The best reasons for a height-adjustable desk
Height-adjustable desks – ergonomic and intelligent
With the age of computers, not only are our ways to work becoming increasingly digital, but also back health is becoming increasingly important. Back pain has almost become a widespread disease – after all, more than half of Germans have pain in their back, neck or shoulders from time to time. One of the reasons for this is that we sit long and crooked at work, which weakens the trunk muscles and puts strain on the spine. Height-adjustable desks are therefore becoming increasingly popular. We have compiled what height-adjustable desks can do. Here we go!
Back-friendly work with a height-adjustable desk
The human body is not designed for monotonous positions. Blaise Pascal once said: “Movement is part of our nature, complete stillness is death.” While back pain used to be treated with bed rest, it is now clear that exercise is much more helpful when there is a pull, muscles are tense or a dull ache is spreading in the neck area. In 2012, a study was conducted on 222,497 Australians. The result: long periods of sitting increase mortality. This is precisely why sitting and standing phases should alternate – and this is what height-adjustable desks offer, which can be brought to the desired height either manually or at the push of a button, so that the spine can look forward to a little variety. You should be able to feel the relief, and your intervertebral discs and muscles will thank you for it. In addition, however, you should also integrate a few strengthening exercises for your torso and shoulders into your fitness routine, because after all we not only sit a lot at work, but also when watching TV or gambling, when eating, in the evening on the couch, in the car and in the commuter train. Rail.
What else do height-adjustable desks bring?
The back is spared – wonderful. But what are the other advantages of choosing a height-adjustable desk as a workplace? Here come the answers.
- More focus
The brain likes to fall asleep in monotony – and sitting for hours is monotonous. The German company Hammerbacher, which has published an ergonomics primer in cooperation with the association of back school teachers – IGR for short – has also found this out. It contains tips and exercises for a healthier working life. The editors also recommend standing phases of around 20 minutes, which should improve concentration and increase brain power. The rule of thumb for variety in the office is: 10% movement, 30% standing, 60% sitting. This can be combined with various tasks. If you make a call while standing, you sound more alert and motivated to the person you are talking to. Short walks to the printer, to the meeting room or to the office supply store also help to keep the brain cells active. Up to 20% more performance should be possible through a variable workplace – not so bad, right?
- Promote leg muscles and posture
When sitting, the use of the leg muscles is zero. It is important, however, that good posture is not possible without leg muscles, because the leg muscles begin in the foot and extend to the hips. After all, the body is a system in which one cog depends on the other – this also applies to questions of posture. And a straight posture is good for the back, the spine, the intervertebral discs and the trunk muscles. This also damages the supporting and musculoskeletal system – and in the worst case, bone loss occurs, which is irreparable, which is why it is best not to get that far in the first place.
- reduce heart attack risk
If you sit for a long time, you not only lose muscle, the risk of a heart attack also increases, since the long periods of sitting cause the high density lipoprotein level (HDL) to drop. The so-called HDL is responsible for the transport of excess cholesterol in the body. This is transported to the liver and broken down there. HDL thus indirectly cleans the blood vessels. When the HDL level drops, the cleaning power in the body is weakened and the arteries calcify over time. And you probably already knew that this is dangerous. An adjustable desk is therefore not only an investment in your back health and performance, but also improves your life expectancy and reduces the risk of suffering a potentially fatal heart attack. In the long term, chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes can also be avoided by sitting and standing in the office.
- counteract obesity
“After eating you should rest or take 1000 steps.” But why should you only do this after a meal? After all, there are also opportunities in the office to move at least briefly. And standing consumes a few more calories than sitting forever. Standing phases alone not only do something for your health, but also for your figure – although standing in one place does not have the same effect as an extensive jog or a high-intensity workout. But as we all know, small cattle also make crap.
- Save money in the long term – privately and in the company
Your child comes to school and needs a desk for the upcoming homework? A height-adjustable desk isn’t just a good idea for adults, but also for those who are new to basics and teenagers who love gaming. The desk grows with you and can always be adjusted to the right standing or sitting height. This means that the height-adjustable desk will remain in place for an indefinite period of time and will also get your child used to learning and working while sitting and standing right from the start. This allows your offspring the best prevention against back pain and Co.
Companies also benefit from providing their employees with height-adjustable desks. This not only improves employee concentration and productivity, it also reduces absenteeism due to doctor visits and illness. The purchase of sit-stand desks therefore pays off in the long term.
Why you should get a height-adjustable desk
If you want to do something good for your health, you should not hesitate and find out about height-adjustable desks. These are now available in various designs and colors, some pre-assembled or with simple click-flip technology, so that even people with two left hands can easily use them. Some models can even save several heights, so that a single push of a button is enough to achieve the perfect working height. Alternatively, there are also versions with a crank, so that a few more calories are burned when you switch. Just take a look around to see what’s available and find a suitable height-adjustable desk for your workplace.