Sitting at a desk all day can be hard on your health. The human body was made to move, so eight hours in the same position can lead to muscle aches and pains, lack of physical fitness, and even sleepiness. Fortunately, there are some alternative office desks and chairs available that can counteract these complaints – all while making you both healthier and more productive.
Medicine ball chairs
The use of oversize inflatable balls as chairs is nothing new. There are now office versions that have a frame so they don't roll away. Some of these frames also have a back lumbar support, which makes these chairs an option if you suffer from lower back pain. The way a ball chair works is that you are constantly making small movements to stay balanced. The movements aren't enough to be distracting or to cause fatigue, but they do provide some necessary exercise for your muscles even when you are sitting all day. There are also cylinder stool-like styles with a curved bottom, which provide a similar benefit.
Standing Desks
Standing desks are becoming all the rage, and for good reason. The benefits of standing instead of sitting for most of the day include reduced risks of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes as well as overall better health. A quality standing desk will be adjustable to your height. Just like a standard desk, the keyboard tray and writing surfaces should be adjusted so your arms are bent at a right angle at the elbow – you should angle up to type. The computer monitor should be on level with your eyes, so select a desk with room for a monitor stand. For no reason should you be hunched over the desk. If you are worried about standing all day, you can get a stool to go with the desk so you can sit when needed.
Walking Desk
The next step up from a standing desk is a walking desk. These are specially designed treadmills with a full desk attached. They aren't designed for jogging or walking quickly, just for doing a leisurely stroll as you work on the computer or take phone calls. The treadmill only moves when you are walking, so you can alternate using it as a walking and a standing desk. There are even versions that have swing arms for computer monitors, so you can swing your viewing surface to the other side or to a nearby sitting desk if you need to take breaks throughout the day.
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