@carnage4life
Years ago, I had to use one to work, because I had chronic back pain for decades (starting in 6th grade), then in my 30s I threw my back out, and for months I couldn't sit without excruciating pain. Standing wasn't great, but still: much better.

When did I throw my back out? It was Thanksgiving Day, of course. #stress

@carnage4life IMO the article asked the wrong questions. The desk helped when I threw out my back & needed to shift my position frequently. I'd sit for 20 minutes, stand for 20 minutes, sit again. I also adjust the height of the desk so I can type with my arms held at a comfortable angle. Else I'd need to raise my chair to where my feet are dangling off the floor. Plus trying to sit on a too tall rolling office chair risks the chair scooting backwards and me landing on the floor instead.

@carnage4life but if you go into an open office floor plan, you will notice every desk is at a different height and this is the greatest advantage

@carnage4life Just ask a checkout operator whether they feel healthier after 8 hours on their feet.

Just get up and go for a walk.. but then you'd be *gasp* not working *gasp* and that'd never do.

@carnage4life pomodoro, but with jumping jacks during the breaks

@carnage4life Good to know because those standing desks (especially the motorized ones) are expensive.

@carnage4life Cardio health is one important aspect of health. Spine health is another. Having bulged or slipped discs from extended year-on-year sprint-pressure sitting may not kill you but will likely disrupt or end your keyboard-focused career.
Standing desks can help with that. But the better approach is regular short get-up-and-move breaks every 20-30min. And that's anathema to most tech firms.

@carnage4life

normalize walking meetings, if possible. in person, or remote using headphones (zoom sucks and keeps people sitting, staring at a screen)

@carnage4life I wonder if bad medical studies are related to elite over-production?
http://webseitz.fluxent.com/wiki/FailureOfScience
http://webseitz.fluxent.com/wiki/EliteOverproduction

@carnage4life

Er..... a walking desk, perhaps?

@carnage4life It’s harder to nod off when standing. ;)

@carnage4life

Standing still has never been safe. After about two minutes, knees buckle, the brain is starved of oxygen, you blackout, and wake up later on the floor. Likely with a head injury.

@carnage4life thanks.

For records, here is the study: « Device-measured stationary behaviour and cardiovascular and orthostatic circulatory disease incidence » — https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyae136

@carnage4life

You can still eat standing up, so it makes no difference.

@carnage4life Honestly the main benefit I get from my standing desk is that it makes me less sleepy. :-)

@carnage4life It helps my sciatica quite a bit.

@carnage4life Most folks sit at their standing desks by my observation.

But for me it helps me move more counteracting what would generally be regarded a quite silly posture if it were maintained.

@carnage4life still going to be happy when my employer supplies height adjustable desks so I can switch between sitting and standing for the comfort that provides o.o

@carnage4life

I went for an ultrasound because of concerns about Deep Vein Thrombosis - which contributed to my mother's death - and got some of the best advice I've heard, to wit:

Don't do *anything* for more than maybe two hours straight. Not sitting not standing. After an hour or so, take 10 minutes and move around. Walk, exercise, whatever. Get the blood flowing.

Seems legit.

@carnage4life once again, the Onion was prescient with the correct take https://theonion.com/health-experts-recommend-standing-up-at-desk-leaving-o-1819577456/