Standing desks have become very popular in recent years. When sitting all day, I would naturally slouch forward. This caused some spinal disc degeneration in my back. I’ve since changed my desk setup. It’s adjustable and can go between sitting and standing throughout the day. Working at a standing desk has decreased my back pain significantly. I don’t slouch forward anymore, which has put a pause on my spinal disc degeneration.
I also feel generally better while using a standing desk. I’m at much less risk of weight gain, compared to when I was sitting all day. It has also helped improve my mood, energy levels, work productivity, and mental clarity.
When I shifted from a regular desk to a standing desk, it took some getting used to. Today, I am dedicating this article to show how I got used to working at a standing desk and how to get the most out of its benefits.
Nothing on my website is professional medical advice. It’s for educational purposes only. I share my experience, what has worked for me, and what hasn’t. I talk about the poor posture mistakes I’ve fixed and the good posture habits I’ve learned. Also, I’m not compensated by any product manufacturers. There is no paid promotion in this article.
You are your primary caretaker. Not your doctor, surgeon, coach, or physical therapist. They all play a role. But, they also have their own agenda and their own motivation that’s not always in our best interest. Do your research and make good decisions. Be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare and posture, both sitting and standing.
How To Get Used To A Standing Desk
Don’t stand for long periods of time
A common mistake among standing desk users is standing for long periods of time. After a lifetime of sitting all day, we don’t want to stand all day either. That would just cause different problems. The position of sitting isn’t the enemy. Working in the same position for long periods of time is the enemy. This causes repetitive strain injuries. The goal is to work in different positions, multiple times throughout the day, both sitting and standing.
I usually divide my day in half between sitting and standing. I’ll work in a sitting position for 4 hours a day. I’ll work in a standing position for 4 hours a day. I don’t stay in these positions for 4 hours straight though. I will sit for 15 to 30 minutes, then I will stand for 15 to 30 minutes. Sometimes I will go a little longer than 30 minutes, especially if I’m being productive and creative. As soon as my mental clarity starts to decline due to my physical posture, I take a break. When I get back to my desk, I’ll work in a different position.
How to properly stand while working at a standing desk
A lot of people will tell you to stand up straight, engage this muscle or that muscle, etc. Honestly, I think it is simpler than that. We always want to maintain the natural curves of the spine. In order to maintain those curves, I don’t want to engage certain muscles so much that my posture becomes stiff like a brick building. This will cause repetitive strain injuries, regardless if our posture is good or bad. Instead, I want to stand balanced and stable. I compare my stance more to swaying in the wind like a tree. It’s a healthier, more dynamic posture for me, compared to standing stiff like a brick building.
How to adjust the monitor at a standing desk
Regardless of the position I’m working in, my desk setup allows me to easily adjust the height of my monitor. I always keep the top of my monitor screen at my eye level. If my monitor is too low or too high, it will start a chain reaction of bad habits. Speaking from experience, these bad habits include neck strain, eye strain, headaches, slouching forward, and spinal disc degeneration.
Where to place the keyboard and mouse at a standing desk
It’s very important that my keyboard and mouse are the correct height. I always keep my elbow level just above the desk setup. This way, my elbow is either at a 90 degree angle or slightly more. A 90 degree angle would mean my forearm is parallel to the floor. I like to work slightly more than a 90 degree angle. This means my forearm slopes downward slightly when going from my elbow to my wrist. If my elbow was below my desk setup, it would be at less than a 90 degree angle. This would cause me to engage my bicep to put my hands up on the keyboard and mouse. This bad posture habit used to create a lot of pain for me in my shoulder and bicep tendons.
Use an anti fatigue mat when standing on a hard surface for long periods
I’ve had 3 ankle surgeries in the last few years. A lot of my issues were caused by not keeping my feet flat on the floor while sitting all day. I recently started using an anti fatigue mat while standing at my desk. It’s made a big difference in reducing my foot pain. I also make sure to wear comfortable shoes. Or, I might work barefoot, placing my feet directly on the anti fatigue mat. For the ladies, I’d definitely avoid standing in high heels for long periods of time. They’ll constantly engage your calf muscles, while keeping your ankles in a very vulnerable position that causes repetitive strain injuries and ankle dysfunction.
Thanks for your interest in sitting and standing computer posture. If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking valuable steps to improve your good posture, while reducing your pain at work.
If this article was helpful, check out my book titled “45 Ways to Improve Computer Posture.” It’s available in both digital and paperback versions.
>>> Click here to pick up your copy
This book explains how to improve your posture through different variables of health and wellness. These include sitting posture, standing posture, sleep, hydration, and breathing. Poor posture is not just how we sit at a computer. The health habits we practice, 24 hours a day, are directly related to how good (or bad) our computer posture is.
Go to SittingPosture.com/book to learn more.
Take care,
Todd Bowen
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