What is the Best Way to Stand at a Standing Desk?

If you have recently purchased a standing desk with the intention of making your workstation more ergonomic, it is crucial to learn how to use your device correctly. Without the right information, standing desk users often fail to reap all the incredible benefits of these products.

At EffyDesk, our team is committed to providing the information that our customers need to get the most out of their height adjustable desks. Once you have chosen the perfect product from our wide selection of standing desks, the next step is to find out how to use it correctly. Below we have provided a few tips on how best to stand at your standing desk.

Standing desk users often find themselves overextending their necks while staring at their computer screens. Standing up straight tends to reduce the urge to position the neck in this way, however if you are distracted and intently looking at something on your screen, you may still wind up cranking your neck forwards out of habit. While using your standing desk, make sure your gaze falls straight ahead of you, and your neck is in a straight line with your body. One of the simplest ways to ensure your neck does not fall into an anatomically incorrect position is by investing in a monitor mount. These inexpensive accessories are easy to install and raise your screen to a comfortable height and angle so that it is never necessary to elongate your neck or cause unnecessary strain.

The spine is the area of the body that undergoes the most stress while seated for long periods. Purchasing a standing desk helps avoid rounding of the spine by forcing the user to stand up, and is therefore a great way to relieve some of this stress. However, it is still up to the user to stand tall rather than leaning over onto the surface of their desk. Standing upright with good posture will protect your spine in the long run by maintaining its natural curves. Another way to protect your spine while using a height adjustable desk is by working in the occasional back stretch. Stretching your back will help decompress the bones, elongating the spine. As a result, you should be able to maintain your bone and joint health, avoid back pain, and increase your flexibility.

Maintaining good posture is an important part of living an ergonomic lifestyle. While standing behind your height adjustable desk, make sure you're not rolling your shoulders forward in a slouched position. This can cause pain and tightness in your upper back and neck over time. In serious cases of prolonged poor posture, you may even weaken the muscles around the spine, causing a visible hump around the shoulder blades. Periodically check to ensure your shoulders are pulled back and down away from your ears. Doing some light stretches in between your work day can also help you achieve this. Additionally, your standing desk should be adjusted to a height where you are not able to lean over onto the surface easily.

One of the easiest ways to make sure your body is in a healthy position behind your standing desk is to position your elbows so that a 90° angle forms between your lower and upper arms. At EffyDesk, our standing desks offer programmable features so that you can find the perfect height for your body and access it at any time. If you share your standing desk with multiple users, you can simply program each person’s ideal height so that the desk is ready for them to use in seconds. If your desk is too low, it is easy to get in the habit of slouching, where a desk that is too high will force you to strain your arms and neck. Keeping your elbows in this position will not only protect your forearms against the edge of the table, but it will also encourage you to stand up straight without slouching over.

Using a standing desk is a great way to optimize your health and productivity, however users should not spend their entire day standing upright. Rather, it is important to take periodic breaks where the legs and feet can rest and prevent fluid from pooling in the lower body. If you find yourself getting restless while standing up for hours behind your height adjustable desk, listen to your body and lower your table to a seated position until you are ready to stand up again. Many standing desk owners make the mistake of thinking that time seated in an office chair takes away from the ergonomic benefits of these products. On the contrary, at EffyDesk, we offer a range of high-quality ergonomic office chairs. These products make it possible for you to split time between standing up and sitting down behind your desk without losing any of the health benefits that you’re looking for in a workspace.

One of the most exciting benefits of using a standing desk is that you no longer need to sit still all day while you work. Rather, standing up gives you the option to move your body, burn calories, and loosen up your muscles periodically. This will help prevent stiffness and pain, all while providing you with more energy to get through your day. Products like our standing mat are great for encouraging movement in your legs. This slightly cushioned material will keep your feet comfortable and promote light movement underneath your desk. Additionally, our walking pad is a great addition to make your workstation more active. With this product, you can walk while you work, maximizing the health benefits of your already healthy standing desk. Light exercise has also proven to help workers stay focused and increase productivity. This is a great way to maximize the inherent advantages of a standing desk.

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