Standing desks are becoming very popular in offices around the city. From a chiropractic perspective I certainly prefer them to traditional desks for a number of reasons. By now most people are well aware of the damage that long hours of sitting can do to our bodies and standing desks offer a number of health benefits.

Pros- Our bodies really aren’t designed for long periods of sitting and standing desks can reduce the number of hours a person will spend sitting which is only a good thing. This will reduce tension and tightness building in the hip flexors which is beneficial for the lower back, diaphragm and thoracic spine. Standing will also force stabilising muscles to be recruited such as the core and glutes. These are muscles that traditionally switch off as soon as anyone sits down which can contribute to back pain and instability.

Cons- While standing desks are a great option for office workers wanting to look after their bodies there are still some downsides to standing desks. The big one being that it is still possible to stand with poor posture!! If you have a standing desk the computer screen must still be at eye level and correct to your height. When standing it is important to stand with your body weight evenly through both of your feet. Leaning on to one hip is a big no no and will cause issues in your pelvis and lower back very quickly! Also for women who wear high heels it is important to bring some flat shoes to work if you are at a standing desk as standing in heels all day can also be problematic for your lower back.

So in conclusion I think standing desks can be a great option for anyone looking to minimise the impact of office work on their bodies and spines as standing is a lot more natural for our bodies than sitting. But I do also think it is important, as with sitting, that you develop good postural habits with a standing desk as well as it is certainly still possible to stand with poor posture!!