It's been 2 years since I used a standing computer desk for work. No matter how many hours a day I have to program, I always stand in front of the computer. That said, there were days when I would stand for over 10 hours a day, though not continuously—with breaks, meals, meditation, etc.
I didn't measure my blood quality or other physical indicators before I decided to write programs while standing, and I haven't measured them now, but here are my own feelings about the physical changes. I can't attribute all these changes to working standing up; I exercise every day outside of work. However, the time spent standing is much longer than that spent on other activities, so the changes it brings to my body should be more obvious than other sports.
Some things I was worried would happen after standing up work that actually didn't happen.
– I have no pain in my knees, feet, back or hips.
– I didn’t feel exhausted at the end of the day or during weekend time.
– My productivity and focus have not decreased.
What really happens when you work standing up
– My posture is better than before. My neck and shoulders no longer hunched forward.
– I have more muscle in my legs.
– I no longer have lower back pain.
– I have active physical exercise during my work.
Side effects of standing up to write programs
– Negative effects: I feel a bit uncomfortable after sitting for two hours straight.
– Positive effect: I rarely feel lethargic when waiting in line on the MRT. I suspect that this feeling before was partly due to fatigue from standing. I don't feel that way anymore.
My self-adjustment in the past two years:
– I used to stand on a thick mat and wear shoes with soft soles. Now, there is no need for soft shoes or floor mats.
– I now have my laptop 5 inches higher than it was originally because my head tended to lean forward and downward at the previous height. Now the keyboard height is around my chest, and my eye viewing angle is about 105 degrees forward and downward.
– Before I would sit down and rest, but now I do jumping movements instead. Jumping around gives my legs more energy than sitting down.
All in all, I am amazed and delighted by these changes. After standing for two years, I still wholeheartedly recommend using a standing computer desk . Especially standing laptop desks.
Sources:
https://www.inside.com.tw/2013/09/04/what-happens-when-you-stand-for-2-years
