@carnage4life Good find. Standing is not the same as physical activity for sure, e.g. for elderly people standing might be in fact problematic because of circulatory issues in the lower legs. So they are not encouraged to let's say wash dishes (static standing) but they are indeed always encouraged to walk.

What might be beneficial about standing against sitting in the long run is better posture, because it does not enable the so called "rectification" of the lumbar region as sitting typically does.

@carnage4life
Years ago, I had to use one to work, because I had chronic back pain for decades (starting in 6th grade), then in my 30s I threw my back out, and for months I couldn't sit without excruciating pain. Standing wasn't great, but still: much better.

When did I throw my back out? It was Thanksgiving Day, of course. #stress

@carnage4life

Er..... a walking desk, perhaps?

@carnage4life

You can still eat standing up, so it makes no difference.

@carnage4life Most folks sit at their standing desks by my observation.

But for me it helps me move more counteracting what would generally be regarded a quite silly posture if it were maintained.

@carnage4life

I went for an ultrasound because of concerns about Deep Vein Thrombosis - which contributed to my mother's death - and got some of the best advice I've heard, to wit:

Don't do *anything* for more than maybe two hours straight. Not sitting not standing. After an hour or so, take 10 minutes and move around. Walk, exercise, whatever. Get the blood flowing.

Seems legit.

@carnage4life ..standing desks are great.. because they allow you to adjust them seamlessly to the right height while you’re sitting. You can even change your seat height mid-day and still have the desk at the right height. They’re amazing.

Also, they’re a great concrete illustration of the difference between correlation and causation.

@carnage4life This got me interested. First, the study cited (TechCrunch --> WaPo --> actual research report) did *not* show that "standing desks don't do squat." It showed that reduction in sitting time per day was associated with small increases in metabolic goodness, with standing desk use doing a little better than the other methods studied. But this entire study, despite large N, was correlational and, as you noted, was heavily susceptible to selection bias/effect.

There are some experimental (e.g., RCT) studies of standing desk use, and those are much more convincing because, you know, experimentation. A 2020 meta-analysis of several of these, with >800 participants, found that standing desk use caused slightly better metabolic outcomes, plausibly extended to better cardiovascular health, though they had no effect on weight.

But then, basically nothing consistently reduces obesity except surgery and some fancy new drugs.

@carnage4life I see it differenciated: Even if one doesn't use a (electrically adjustable) #StandingDesk at standing configuration, the benefit of easily adjustabke height, tilt and configureability with different seating options ranging from Pillow to Barstool and from Beanbag to Office Chair make them a big accessibility bonus.

• Espechally as they increase compatibility with wheelchairs, strollers, walkers and other #accessibility gear

Not to mention that they make the use of offices with non-fixed seating comfortable.

@carnage4life

i have a major issue with my back and there is no way i could stand for any length of time

those things always seemed weird to me

there are a bunch in my office cubes unused

another fad