Jacqui BarnesSit to stand desks have become the latest thing to have in the modern office. They are not, however, the silver bullet for everyone. As with any product it is about the end user being educated as to why and how they better for us as well as understanding what you should be looking for when investigating the sit to stand desk market.

There are two reasons why such desks work. Fundamentally humans should not sit all day – we are not designed for it and it is not good for us. More importantly, we shouldn’t be staying in one position for too long – movement is key. Varying your position between sitting and standing on a regular basis brings some movement to your working environment.

Secondly, human proportions/measurements vary tremendously. The desk height norm of 720mm will not, therefore, suit everyone. In fact, from a survey undertaken by Ergostyle this standard height of 720mm suits very few – 90% of the surveyed people have a sitting elbow height of between 590 and 710mm. Additionally the standing height of some desks do not suit everybody. It is important that the height range of a desk is considered and ideally matched to the people using it. Calculate your individual ideal height range as follows: 1. the desk height when sitting should be one finger width (approximately 2cm) below your elbow when sitting correctly in a height adjustable chair (feet flat on the floor and a 90 degree angle between the lower and upper leg); and 2. The desk height when standing should again be one finger below your elbow when you are standing. The space allowed for below your elbow (when shoulders are relaxed) allows for your arms to swing easily over a keyboard without raising your shoulders.

Besides height, the other crucial consideration for a desk is the lift capacity. This not only affects directly the amount of weight the desk has been designed to take but also affects the ease with which the desk copes with the weight and thus the life of the lifting mechanism. A desk which has to carry a weight close to its capacity does not last as long as one where the weight easily falls within its capacity.

Additional features to look for in a sit to stand desk are its stability (how stable is the desk at its greatest height?); is the height displayed (best practice under AS/NZS442:1997)?; is the control programmable or does it integrate with a computer?; and is cable management provided?

And don’t forget to move!