Scientists have now been able to prove that sitting for long periods of time significantly endangers health.

Unfortunately, this does not change the fact that one in five Germans still spends more than nine hours a day sitting. More than 35 percent of people whose jobs mainly involve sitting suffer from back pain as a result. Nevertheless, there is hope, because replacing the conventional desk with an innovative standing desk promises to be a remedy. This can benefit health in many ways.

The following article explains in detail what health benefits can be derived from a standing desk as opposed to a normal desk at which people sit.

Less tension and back pain

A study shows that back pain leads to around 70 million days of absence from work by German employees. This results in a considerable economic loss of approximately 48.9 billion euros per year.

Sitting puts much more pressure on the intervertebral discs than standing. This is why long periods of sitting primarily result in back pain. But tension in the neck and shoulders is also often triggered by sitting too long at a desk.

However, an effective prevention against these unpleasant tensions and pains in the back can be achieved with a standing desk. If standing and sitting activities are alternated regularly in the course of the day, the intervertebral discs are supplied and circulated much more optimally. In addition, there is also a stimulation of muscle activity, which is not given when sitting.

Nevertheless, office workers should be aware that simply alternating between sitting and standing is not enough to effectively prevent typical sitting illnesses. Although this relieves the spine, dynamic sitting on an ergonomic office chair also plays a significant role in this context. In addition, it is necessary to integrate further movement into the daily work routine, such as a short walk during the lunch break.

Perfectly adapted to individual body size

Many office workers bend forward or adopt a hollow back posture while seated at their desks. This is evidence that the desk is not ideally matched to the individual’s body size. The consequences are incorrect postures, which in the long term cause pain in the back.

However, this can be prevented with a height-adjustable desk. It can always be perfectly adjusted to the user’s own body size. This ensures a healthy posture at all times during work.

Sufficient movement during work

Sitting for long periods of time leads to one-sided strain, which can result in numerous health problems. An ergonomic office chair, which supports the aforementioned dynamic sitting, can help to make the workday much healthier. However, this is still not sufficient for effective relief of the back.

Occupational physicians recommend alternately sitting dynamically for 40 minutes, standing for 15 minutes and walking for five minutes. Of course, standing breaks can also be taken without a standing desk, but this does not require any interruption to the work process. The standing desk also supports and promotes the natural urge to move.

Regular movement is also important during work, and should not be neglected. The risks to health associated with sitting for excessively long periods of time cannot be compensated for even with 30 minutes of daily exercise.

Valuable time savings and higher productivity

Especially after lunch, many office workers feel exhausted and tired. As a rule, productive work is then out of the question. This is hardly surprising, however, because blood pressure drops dramatically while sitting. Especially after eating, employees find it so difficult to continue to complete their tasks productively.

With a height-adjustable desk, however, this scenario can certainly be changed. A scientific study from the USA, for example, was able to prove that productivity at a standing desk is up to twelve percent higher.

This can be attributed to the fact that the metabolism is boosted by standing. The blood flow to the brain cells is also optimized, which in turn significantly improves the ability to concentrate. Even after lunch, the typical tiredness can be avoided and work can be continued productively and strengthened.

Improved body awareness and more health-conscious routines.

General health awareness is often neglected in everyday office life. Especially when working at a conventional desk in a seated position, the feeling often arises of being downright chained to it.

This results in a feeling of powerlessness that should not be underestimated, and self-motivation drops considerably. Hardly any health-conscious decisions are then made. However, this can be changed by replacing the conventional desk with a standing desk.

However, the numerous health benefits offered by a height-adjustable desk can only really be profited from if health-promoting behavior is also adopted in other areas of everyday life. This involves, for example, learning about healthy postures and generally moving more frequently throughout the day.