Thanks @robc04 for taking time to post about this. I read extensively about the risks of being sedentary for extended periods in order to mitigate those risks. The summary of what I know from the research is -
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Sitting for extended periods is terrible and a risk factor for metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, insulin resistance leading to diabetes & coronary heart disease)
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Standing for extended periods is not much better. It reduces some risks and introduces new ones.
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Movement is the key to risk mitigation if you are a desk worker. Movement meaning any kind of activity rather than exercise
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Exercise is vital (along with nutrition, sleep, recovery, sun exposure, social support etc) but insufficient to mitigate the risks of extended periods of inactivity
My personal setup and practice is based on best practices and designed to mitigate the risk from the 10 hours I spend at work each day. I share it together with a recommendation to adopt it if you can.
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I have a height adjustable desk and alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day with a roughly 50/50 split.
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Whilst standing I use an anti-fatigue mat. These things significantly reduce discomfort
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I use a wireless headset and whilst on virtual calls with colleagues walk around nearby my station
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During face to face meetings I will stand rather than sit and move around as much as possible, even if that just means taking steps side to side or tensing muscles
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Unless prevented by a meeting I take a 2 minute break every 30 minutes & every hour I do some kind of activity. Typically I do something like 40 squats and one of the Foundation Training exercises designed to help maintain flexibility in the legs and back
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I never lunch at my desk. I always take a real break away from the desk. This is something I started after 10+ years of always eating lunch at my desk
One clear benefit of being able to stand is that it is a heck of a lot easier to move around. If I am standing and take a call I can pace around within a moment. If I’m seated I need to get up first, and that tiny extra effort is enough to make it less likely.
If you are on a budget and want to be able to switch between sitting and standing at a fixed seated station there are multiple desk converters on the market now.
At home, I would love to get something like a lectern than allowed me to stand and use a mouse & keyboard comfortably for gaming or writing posts like this. I’m still looking for something I could easily move around within my living room environment.