Standing Desk
A standing desk, otherwise known as a stand-up desk, is a desk which is raised to the level where the user either stands or sits on a high stool whilst working at it. Some of these desks are designed so that the desk height can be altered as desired by the user, whilst others are designed to remain at height permanently and thus not allow the user to sit at any point.
Standing desks are believed to offer a number of advantages for users. Firstly, those who user them are likely to have more energy for a longer period throughout the day. Energy levels amongst office workers often drop in the mid-afternoon, post lunch, but standing means that the user is less likely to feel sleepy. Standing also means that the user is more likely to move around and stretch, again meaning their energy levels will remain higher and they will be more alert. There is also evidence that using a standing desk can help reduce the risk of disease. A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that long periods of time spent sitting will can reduce an individual’s life expectancy and increase the risk of contracting conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Using a standing desk will allow the user to be on their feet, move more and this reduce these risks associated with long periods of sitting. The standing desk also promotes weight loss, with standing for four hours believed to help the individual burn an extra 80-200 calories each day. Standing desks can also ease pain in the body which is linked to sitting all day through helping the body stretch, increasing blood flow, and engaging the muscles.
Despite these plus points the standing desk does also have disadvantages. Just as sitting for long periods is not good for a person, nor is standing for prolonged periods either. This in itself can lead to joint and back pain, swelling, and fatigue. Standing can also encourage bad posture in the same way that sitting can and so this can be equally damaging to the individual’s health if good ergonomics is not given consideration. Standing desks may not have the positive impact on productivity which it was once thought they would, with some studies indicating that this is the case. A lack of long-term, robust research on the impact of standing desks means that any long-term potential disadvantages to their use are not understood.
Exercise Ball
An exercise ball is a ball, usually made of soft elastic and filled with air, approximately 35 to 85 centimetres in diameter and used for exercise and/or physical therapy. Exercise balls as we know them now descend from the ‘Swiss Ball’, invented in 1963 by Aquilino Cosani, an Italian plastics manufacturer who developed a process for moulding large puncture-resistant plastic balls. In recent years the exercise ball has been increasingly popular as a replacement for the traditional office chair, users believing it will bring them a number of ergonomic benefits which will improve their health.
An advantage of the exercise ball is that it promotes good posture. Sitting on an exercise ball, an inherently instable surface, forces proper spinal alignment in order to maintain balance. Good posture is key in allowing the body to function effectively, preventing injury, reducing back and neck pain and also allows the user to look professional in the workplace. The promotion of good posture also allows the user to breath better by opening up the lungs and allowing for greater lung capacity. Another advantage of the exercise ball is that it helps the user develop a stronger core by subtly working the core, hip and leg muscles throughout the day without requiring a strenuous workout. The exercise ball chair promotes calorie burn due to the engagement of the core muscles throughout the day which would not be engaged in an ordinary office chair.
However, there are some disadvantages to sitting on an exercise ball. For one thing, sitting for prolonged periods is proven to have a number of health consequences and sitting on an exercise ball for prolonged period can cause these in the same way that sitting on a traditional desk chair can. Sitting on an exercise ball means that the individual is without the usual wrist and arm support that a traditional desk chair can provide as it does not have arm rests. This in itself can cause wrist, arm, shoulder and neck pain for the user, as well as potentially conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Remaining in a sitting position means that the risk of some types of pain associated with traditional office chairs, such as hip pain and hamstring tightness, remains unrelieved.
Comparison
Evidence would suggest that both a standing desk and sitting on an exercise ball are better options for most office workers than the traditional office chairs when it comes to improving their health. They will both help the user prevent disease, chronic pain and lose weight. However, aside from this there are some differences between the two which are worth bearing in mind before switching to one or the other:
- The legs contain the strongest muscles in the human body and so the standing desk allows the user to maximise these where the exercise ball does not
- Standing is a more effective way of decreasing neck and upper back pain by bringing the monitor up to a comfortable height, where the exercise ball may worsen these problems
- Both allow the user to burn roughly the same amount of extra calories compared to a normal office chair
- The exercise ball will exercise more of the muscles in the body than just standing, allowing for better strengthening of the body