Standing Desk? At Work/Home

[wealthviahealth]

Any one else made the shift to standing desks? I first started using one at work and now have shifted to an at home standing desk as well for my iMac.
I have noticed increased productivity at both stations as well as increased energy levels through out the day.
For the most part, I no longer have the post lunch/afternoon slump where I get fatigued and lose concentration.

The first few days can be slightly taxing on your feet but after that you get used to it pretty quick and I know almost always prefer standing.
It also makes computer use on the couch or bed all the more relaxing and rewarding as well as makes for a good switch up.

For those of you who have made the transition- what differences have you noticed and what type of work do you still do sitting?

[Mr. Frugalwoods]

I use a standing desk at work.  I built this $22 Ikea version:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-22-diy-standing-desk-made-with-ikea-parts-173463

I needed to add additional height to the monitor (I'm 6'3") but other than that it works great.

I find that I tend to stand about 6 hours a day.  If I have a couple of meetings then I just stand whenever I am at my desk and it works out.  If I don't have meetings I'll usually find myself getting uncomfortable late in the afternoon.  So I walk over to the couch and sit down.

I have a footstool so that I can vary my stance throughout the day.  After the first couple of weeks I no longer feel any fatigue in my legs. 

On the other hand, my upper back and shoulders still aren't used to being completely erect after 6 months.  Years of slumping towards a monitor means it will take a while for those muscles to get back in shape.  But my posture is already noticeably better and I think it will continue to improve.

The biggest benefit for me has been my lower back.  I've gone through tons of chairs over the years trying to find something that won't make my low back sore.  Nothing worked nearly as well as standing.  It's a revelation.

[Jessa]

The first few days can be slightly taxing on your feet but after that you get used to it pretty quick and I know almost always prefer standing.

I have a footstool so that I can vary my stance throughout the day.  After the first couple of weeks I no longer feel any fatigue in my legs. 

On the other hand, my upper back and shoulders still aren't used to being completely erect after 6 months.  Years of slumping towards a monitor means it will take a while for those muscles to get back in shape.  But my posture is already noticeably better and I think it will continue to improve.

The biggest benefit for me has been my lower back.  I've gone through tons of chairs over the years trying to find something that won't make my low back sore.  Nothing worked nearly as well as standing.  It's a revelation.

This is pretty compelling. My feet always hurt after I've been standing too long, no matter what kind of shoes I wear, so I've always thought the idea of a standing desk would not work for me. But I have back and shoulder problems from sitting hunched over a computer all day, and lower back pain that comes and goes (from non-existent to borderline debilitating), so if the foot/leg discomfort was just a short term thing and the back problems got better...maybe I should look into trying it at home and seeing how I do...

[Mrs. Frugalwoods]

I've been standing at work for a little over a year and I absolutely love it. The first few weeks are something of a shock to the system, but after that, it feels like the most natural thing in the world. Similar to what my husband said above, my back and neck pain is dramatically reduced and, I never get sleepy in the afternoons.

It's important to get your set-up ergonomically correct or you'll be in a world of hurt. Make sure:
-monitor is at eye level (you shouldn't be looking up or down)
-arms are at a right angle to the keyboard
-stand on an anti-fatigue mat
-wear supportive shoes

This last one is key. I was wearing ballet flats everyday and I started to have ankle and knee pain. I switched to tennis shoes and I couldn't be happier. Also, I take my shoes off and stand in my tights/socks for a few hours everyday, which feels awesome. I typically stand in yoga tree pose for awhile as well (I thought this sounded crazy when someone first told me they did this, but, I can stand in tree for hours and it is amazingly comfortable).

P.S. in case anyone is wondering, I'm a professional woman who has to wear business casual everyday. I just wear my sneakers and do not care what they look like with a dress. I change into my flats for important meetings. Otherwise, people can just deal with my sneaks.

[Mr. Frugalwoods]

The first few days can be slightly taxing on your feet but after that you get used to it pretty quick and I know almost always prefer standing.

This is pretty compelling. My feet always hurt after I've been standing too long, no matter what kind of shoes I wear, so I've always thought the idea of a standing desk would not work for me. But I have back and shoulder problems from sitting hunched over a computer all day, and lower back pain that comes and goes (from non-existent to borderline debilitating), so if the foot/leg discomfort was just a short term thing and the back problems got better...maybe I should look into trying it at home and seeing how I do...

I should have remembered!  I also use an anti-fatigue mat:

http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Joe-Anti-Fatigue-Beveled-3-Feet/dp/B000EFK9KM/ref=zg_bs_9720393011_1

Makes a TON of difference about foot fatigue.  If you ever talk to chefs or anyone else who stands in roughly the same space all day long... they'll tell you a mat is essential.

[Rosbif]

I switched in March this year. IKEA bookshelf 120cm tall, monitor on some books, job done. Felt it the first few days but now it's awesome. Lower back definitely biggest beneficiary. I use a yoga mat, being too cheap for a proper mat... I pace when I'm on the phone, and sit down to eat. When I sit down in the evening it certainly doesn't feel like I've been stuck in an office all day. I haven't, but that's not the point ;)

 

[olivia]

I used the Ikea hack standing desk for a year but some days I really wanted to sit, so I shelled out for this sit/stand desk:  http://www.ergotron.com/ProductsDetails/tabid/65/PRDID/561/language/en-US/Default.aspx

I love it, but I will say it's way too easy to get stuck sitting!  Oh and the anti-fatigue mat is key.  I use that and wear Danskos and I have very little leg pain.

[Sarita]

I got one at work about six months ago, and it's made a world of difference.  The shooting pain I used to have down my legs is gone.  Much less back pain.  More energy throughout the day.  I switch between standing and sitting throughout the day and it's great.  Also have an anti-fatigue mat that helps a lot to prevent foot pain.

[astvilla]

I work at a pharmacy where I'll stand 8-9 hours a day. You definitely need to have good shoes and a mat to help reduce fatigue. I remember when I first started working it hurt a bit but since then it hasn't hurt at all. I stand 95% of the time and it's not exhausting that it makes me want to sleep strangely enough.

The bad part about standing up all day is the weight on your joints, particularly your knees. I honestly don't think humans were engineered to stand all day but move, walk, sit, lie down, stand, etc. I've seen pharmacists get knee replacements and my advice to anyone who wants to do more standing is to also exercise and build fitness and lose weight. Reduce your weight so you are not killing your legs as much.

[dcheesi]

I hacked one together at work using my office bookcase and other existing items (we're moving again in six months and getting proper sit/stand desks, so no point requesting one now). Be sure to get your keyboard/ mouse level high enough; before I had it a little too low and had back problems from leaning forward slightly, after I raised it I have had no problems.

[smilla]

I use a standing desk at work.  I built this $22 Ikea version:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-22-diy-standing-desk-made-with-ikea-parts-173463

Thank you!  I had been thinking about getting something built for a year or two but that link coupled with a free shipping deal at Ikea got me to finally do it.  I asked for a gel mat for my birthday and now I am good to go.  The great thing about this standing desk hack is that it is so light and smart-sized that switching my workstation set up from standing to sitting takes less than a minute. 

   

[Wolf_Stache]

I built the same desk as Mr. Frugalwoods. An anti-fatigue mat is key, though.

I have bad knees, so my knees start aching LONG before my feet hurt. I bought a barstool from value village for ten bucks and use that when it gets too hard on my knees. Works perfect.

Sadly at work I have to use a regular sitting desk :(

[civil]

The permission for a standing desk at work is near impossible without a doctor's note and a position of power, so I have an upside-down cardboard box. I really like it :) Now that I'm used to it, setup and tear-down takes about 10 seconds. My butt hurts a lot less now. So I recommend a box, if you can't get a desk.

When I want to stand, I put the box on my desk, keyboard and mouse on top of the box, and raise the monitors as far as they go. They are still kind of low... but if I put them on boxes too, then everyone can see them from down the hall (we have an open seating setup) and that is awkward.

My boss got a kick out of it at first, but since I'm still using it, I think he's concerned about me. Also, I need to find a matching-height new box - I keep leaning on mine, and I'm about to plunge through to the desk. I've been thinking about finding something around the office to reinforce my box.

[jawisco]

I started using a standing desk last year and love it.  I will agree with others that it takes an adjustment period of a week or two.  I use an old closed-cell camping sleeping pad as my anti-fatigue mat and it works great. 

I built my own (sort of).  I measured the ideal height for my standing desk and then simply built two small platforms (tables basically) out of spare lumber scraps to raise mu current desk at the time to this level - one for the two legs on the left and one for two legs on right of desk. 

I used very random parts of 1x1 and OSB to make the tables, thinking I would build some nicer ones when I knew for sure if I liked the standing desk.  Haven't made time for that yet, but still loving the standing desk. 

[Wolf_Stache]

The permission for a standing desk at work is near impossible without a doctor's note and a position of power, so I have an upside-down cardboard box. I really like it :) Now that I'm used to it, setup and tear-down takes about 10 seconds. My butt hurts a lot less now. So I recommend a box, if you can't get a desk.

When I want to stand, I put the box on my desk, keyboard and mouse on top of the box, and raise the monitors as far as they go. They are still kind of low... but if I put them on boxes too, then everyone can see them from down the hall (we have an open seating setup) and that is awkward.

My boss got a kick out of it at first, but since I'm still using it, I think he's concerned about me. Also, I need to find a matching-height new box - I keep leaning on mine, and I'm about to plunge through to the desk. I've been thinking about finding something around the office to reinforce my box.

I can't do what you did because there are hanging cabinets up above the desk/above the monitors, so it is impossible for me to even try this.

[bogart]

My office adopted these (for those who wanted them) about a year ago and has been great about letting us try different types.  I've tried 3 and have been really aggravated by how inflexible/non-ergonomic they seem to be, i.e., I can move up and down easily but cannot adjust the position of the keyboard relative to the monitor, or get as close to the monitor as I want to be, with the two sit/stand systems I tried.

I now have an electric raise-whole-desk-up-down system that is great (same flexibility on positioning of the various parts whether it is up, or down), but annoying because unlike the other systems it takes -- I have timed it -- a whopping 15 seconds to move up, or down.  That's a stupidly small amount of time to find as annoying as I do, but I do.  I will say, I like to stand up for a bit (maybe 5 or 10 minutes an hour) but not for long.  So that's part of my problem, i.e., my preference would be to go up and down a bunch.

I stand on a stepper, which I like for the flexibility it offers (but it is another part to need to move in/out as I adjust how I'm positioned), but it only works with the raise-the-whole-desk system (of the 3 I've tried); the other 2 didn't go high enough.  Oh, and everything but the desk has been (way) too wobbly when I typed on it, i.e., whole system sort of wiggling/vibrating around as my fingers tapped the keyboards.

Long story short, I like the idea but think the purchased equipment leaves much to be desired, particularly considering what it costs.  The DIY option (which I have not pursued) may make good sense in this setting (among others).

[Wolf_Stache]

Bogart,
The awesome part about this is that you can position the keyboard height however you want and it's super sturdy - mine doesn't wobble at all. It's a little trickier for the monitor height, but most monitors are at least slightly adjustable on their own, so it's pretty easy to find a good setting.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-22-diy-standing-desk-made-with-ikea-parts-173463

[trishume]

Another +1 for the Ikea hack standing desk. I used two black lack side tables and a longer black shelf and got a nice long surface that I could fit both a laptop and an external monitor on. The keyboard tray was the same width so I could fit keyboard, mouse, pens and a notebook on it with room to spare.

I used clear packing tape to attach it to the desk so it wouldn't slide and it was quite sturdy. I also originally attached the shelf brackets with clamps for a month so I could be sure the keyboard tray height was right, but eventually I screwed them in.

It looked decent, it felt decent and I enjoyed the extra space to store computer crap under the tables on top of the original desk surface.
I also used an anti-fatigue mat while wearing socks most of the time (it was at home).

[begood]

Now I know what I want for Xmas! I've been considering various kinds, but they're SO dang expensive. That apartment therapy link led me to another page, where people use Velcro tape and zipties to hold the shelf brackets on, making the height of the keyboard tray adjustable. I sit for HOURS every day (I work as an editor from home), so this would be a Really Good Thing for me to try - and at that price/minimal effort, it seems worth a try!

[bogart]

Bogart,
The awesome part about this is that you can position the keyboard height however you want and it's super sturdy - mine doesn't wobble at all.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-22-diy-standing-desk-made-with-ikea-parts-173463

Thanks, that does look neat.  Since I don't want to stand all the time (or even most of the time, to be honest), I don't think that gets me where I want to be, but I do like the set up.  I have actually considered going with something like that + a taller chair, which would achieve the same result as the sit-stand desk (I could choose to sit or to stand) but seems like it might work better than the sit-stand options I've been able to try, which as I say have issues...