses you have not moved in a certain time period it beeps discreetly.

Ososlo · 15-05-2015 10:48am

We got a message in the place where I work part-time from Health and Safety about getting up every hour for a 2 minute walk.
I sent them the link to the standing desks and asked would it be an option.

This is the answer I got:

:rolleyes:

rom · 15-05-2015 11:24am

Ososlo wrote: »

We got a message in the place where I work part-time from Health and Safety about getting up every hour for a 2 minute walk.
I sent them the link to the standing desks and asked would it be an option.

This is the answer I got:

:rolleyes:

As the poster above said: Varidesk Pro Plus (36″) cost €405 + VAT from http://www.fitpluswell.ie

Suggest that you are going to buy that and are they ok with you using it. It could force their hand in buying it for you as it would look really bad if you bought your own desk.

In HQ in the us many people have standing desks. I asked for one when they were kitting out our office which was from scratch 2 years ago so they can't really say to me that I can't stand at work. Best thing I have ever done tbh. My legs are never sore now as they are not in tension.

fits · 15-05-2015 11:28am

We all have adjustable standing desks as standard in our offices. Ikea also sell them but they are over 500 euro at the moment. they are great.

Ososlo · 15-05-2015 11:50am

rom wrote: »

As the poster above said: Varidesk Pro Plus (36″) cost €405 + VAT from http://www.fitpluswell.ie

Suggest that you are going to buy that and are they ok with you using it. It could force their hand in buying it for you as it would look really bad if you bought your own desk.

In HQ in the us many people have standing desks. I asked for one when they were kitting out our office which was from scratch 2 years ago so they can't really say to me that I can't stand at work. Best thing I have ever done tbh. My legs are never sore now as they are not in tension.

ha ha you think? They'd LOVE for me to buy my own desk!

Another member of our 'Health and Safety' was around 3 months ago to do an analysis of our computers and were they at correct eye level etc. He grabs a very thick book off the shelf and shoves that under my monitor to elevate it up to correct eye level as a 'temporary measure'.

Said book is still under my monitor right now.
See what you're dealing with now?

But I shouldn't complain too much as I do get to be on Boards pretty much all
day:)

fits · 15-05-2015 11:53am

I dont really see anything wrong with using a book to adjust monitor height. Why get a fancy schmancy stand when an old book will do.?

Ososlo · 15-05-2015 11:58am

fits wrote: »

I dont really see anything wrong with using a book to adjust monitor height. Why get a fancy schmancy stand when an old book will do.?

Fair point. I knew I'd never get a fancy stand anyways. He was just ticking a box.
Hopefully I won't need the book any time soon!

rom · 23-12-2015 1:44am

So a year on I am using a this as they didn't like the look of the homemade one I had.

To be honest the homemade one was better as it was the perfect position while this one is slightly out. But no back problems for 1.5 years now. Sleep quality has improved a lot also. A sit standing desk is handy as often there are things that I require to sit for that take a bit of concentration but if I am on a conference call or something I find standing much better.

So I am not convinced that standing all day or siting all day is great but mixing it up is.

Running feels much easier now also and niggles are a thing of the past. I only I can stop eating all the free junk food at work I would be flying.

Timmaay · 23-12-2015 10:36am

Now that I think about it, I've been largely injury free for the last 2yrs, since I fully ditched the office job and became a full time farmer ha!

Firedance · 23-12-2015 10:45am

rom wrote: »

So a year on I am using a this as they didn't like the look of the homemade one I had.

To be honest the homemade one was better as it was the perfect position while this one is slightly out. But no back problems for 1.5 years now. Sleep quality has improved a lot also. A sit standing desk is handy as often there are things that I require to sit for that take a bit of concentration but if I am on a conference call or something I find standing much better.

So I am not convinced that standing all day or siting all day is great but mixing it up is.

Running feels much easier now also and niggles are a thing of the past. I only I can stop eating all the free junk food at work I would be flying.

where did you get that Rom? I had a home made one for a while last year but it didn't work (as a desk, worked very well from a injury perspective!) I definitely want to sort something better for 2016.

Maybe I'll become a farmer like Timmaay

rom · 23-12-2015 12:54pm

Firedance wrote: »

where did you get that Rom? I had a home made one for a while last year but it didn't work (as a desk, worked very well from a injury perspective!) I definitely want to sort something better for 2016.

Maybe I'll become a farmer like Timmaay

just google ergotron.

Standing desks

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