Introduction
Many workers began to complain of back pain and general fatigue. We decided to find out the reasons and found that the cause was monotonous sedentary work. So we found an alternative and want to tell you about it.
What the Problem Is and Why It Needs to Be Investigated
Standing desks can provide good work for the individual. The health benefits of the standing position are primarily that the spine is no longer bent, which is more natural, and the strain on the spine is halved. Working in this way keeps the cortex muscles in tension during the workday, which has a positive effect on blood circulation in the body and helps improve the saturation of the joints and tissues with nutrients.
It turns out that standing helps stay awake and energetic for longer. Using desks that person can stand at increases efficiency by up to 46%, promoting a total supply of blood and oxygen to the brain, as well as preventing swollen limbs. Other benefits of standing include increased (compared to sitting) calorie consumption and improved posture. In addition, some people have to switch to standing work because of pre-existing health problems, such as intervertebral hernias.
To summarize, standing in offices solves a whole range of problems, both medical and moral:
- Back pain, particularly in the lower back and cervical spine, is reduced. They are practically inevitable if the individual sits all day, working at a computer.
- Less risk of heart problems, sedentary work contributes to impaired circulation and chest compression, which puts additional strain on the heart and can disturb rhythm.
- There is less risk of being overweight because when people work standing, they burn calories.
- Less risk of elevated blood sugar levels. Working standing up burns blood sugar about 11.1% faster. This can prevent the development of diabetes.
- Standing, an employee works more effectively, increases productivity, and can perform more tasks in a shorter time.
- Some types of work such as drawing, and graphing are better to do while standing to increase accuracy.
- It improves posture, body strength, and longevity in general.
The Harms of Sedentary Work Are Profound
Sitting hurts the body, even though sitting only in situations without changing posture for too long. Prolonged immobility leads to the weakening of the muscles, which affects the whole body. As the muscles degenerate, heart and vascular disease appear, and there is a risk of strokes, heart attacks, and obesity. Ergonomic, comfortable chairs and all sorts of hand and footrests do not solve the problem. Combining a desk and exercise equipment does not work because it is incompatible with practical work. If employees do sports or exercises and perform basic professional tasks, they can get physically exhausted, after which the work efficiency will fall several times. In addition, a chair, even the most ergonomic one, poses a danger. There is always a desire to be hunched over, regardless of the lumbar support and armrests.
The Relevance of the Problem in Our Office
As we work in the office, sitting in front of computers and notebooks, it often happens that our backs get tired. We have to take a break from work to take a walk or stand. If ignored, then the back begins to hurt, and there is a feeling of discomfort, which does not allow one to concentrate on the tasks at hand. It should be noted that standing desks have a disadvantage, namely, tired legs. But it is not necessary to completely replace sitting places on a standing desk; it can be combined. In this case, an employee can continue working while standing after sitting for too long, and vice versa. In other words, it will be easier for a person to cope with fatigue without losing efficiency in the work process. At the moment, there are no alternatives to sitting at a desk in an office, so many workers begin to lose vigilance after two hours in this position.
In addition, some companies have already tested this method in their offices. Initially, some employees and managers were skeptical of such places, believing them to be inconvenient. However, employees have begun to take advantage of such innovations, and surveys have shown that about 70% are happy with the change. They noted two main benefits: the backstops are hurting, the feet stop numbing, and the second is that it is possible to rest the body without turning away from work. There is also a comfort aspect, for example, in a sitting position, the joints get sweaty, especially in hot weather. This does not happen when standing because such places, for example, the knees, are straightened. The combination of these factors makes the work for people more pleasant and the company more productive.
Conclusion
As a result, it should be noted that the introduction of standing places brings more pluses than minuses. First of all, it is care about the body and the prevention of dangerous diseases, the appearance of which contributes to the usual sedentary lifestyle. Also, this solution allows concentration on multitasking of employees, thereby benefiting the company. It is important to emphasize that the introduction of standing desks is not meant to replace regular desks completely.