Most people spend 70% of the day sitting. Think about it! That can’t be what we’re designed to do. Genetically we are walking, hunting, jumping, chasing, and fighting cavemen living in a modern world. Cavemen didn’t sit, as we do today.

 

If you stand for 4 of your 8-hour workday every day you can burn an extra 52,000 calories a year. 52,000 calories =

  • Total calories of one Big Mac, every 3 days for the entire year
  • 20 marathons
  • almost 450 glasses of red wine

 

31 million Americans experience back pain at any given time (1). How much of this results from sitting is unknown but you can bet it’s quite a lot.

 

Back pain with a neuropathic component is a major challenge for European healthcare systems costing an estimated €5.34 billion in Ireland alone. Think of the savings in healthcare, and increased productivity in the business place if we reduced back pain by even 5% due to more standing in the workplace. We’d all benefits. Think about that!

 

Most health-conscious people go to the gym to work out and keep their muscles supple. But sitting all day makes the muscles in your quadriceps, glutes, and abdominals flabby and prone to injury. 30 minutes in the gym a couple of times a week on these muscles will help, but it’s akin to running more to reduce smoking damage. Think about it! If you could ‘work-out’ at work you’d feel much better outside the office.

Get a standing desk and change your life.

 

  1. Jensen M, Brant-Zawadzki M, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People Without Back Pain. N Engl J Med 1994; 331: 69-116.