Standing Desks

[Korbin73]

2 questions:

1. Do you have to take sitting breaks from time to time?
2. Is that keyboard on your desk a plank?

[dasdom]

1. Sitting breaks help my back. So, Yes, I have to take sitting brakes from time to time.
2. Yes, it’s a Planck EZ.

[Ted]

@dasdom

Sitting breaks help my back

Same for me.

Stretching my hamstrings and going for a five minute walk often does the trick, too.

[AstonJ]

I think I am going to get one as the wet weather draws in …but I don’t think I’ll be using it for standing

I’m actually not a fan of standing, in fact I think there are some concerns relating to professions where people stand all day - IIRC, things like DVT? (I can actually walk for hours tho - yesterday I went for a 5 hour hike up the mountain by my house!) so I think what I’ll do is take off the handlebars off my exercise bike (which I bought recently and have only used twice!) and put that under the desk, then alternate between that and my kneeling stool.

If I don’t like that then I’ll get one of those flat treadmills. I actually had one, but got rid of it as I wasn’t using it (it was a bit chunky tho, so the flat one I linked to above would be much better I think).

Edit: These look pretty good:

Autonomous.ai | Best Standing Desks & Ergonomic Office Chairs

[OvermindDL1]

I used to use a standing desk for ~5 years at my old job. I love standing to work. ^.^

I should again…

[AstonJ]

I ordered a standing desk

The one I linked to above:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AIMEZO-Electric-Adjustable-Standing-Workstation/dp/B07CXMCFP5

On looking at it again they replaced the faulty motor that was mentioned in the review and the lower price I saw mentioned was actually relating to the smaller version. It has a 5 year warranty so I’m happy to give it a go. It can also take a desk/table top of up to 200cm which is great (though for now in this room I just want to use my existing top). It also goes higher than others I have seen (129cm) which means I should be able to fit my exercise bike under it

Longer term, I think I am going to order a standing desk treadmill (I’ll start a thread for those now!)

[OvermindDL1]

@AstonJ

Longer term, I think I am going to order a standing desk treadmill (I’ll start a thread for those now!)

I’ve so been tempted in those! Saw a cool one that had arm things to work out against too a couple years ago.

[AstonJ]

Get one ODL!!!

I started a thread for them here:

Standing Desk Treadmills & Bikes

Thought it might be worth having a dedicated thread for standing desk treadmills (for those interested, here’s our general thread on standing desks). So far I’ve found this one that looks suitable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa9I9SQ90mU It’s the widest I can find (45cm mat) in a flat treadmill (most are 40cm). I did also consider the foldable one, but they can only be used for walking as most only go up to a speed of 3km/h. The one on the video above can go up to 6km/h. This one seems t…

I reckon a walking desk, where you walk at a slow pace with the windows open for fresh air, is probably the closest we’ll get to an ideal solution

[Ted]

Congrats, @AstonJ!

Your frame, console, and “brain” look similar to my desk (I went with a bamboo table top).

I think you’ll really enjoy it.

[AstonJ]

Thanks @Ted ! I’ve just finished putting it together and I love it already I decided to keep my existing top as it is the perfect size for me and for this placement (140cm x 75cm). What’s the size of yours?

Thanks also to @dasdom for putting the idea into my head and everyone else who’s been talking about standing desks - as you can probably tell I am easily led

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Ok so I have a question for all of you with standing desks… how high does your desk go (measurement from the floor to the bottom/underside of the top - i.e to determine how much room you have underneath it). Mine goes to 126.5cm to the underside, and 129cm above the top.

[dimitarvp]

Mine will have the same maximum height. When I was trying it in the showroom I found that I’m comfortable typing on a keyboard standing with the desk being at about 112cm or so.

[AstonJ]

The max height is probably only important if you intend to use a treadmill or bike under it (as those will likely need more room underneath). I’ve just put my bike under mine now and I’ve had to remove the bike controls as they hit the frame underneath (not bothered by not having them tbh).

[Ted]

@AstonJ

Thanks @Ted ! I’ve just finished putting it together and I love it already I decided to keep my existing top as it is the perfect size for me and for this placement (140cm x 75cm). What’s the size of yours?

Nice; glad you love it!

Mine’s 122cm x 76cm x 2cm.

@AstonJ

how high does your desk go

My max height is 127cm from floor to bottom of desk.

@dimitarvp

I’m comfortable typing on a keyboard standing with the desk being at about 112cm or so.

From floor to top-of-desk, I’m sitting at 65cm and standing at 115cm.

I use a Kinesis Advantage2 keyboard, which has a bit of height to it in order to accommodate the key bowls, so with a standard keyboard I imagine those measurements would get a +2cm or so.

But really, perhaps the biggest win for me with a standing desk is the ability to fine tune my sitting height. Standard desks tend to be too high for me, so I end up typing uphill and getting tense shoulders and traps for the effort.

[AstonJ]

Thanks for the measurements Ted!

@Ted

But really, perhaps the biggest win for me with a standing desk is the ability to fine tune my sitting height.

I am finding this too - it’s great having a desk where you can get the height just right!

[dasdom]

Max hight from floor to bottom of desk is 119cm. This is the hight I put it when I’m standing.

[dimitarvp]

@Ted

But really, perhaps the biggest win for me with a standing desk is the ability to fine tune my sitting height. Standard desks tend to be too high for me, so I end up typing uphill and getting tense shoulders and traps for the effort.

I suspect it’s going to be the same for me. I will absolutely love to work and even play standing upright part of the day but I am pretty sure that the ability to tune my desk just at the right height so my arms don’t get tired is going to be the real investment return here.

[AstonJ]

Here’s an update on how I’m currently using my standing desk…

I’m finding that since you can adjust the height of the desk I have changed the seat height of my kneeling stool (made it higher) and more in line with the high setting as shown in the middle of this video:

dragonn Kneeling Chair Review (Does it Help your Back)?

I do that for about an hour or two, then I stand. When I get tired of standing I then roll the exercise bike under the desk use that (and alternative between sitting and standing/leaning on the bike seat). Then towards the end of the day I reverse, go to standing, then finally back to the kneeling stool.

I’m finding that I’m using the stool a lot longer than I was to begin with and I’m also standing longer. I’m not sure whether this is because sitting on a bike seat is not comfortable for long periods (they weren’t designed for people to sit on for a long time!) or whether it just isn’t as good for you and my body wants to switch to standing instead (perhaps because of effect on things like gut motility, pressure on back, etc).

Overall I am very happy that I bought this desk - I wish I had done it sooner! I would also recommend anyone thinking of getting one to get a motorised unit! It’s so much easier setting your preferred heights in the presets and then just pressing the button (I have 1 for sitting/kneeling, 2 for standing, 3 for the bike and 4 for max height - to allow me to put the bike under it).

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How is everyone else alternating between sitting/standing etc?

[Exadra37]

@AstonJ

I have changed the seat height of my kneeling stool (made it higher) and more in line with the high setting as shown in the middle of this video:

So your kneeling chair is the Dragonn model in the video?

[AstonJ]

No I have this one:

Best chairs for developers?

I have one of these kneeling stools: [image] Bought from Amazon. If I was to get another, I would like to try this one as I think it allows you to sit with your legs a little wider (which I think is probably more suitable for men). In terms of what I think might be the ‘best’, possibly switching between squatting, standing, kneeling, or even walking: [This guy built himself a human hamster wheel for the ultimate standing desk]

I generally prefer wood furniture. It seems to be a similar design - though the Dragonn model does seem to have much better padding. I was going to look at getting the one @ohm ordered, but those don’t allow height adjustment…

If you are going to get a motorised desk, I’d start with the Dragonn or one like mine