Standing Desk Ergonomics

Standing desk ergonomics

It’s incredibly important to get your standing desk ergonomics correct. Millions of workers who were previously sentenced to the chair have adopted a sit-to-stand desk in their office. The good news is they’ve taken the first step. They’ve grasped the initiative, and are probably raving about their standing desk to all their friends and co-workers -as they well should. The bad news is that for many of them the next step they’ll be taking will be to their chiropractor, physical therapist, massage therapist, acupuncturist, orthopedist, internist or witch doctor when the aches and pains of a bad workstation setup start to set in.

One of the most common issues associated with workstations is lower back pain from sitting with poor posture for prolonged periods. So let’s talk a little about how our spines are mechanically constructed.

The spine is one of the most important parts of the body to keep in a neutral position. It includes 33 different bones that all have to work in unison for any motion anywhere in the body. As you sit in your relaxed position, putting your weight on your ligaments, your spine is curved so your tail bone is beneath you.

When you slouch, your spine flexes as your lower back falls downward and backward into the seat rest. This stretches the posterior ligaments on your spine and compresses the anterior ligaments.

Over time, without proper muscle help and posture, this will weaken these ligaments and push the intervertebral disc backward as it is wedged out of the spine. As the disc pushes backward, it can start pressing on the spinal cord, resulting in a herniated disc or a bulging disc. This causes low back pain and also causes pain to shoot down the legs into the feet as it becomes more severe. By standing, this posterior aspect of the spine and compression of the anterior disk is relieved.

Check out these articles by our staff experts on standing desk ergonomics to make sure your move to working while standing is an optimally healthy one! Don’t forget to check out our roundups of accessories, like balance boards for standing desks.

The Best Standing Desks of 2023

Our expert reviewers lab tested over 100 of the most popular standing desks and ranked them by performance, value, stability and other key buying criteria.

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Ergonomists Rate The Best Monitor Arms

Is a monitor arm necessary? If you're planning to both sit and stand at a desk the answer is an unequivocal YES. We help you find the best one.

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What Employers Urgently Need to Know About Kitchen Table Ergonomics

With many people working from home, employers need to consider liability for ergonomic injuries has pierced the veil of the corporate campus.

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10 Ways To Improve Your Office Ergonomics

Now is the time to put effort into your workstation to make sure your office ergonomics are correct as possible to avoid problems.

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WFH Ergonomics Survey From University of Cincinnati Is In, And The News Is Not Great

The ergonomic evaluations of home workstations identified many issues that could be adversely affecting workers over the long haul.

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Our Top Picks in Ergonomic Chairs

Get your move on while sitting at your standing desk with these popular active ergonomic chairs. This growing list of fidgety seats will make you active. 

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Your Best Position Is the Next One

Switching from sitting to standing to walking throughout the day is the most important ergonomic tip we can provide to help avoid injury.

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Standing desk anthropometry and Ergonomics: Why Should You Care?

Knowing how the study of anthropometry, posture, repetitive motion, and workspace design affects the user is critical to proper ergonomic design.

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Plantar Fasciitis Ergonomics

What Plantar Fasciitis Sufferers Need to Know About Standing Desks and Treadmill Desks

Find out how a treadmill or standing desk can help sufferers of plantar fasciitis strengthen their muscles, move more, and break out of a sedentary life.

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How To Install A Keyboard Tray On A Standing Desk

Adding a keyboard tray to a standing desk can be challenging, but we lay out multiple options for you to try in this primer.

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Legal Questions Around Standing Desks

Employers May Soon Be Legally Required to Provide Ergonomic Workstations to Workers

We've seen a recent spate of lawsuits in which very large settlements have been extracted from employers who failed to provide adequate seating.

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Five Strategies to Extend Your Standing Desk Time

We often find that even people who've had standing desks for many years are unable extend their standing desk time for very long.

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Which Has Greater Impact on Relieving Foot Pain for Standing Workers – Special Shoes or Standing Mats?

We get this question from employers looking for ways to reduce foot pain, absenteeism and medical costs for employees who stand on their feet all day.

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Ergonomists Rate The Best Keyboard Trays

Ergonomic keyboard trays overcome the innate inadequacy of desks, allowing you to type in a way that’s more neutral for your upper body.

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Best Reclaimed-Wood Standing Desks Reviews

Best Reclaimed-Wood Standing Desks

Not all reclaimed wood standing desk tops are created equal. There’s “reclaimed wood” and there’s “authentic reclaimed wood.”

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The Best Quick Install Standing Desks

Need a standing desk FAST? Our experts break down the best quick-install standing desks on the market ranked by assembly time.

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Best Compact Standing Desk Reviews

While 95% of standing desks sold are 30 inches deep there are times when that's just too big for your available space.

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The Best Standing Desks Under $400

There are many budget standing desk options, but lab testing is essential since quality can vary wildly at lower price points.

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The Differences Between Ergonomics and Ergodynamics

Ergodynamics takes into account that everything about standing or walking while typing is different than when users were seated at a desk.

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COVID-19’s Dramatic Impact on the Office Fitness Industry, and Standing Desk Suppliers in Particular

In this article we examine the impact on both the supply side and demand side of this market multi-billion dollar market segment.

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