New research finds that alternate workstation options, such as standing and sit-stand desks, can be a win-win solution for both employees and employers.

It might be an exaggeration to claim that “sitting is the new smoking,” but significant research indicates that people who are sedentary face more health challenges than their active counteparts. Office workers who spend most of their eight-hour workdays seated, for example, more often experience symptoms such as daytime exhaustion, hypertension and musculoskeletal discomfort than those who are less sedentary. Although devices such as standing desks have been found to alleviate physical symptoms and increase worker productivity, questions remain regarding the best use of the primary types of workstations— stand-biased, sit-stand or traditional—for increasing workers’ physical activity and preventing health problems.

To answer these questions, a team of researchers from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health measured the computer usage and activity levels of office workers for 10 days to evaluate any discomfort and develop possible remedies.

For the study, which was conducted from 2019 to 2020, the team monitored 79 full-time, adult office workers at a major university. Participants were placed in three study groups according to the type of workstation they used (stand-biased, sit-stand or traditional), with those using traditional seated workstations serving as the control group.

Stand-biased workstations were defined as having a fixed work surface at approximately standing elbow height in conjunction with a drafting stool or chair with an extended cylinder. Sit-stand workstations were defined as desktop units and those with a fully height-adjustable work surface paired with a traditional office chair.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com