Keeping the body in an upright position requires muscular exertion. The standing position significantly reduces the blood supply to the load-bearing muscles. Insufficient blood flow quickly increases fatigue and causes pain in the muscles of the legs, back, and neck. Here are the common health problems associated with standing all-day jobs.
1. Workers are subject to not only muscle tension but also other uncomfortable states: Prolonged and frequent standing, not resting by walking, can cause blood pooling in the legs and feet.
2. Standing for long periods can cause phlebitis: This inflammation can progress over time to become chronic and cause painful varicose veins.
3. Standing for too long can also make joints in the spine, groin, knees, and feet temporarily immobile or stiff: This immobility can lead to later rheumatic diseases that cause degeneration and destruction of tendons and ligaments (the structures that attach muscle to bone).
4. Besides problems affecting musculoskeletal and blood vessels, researchers have also shown prolonged standing work to be associated with cardiovascular diseases: Workers who work in a standing position have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Do you feel tired after finishing office work? Sedentary work puts a heavy burden on the body so that it gets tired even if it is hardly moving. An alternative way of office work that does not put a burden on the body is standing work that switches from sitting work to stand work and you should consider the features when selecting shoes for standing all day.
Here, we will look at what standing work is, from the advantages and disadvantages to the points of choosing a desk. If you are uncertain about introducing standing work, please refer to this article!
Table of Contents
Effects of Standing on Concrete
Standing on hard ground for a long time will produce unfavorable productivity and health of workers. Most of the work site ground does not have cushioning or shock absorption. One of the most common causes of physical fatigue is to stand on the concrete ground. Many years ago, most workplaces were made of wooden floors. And although they seemed difficult to walk, they had some cushioning.
However, in modern times, most companies use floors made of concrete, tiles, or marble, which have no cushioning or shock absorption. Concrete and ceramic tiles can easily transfer cold to the feet. It is not conducive to blood circulation while standing.
Health Risks of Standing All Day
When a person occupies the same position for a long time, the blood circulates less and the muscles are therefore less oxygenated. It can lead to tension and painful cramps, or even muscle stiffness. Joint capsules are also affected. They become brittle and susceptible to wear and tear because of the decrease in synovial fluid.
Prolonged standing work also affects the intervertebral discs. As they are not supplied with blood directly, they can get their nutrients from the surrounding tissues. For this nutrient exchange to take place, the intervertebral discs must be regularly stressed and relieved so that they can absorb the nutrients and evacuate the liquid.
Side Effects of Standing Long Hours
Standing work is a work style where office work is performed while standing. Many people think that office work is done by sitting down. However, if you sit for a long time, the muscles of your lower body weaken due to lack of exercise, especially the calf.
The problem with sitting too much is that blood circulation is poor, especially in the lower body. Overseas studies have shown that spending more time sitting hurts lifespan, leading to diabetes and arteriosclerosis. It increases the risk of death from stroke, heart disease, and cancer.
Against this background, standing work has become a hot topic of work. Many overseas companies have already adopted standing work. In recent years, the number of workplaces that domestic companies are also hiring is increasing. Nowadays, most office work involves computer work, so standing work can reduce sitting time during work and improve your health.
Standing work is a standing posture, so the disadvantage is that your legs get tired. Especially for those who are not accustomed to standing work, the soles of their feet will hurt even if they continue for an hour.
It is vital to sit in a chair when you are tired as you cannot stay focused even if you work while standing tired. By standing when you stand and sitting when you are tired, you will gradually get used to the standing work. Once you get used to it, it is easy to stand up for most of your work time.
When doing standing work, we recommend comfortable shoes for standing all day without heels that do not tighten your feet. By standing with the consciousness of supporting your weight with the entire sole of your foot, you will maintain a good posture.
Is Standing All Day Bad for You
We define standing for a long time as standing for over 8 hours. Most people who work in an office will stay at their desks for about that time, while people who do more physical work may stand longer. Some of the more extreme risks associated with long-term standing include chronic venous insufficiency, pain in the lower back and feet, and birth complications for pregnant women.
However, these shows happen when you stand still for 8 hours. Few jobs require you to be completely still for 8 hours at a time. If your job is to move around, deliver goods or work with your hands, it will not apply to you because you will keep moving. Similarly, if you work in an office, you may walk to different colleagues, make a phone call, have a cup of tea, or just walk around printing documents or attend meetings.
Read our complete guide about shoes & sneaker for lower back pain, walking, running.
The change in posture – sitting, standing, walking, and lying down – preserves the elasticity and mobility of the spine and prevents functional disorders of the nervous system, lumbago, and even a herniated disc. The image of “wearing out the soles for standing all day of your feet by dint of standing” carries a great deal of truth.
Seen in profile, a healthy foot should form a flexible arch that, when walking, absorbs our weight elastically. When standing, our weight is not distributed over the entire surface of our feet but only on the heels and forefoot because of the arch of the foot.
The human being must move to preserve the balance of his organism and prevent pathologies of the cardiovascular system and the musculoskeletal system.
The basis of our health lies in the permanent change of posture. The movement is associated with sitting, standing, and lying down postures. As many standing workstations do not offer the possibility of a flexible load, sit-stand solves relieve the body when working in a standing position.
Foot Problems from Standing All Day.
So what are the hazards of standing for a long time? The first thing we think of must be the legs and feet. Because the feet bear all the weight of standing, the feet will have symptoms of fatigue.
The foot is a vital part of the human body. It can reflect the condition of various organs of the human body. So if any part of the foot pain, maybe the corresponding organ has a problem. Therefore, standing for a long time will slow down the blood circulation of the feet, affecting the work of other organs.
Standing for a long time is also harmful to our legs. Like teachers and service workers, standing for a long time can easily cause varicose veins and joint pain in the lower limbs. After a long time, it may develop into vasculitis and even bone cancer.
Standing at Work All Day
Whether in the sales sector on assembly lines, in restaurants, or hairdressing salons, more than half of the working population performs their work standing up for several hours at a time. Certainly, human beings can stand for hours.
But by his evolution, we do not determine him to occupy the standing position. He must, on the contrary, vary the positions such as lying, sitting, standing, walking as well as all the intermediate postures. In the event of prolonged maintenance of a posture, they solicit the body unnaturally and exclusively, which can cause health problems.
Every day, about 7,200 liters of blood must be pumped and delivered from the veins in the legs to the heart. Through their movements, the calf and shin muscles act as a muscle pump and support the return of blood flow to the heart.
In the event of prolonged standing, without change of posture, the walls of the vessels and the venous valves are regularly and strongly stressed, vascular diseases can then occur. When standing, our muscles and joints stiffen and carry all the weight of our body with the skeleton. Tendons and ligaments are also available to counterbalance the body and keep it in balance.
How to Choose a Standing Desk
To do stand work, you need office furniture called a standing desk. There are two types of standing desks, a dedicated desk type and a desk type that is installed on an ordinary desk. There are other points to choose from besides the different types. So, if you do not choose the one that suits you properly, you may fail. From here, we will explain how to choose a standing desk.
Height Change Function
Some standing desks have a fixed top plate height, while others have a height change function. The usage and price will differ depending on whether the height change function is available, so consider how to use it when choosing.
Fixed height desk:
- Because the height is fixed, it is only for standing work.
- The structure is the same as an ordinary office desk
- The price is cheap
The fixed-height desk is made by extending the legs of an ordinary desk. Because of its simple structure, it is highly durable and inexpensive. The height is fixed and cannot be adjusted, so be sure to buy a desk that fits your height when making a purchase.
Desk with height change function:
- The height change function allows you to change the usage scene by standing or sitting.
- There is a mechanism for height change
- The price is high
- Weight is high
As being an elevating desk, we can adjust the height of the desktop within a certain range. The advantage is that when you are tired of standing work and sitting in a chair. You can continue working simply by adjusting the height of your desk. Most desk-mounted types have this height change feature and choose a perfect arch support sneakers can help improve the problem significantly.
Height Change Method
If you choose a desk with a height change, check how the height change is done. There are three types of height change functions, each with different prices and usability.
Handle type manual type:
- Adjust the height of the top plate with the handle on the side
- It takes time to change the height significantly
- The price is cheap
In the handle type, the height of the top plate is adjusted by turning the handle on the side. Although it takes time to turn the handle, it is cheaper than other desks with a height change function. We can store some products under the top plate so that the handle does not get in the way.
Gas pressure lever type:
- We can adjust the height of the top plate by operating the lever and pedals.
- Easy to move up and down even with objects on the desk
- The price is higher than the handle type but cheaper than the electric type.
When you press the lever or pedal, the gas pressure inside the mechanism is released and we can push the top plate up. When lowering, apply a downward force to the top plate. Since the height can be adjusted by gas pressure, it does not take time as the handle type.
- We can adjust the height of the top plate with the touch of a button.
- It is necessary to plug the power cable into the outlet.
- Price is high
A power cable extends from the standing desk. You can electrically raise and lower the height of the top plate by connecting it to an outlet. We can adjust the height by operating the buttons on the panel.
There is no need to crouch under the top plate or view the height from the side. Although the price is the highest of the three types, it is ideal for those who want to adjust to the desired height with one touch.
Easy to Carry
When choosing a standing desk, consider portability as well. The standing desk may not allow you to move the desk when cleaning or redecorating the room. In particular, desks with height change functions are heavy and cannot be lifted by one person. So, products with casters that can be rolled and carried are convenient.