Sit/Stand Desk: Worth It?

[gohono3]

I'm considering investing in a sit/stand desk solution for home use and had been looking at the Jarvis Bamboo by ErgoDepot.

If anyone has experience using sit/stand desks I would appreciate any insight you can offer, thanks! 

[SpAmRaY]

If @tp4tissue wasn't muted he would definitely say yes.

Also I do believe @mashby enjoys his standup setup.

[appleonama]

I'm considering investing in a sit/stand desk solution for home use and had been looking at the Jarvis Bamboo by ErgoDepot.

If anyone has experience using sit/stand desks I would appreciate any insight you can offer, thanks!

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

[Sneaky Potato]

Standing desks work great for some people. It takes a little bit to get used to, and your feet hurt like hell after a few days of standing all day...but then one day it doesn't anymore and it works just fine. Personally I have a Herman Miller Aeron chair, so sitting is extremely comfortable and doesn't cause back strain or anything. I prefer my Aeron to a standing desk. I also like to get up and take a walk every hour or so.

[Tactile]

There's this fellow called Linus Torvalds who... well, it's not important. Anyway, he likes his...

[xtrafrood]

My desk is tall enough for me to use a stool. I used a stool for a while, but eventually switched back to a normal chair. I have worked in a few places that required me to stand all day (one without a 30min break) but I will try out a standing desk eventually. I think it's important to have a shock absorbing pad to stand on if you get a standing desk.

Oh Linus..

[MajorKoos]

I've been using one for about 2 years and I have no regrets.
I picked up a frame, monitor arm and cable management kit from HumanSolution/Uplift Desk for about $550 and added a $50 solid wood top from Ikea.  I looked at the Jarvis, but decided on the uplift model in the end for a variety of reasons including build quality and the cost of the accessories.

Do yourself a massive favor and get a cable management kit (zip ties, extension, cable tray, etc.) - you don't want cables hanging off a desk that moves around.  The monitor arm is also well worth the investment. 

[SBJ]

If @tp4tissue wasn't muted he would definitely say yes.

Also I do believe @mashby enjoys his standup setup.

What does being muted to? Are you unable to post?

[appleonama]

If @tp4tissue wasn't muted he would definitely say yes.

Also I do believe @mashby enjoys his standup setup.

What does being muted to? Are you unable to post?

yes

[davkol]

There's this fellow called Linus Torvalds who... well, it's not important. Anyway, he likes his...

He doesn't use it anymore, because the treadmill was districting.

It takes a little bit to get used to, and your feet hurt like hell after a few days of standing all day...but then one day it doesn't anymore and it works just fine.

Floor mats are crucial.

But one shouldn't be standing all day long anyway, because it opens up a whole range of _other_ issues, such as varicose veins.

I have a cheap stool at my cheap standing setup—for short rests. It's not only much cheaper, but also simpler than an adjustable desk.

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

It has nothing to do with standing desks, because it has no effect changes in musculoskeletal system, caused by sedentary lifestyle. Standing by itself is static too.

I have yet to figure out, how to optimally combine walking and squatting at a single workstation.

[kokokoy]

I went the DIY route and have fixed standing desk at home. At the office through we have the electric adjustable ones which I would love to have, but I keep buying keyboard stuff!  )

The setup helps out on my back problem. Or at least it doesn't make it flare up.

[UsualSuspectXXX]

They just put one in at work for people to try out. Personally, I can't stand trying to stand and type all day long, but some people really like it. Is one of the ones that your can raise our lower which means your can sit most of the day, then stand for a little while and go back to sitting.

Like Sneaky Potato, I also have the Hermann Miller chair and I get up to go smoke frequently enough.

[MajorKoos]

Standing all day is probably even worse than sitting all day. I sit down to concentrate and type and stand when browsing or taking calls.  I highly recommend a making sure you have a decent task chair first - Herman Miller/Humanscale/Steelcase - before dropping cash on the desk as you're probably going still spend the majority of your day in it.  I spend max 20% of my day standing. 

Treadmills are more trouble than they're worth.  Your desk needs to be twice as wide (so you don't have to put your chair on top of the treadmill) and your desk gets wobbly when you raise it higher to accommodate for the height of the treadmill.

A mat is nice.  It really makes a big difference, but finding one you can put a chair on top of can be tricky.  A pair of Nike Air Max's basically do the same thing.

[Moistgun]

I'm considering investing in a sit/stand desk solution for home use and had been looking at the Jarvis Bamboo by ErgoDepot.

If anyone has experience using sit/stand desks I would appreciate any insight you can offer, thanks!

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

Some of us dont have a free hour to spare in the day, who have to spend 10 hours infront of your desk all day.

[davkol]

Some of us dont have a free hour to spare in the day, who have to spend 10 hours infront of your desk all day.

Are you some slave chained to your desk in a sweat shop.

Because otherwise it should be reworded as "it's not my priority".

[SpAmRaY]

Some of us dont have a free hour to spare in the day, who have to spend 10 hours infront of your desk all day.

Are you some slave chained to your desk in a sweat shop.

Because otherwise it should be reworded as "it's not my priority".

I would say there are a fair number of jobs in the USA where employees don't get a singular hour during the day to stop and do anything.

I know I certainly couldn't just leave for an hour and not to mention working in an industrial environment there wouldn't be anywhere to go walk/run anyway.

[Moistgun]

Some of us dont have a free hour to spare in the day, who have to spend 10 hours infront of your desk all day.

Are you some slave chained to your desk in a sweat shop.

Because otherwise it should be reworded as "it's not my priority".

The proportion of jobs where you can use that much time in the middle of the day is very small.  Not nearly everyone works at a company trying to be like Google.

You have an overly optimistic idea of the working world. lol.

Most people don't even get more than a half hour for lunch

Sent from my local payphone

[davkol]

Wage slavery in a nutshell. Except that pursuing the American dream is actually optional.

[SpAmRaY]

Wage slavery in a nutshell. Except that pursuing the American dream is actually optional.

I guarantee the majority aren't pursuing any dream but just trying to survive.

[davkol]

Wage slavery in a nutshell. Except that pursuing the American dream is actually optional.

I guarantee the majority aren't pursuing any dream but just trying to survive.

If you're talking about those in sweatshops, I absolutely agree with you. But I doubt those visit Geekhack very often.

[SpAmRaY]

Wage slavery in a nutshell. Except that pursuing the American dream is actually optional.

I guarantee the majority aren't pursuing any dream but just trying to survive.

If you're talking about those in sweatshops, I absolutely agree with you. But I doubt those visit Geekhack very often.

I mean the average american employee.

[davkol]

Wage slavery in a nutshell. Except that pursuing the American dream is actually optional.

I guarantee the majority aren't pursuing any dream but just trying to survive.

If you're talking about those in sweatshops, I absolutely agree with you. But I doubt those visit Geekhack very often.

I mean the average american employee.

Average? Survival? If we're still in the same thread about office jobs, not even remotely. This is mostly a matter of mindset, although I admit that isn't particularly easy to change.

Anyway, thread hijacking successful.

[xtrafrood]

TP come back. Idk why he was muted, usually he's all over these kinds of threads. I would definitely invest in a decent anti-fatigue mat.

[tp4tissue]

NO.. stop .. do not get a sit/stand desk..

I tried that for a week, before it got old with the adjusting up and down and up..


You want to setup 2 computer stations with 5 computers..

3 at the standing station, 2 at the sitting station..


Make sure they're all well networked.. so you can hop back and forth..


It is much easier to just move between stations vs adjusting a desk up and down every time you get tired..  ---very very annoying


Also,  Don't even bother with the motorized desk..  bbbbrrrzzzzzzzzzz...  wait ....... zzzzzzzzzzzz..  almost there...  zzzzzzzzzzzzzz..  ok this is about right, wait going up... zzzzzz.. down ... zzzzz.. zz zzzz z.zzzzz  perfect..   

Checks watch.. Crap that took 3 whole minutes...

[Moistgun]

NO.. stop .. do not get a sit/stand desk..

I tried that for a week, before it got old with the adjusting up and down and up..


You want to setup 2 computer stations with 5 computers..

3 at the standing station, 2 at the sitting station..


Make sure they're all well networked.. so you can hop back and forth..


It is much easier to just move between stations vs adjusting a desk up and down every time you get tired..  ---very very annoying


Also,  Don't even bother with the motorized desk..  bbbbrrrzzzzzzzzzz...  wait ....... zzzzzzzzzzzz..  almost there...  zzzzzzzzzzzzzz..  ok this is about right, wait going up... zzzzzz.. down ... zzzzz.. zz zzzz z.zzzzz  perfect..   

Checks watch.. Crap that took 3 whole minutes...

I dont think everyone is as ocd as tp. my motor desk i can just sit and buzzzzzz for 5 seconds and be set up.

can you go into more detail about the 5 machines? why not just two?

[xtrafrood]

So if you have walls of computers all on standing desks you should get a decent amount of exercise? Make sense to me; what about ventilation tho?

[tp4tissue]

I dont think everyone is as ocd as tp. my motor desk i can just sit and buzzzzzz for 5 seconds and be set up.

can you go into more detail about the 5 machines? why not just two?

Have you ever tried to use between 1-4 computers..

Everything takes forever..

m0re computers.. = get'rr'' Done !!

Even with a fancy 8 core 10 core.. The computer still doesn't feel snappy when multitasking is happening, because memory is shared, and the pipe has to be shared between applications.. 

--- I found this out after getting my hex core, 4x cpu,  24 core total servers.. I thought it would be fast for everything.. turns out..  there's still perceptible hiccups here/there.. despite 128GB of ram .


It's much smoother to just have m0re computers..


I use at least 2 computers at a time.. 1 monitor each.. I use synergy app to do KVM over network.

[Moistgun]

I think we use our computers for very different things.  How many Facebook pages do you need open?  All jokes aside.  I have like 5 computers, but I only use one at a time

Sent from my local payphone

[tp4tissue]

I think we use our computers for very different things.  How many Facebook pages do you need open?  All jokes aside.  I have like 5 computers, but I only use one at a time

Sent from my local payphone

Let's say I got a render going,  but I need to edit a texture in photoshop..  The total completion time might be about the same using just 1 pc vs 2 pc..  HOWEVER,  if you do it all on 1 pc,  you can feel it hang up here/there.. 

[tp4tissue]

Also..   the Adjustable type desk..  I'm tellin' ya'll ..  it's really a PITA..... 

I got my sit station 6 feet away ..  Just walk over, sit down.. click click, everything's going fine..


With an adjustable.. I gotta bend over,, do some weird clip thing..  or hit a lever..  it's just hassle-ee...

[Moistgun]

Also..   the Adjustable type desk..  I'm tellin' ya'll ..  it's really a PITA..... 

I got my sit station 6 feet away ..  Just walk over, sit down.. click click, everything's going fine..


With an adjustable.. I gotta bend over,, do some weird clip thing..  or hit a lever..  it's just hassle-ee...

It sounds like you have a lot of space.   I'm definitely jealous of your setup man

Sent from my local payphone

[appleonama]

I'm considering investing in a sit/stand desk solution for home use and had been looking at the Jarvis Bamboo by ErgoDepot.

If anyone has experience using sit/stand desks I would appreciate any insight you can offer, thanks!

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

You are on geekhack. you have time

[tp4tissue]

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

You are on geekhack. you have time

Getting up to run every day, does not offset the damage done by sitting..

Our internal organs are not designed to be compressed for long duration..

Organs receive lower oxygenation..


Ontop of that with sitting, it is impossible to keep the spine in neutral position.


The reason for this, is because the neutral position of the spine, is only achievable with abdominal and back muscle support..

Neutral also naturally reduces the compression on our spinal disks..

With sitting, this is not possible because the pelvis has to be rotated for you to --sit..




Sitting is an integral part of --the computer lifestyle..  But it is fundamentally at odds with our anatomic design..

Therefore.. we must make amends to re-appropriate the hours between each posture.

[Moistgun]

I'm considering investing in a sit/stand desk solution for home use and had been looking at the Jarvis Bamboo by ErgoDepot.

If anyone has experience using sit/stand desks I would appreciate any insight you can offer, thanks!

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

what wrong with taking 30 minutes of your day to go on a jog or run?

You are on geekhack. you have time

Alot of us sit on geekhack at work.


Not me.
I promise, network manager.

[gohono3]

Thank you for all of the insightful responses! I do take breaks throughout the day, but I'm generally aiming just to be more active. I might be a little ocd cause I'm digging how TP has come at this problem.

I think two separate work stations for sitting and standing would promote mobility and maximize efficiency if it could be mastered.  Hell, put the stations on opposite sides of the room, give me a lab coat and clipboard, I'll be frantically pacing all day.

Outside of that, investing in ergonomic seating might be a higher priority, the Aeron chair seems like the stand out for price/quality.

[shadowku]

I use a standing desk at work and I really like it, but only because the setup I have is not cheap and it's probably not practical to setup at home.

One of the most important things is the particular balance board that I use - a FluidStance balance board <http://www.fluidstance.com/>
They're crazy experience but they're very good.

I don't know if I would do this setup at home because you would need a good chair for times when you want to sit (good stool chairs are not cheap) and the balance board is not cheap. Furthermore, the balance board would destroy your floor unless you have a carpet that isn't too soft to still allow you to use the balance board.

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Anything that:

– stops immediate backbone pain
– stops further damaging your backbone

is worth it. No matter what it costs (well, at least within reasons / mass-market availability), spine rehab costs worse and neglecting it if it were necessary would cost you even worse. I have 5 different spine conditions and spent 6 weeks in rehab for it at the ripe age of 16. I know what I'm talking about. You want to go easy on your spine.

[tp4tissue]

Anything that:

– stops immediate backbone pain
– stops further damaging your backbone

is worth it. No matter what it costs (well, at least within reasons / mass-market availability), spine rehab costs worse and neglecting it if it were necessary would cost you even worse. I have 5 different spine conditions and spent 6 weeks in rehab for it at the ripe age of 16. I know what I'm talking about. You want to go easy on your spine.

Basically,  gettin' old..  Body no-work-so-good...

[NewbieOneKenobi]

Basically,  gettin' old..  Body no-work-so-good...

I know a translator who walks and records himself as a form of dictation. Then he lies down in some sort of star destroyer pilot's massage chair and types it down. (Although down is possibly not an accurate description physically.) Crazy guy. He was a quality/optimization/process/whatever engineer before. No spine conditions I'd know of, though. But a bunch of others I know to have spine problems have opted for all sorts of funky solutions such as sitting on a freaking rubber ball or using a kneeler.

[tp4tissue]

Basically,  gettin' old..  Body no-work-so-good...

I know a translator who walks and records himself as a form of dictation. Then he lies down in some sort of star destroyer pilot's massage chair and types it down. (Although down is possibly not an accurate description physically.) Crazy guy. He was a quality/optimization/process/whatever engineer before. No spine conditions I'd know of, though. But a bunch of others I know to have spine problems have opted for all sorts of funky solutions such as sitting on a freaking rubber ball or using a kneeler.

standing is probably the best solution for your back..

but there are major issues with it and the workplace


Depending on how long you stand, and how hot the workplace is,  it does make your feet sweat..

So, i've seen solutions where people wear a pair of slippers or / barefoot while they're in their cubicle, and only put shoes on when they walk out..

[slip84]

If God wanted us to stand, he wouldn't have invented chairs.

[tp4tissue]

If God wanted us to stand, he wouldn't have invented chairs.

I was 1 with sitting..  Until back problems..