

Trying the Stand-Up Desk - ycombwin
http://blogs.lessthandot.com/index.php/ITProfessionals/ITProcesses/trying-the-stand-up-desk

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JohnBooty
Slightly off-topic, but also very relevant. 36 years old, been coding at desk
jobs since college.

My sitting-at-a-desk-all-day-related pain has been really eliminated by a very
simple stretching technique. It's known as "upward dog pose" in yoga, but you
_don't_ need to do it as part of a yoga routine or anything like that. I've
had friends have it recommended to them by doctors.

It's a simple, simple pose; Google "upward dog" for plenty of pictorial
examples.

Just about anybody can benefit from doing this and other stretches several
times a day, so it's fairly independent of whether you use a sitting desk,
standing desk, or split your time between the two. Good luck!

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raldi
Do you need to do it lying down?

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tagawa
Yes - the starting position is to lie face down. See here:
[http://www.tinajuanfitness.info/exercises/mod%20upward%20dog...](http://www.tinajuanfitness.info/exercises/mod%20upward%20dog.htm)

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lucisferre
As I sit here with a mid-back pain I've been fighting for over a week now,
I've been thinking a lot about getting a sit-to-stand setup. My back-pain
probably wasn't caused by sitting though (I am actually quite capable of
sitting, typing, etc in front of a computer for hours, even WoW didn't cause
me any symptoms) but more probably because of a small 20lb monster I have to
carry around frequently.

That said, the sitting for long hours aggravates the sore back resulting in
much, much longer healing times. So I'm looking for some way to have a bit
more movement and better posture while I work. I'm curious if most people have
found this works well for them. Sore feet seem to be the commonly quoted
issue, which is where the sit-to-stand design comes in to play for me.

It's about a $750 purchase for a geek desk. Is it worth it?

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aed
Before dumping the money on a geek desk, you really ought to try a hacked-
together solution for a week or so. There's the $20 IKEA hack option or you
can just stick a chair or a box on your desk.

You may end up finding your prefer a specific configuration and look at other
standing desk options.

Also, in terms of sittings vs. standing and sore feet. I've been OK with
comfortable shoes, but I'm close to getting a standing mat. There are some
pretty pricey ones on Amazon, but Uline sells standing mats for $30 that are
probably comparable to the expensive ones.

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Cyranix
A hacked-together solution can be a good idea for trying it out without
incurring the expense, but it's important to take note of what's being
sacrificed or neglected in a hacked build. (If you can get that down to
"none", so much the better!)

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kamkunce
Personally, I can say using a stand-up desk has been a game changer for me. No
longer do I suffer with neck and back pain.

Extended sitting has become a serious issue in today's workforce and there are
plenty of options out there to get the job done.

My stand-up desk (UpDesk)is height-adjustable, which allows for better
movement and customization. Finding the perfect mixture of standing AND
sitting is key. Remember, anything in excess can be harmful.

Overall, standing up while working is extremely beneficial. I've noticed it
has helped my focus, productivity, and energy level. Not to mention it has the
ability to add years to my life.

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emarutian
31 years old. I've been using stand up desk for more than a year and half now
after succumbing to a lower back pain and having to sleep on the floor for
more than a month to get at least some sleep during the night. It worked for
me. For the past 3 years I continued working a lot of hours at a computer (my
side project, my main work, and sometimes some consulting work for clients).

I don't stand 100% all the time though. It is more like, somedays I sit more,
somedays I stand more. I believe the key here is listening to your body and
ability to easily change the position accordingly (sometimes I feel like
standing, other times like sitting).

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guptaneil
I actually woke up this morning and randomly decided to try a standup desk, so
I put a chair on my table for my laptop screen and a box underneath for my
keyboard[1]. It took absolutely no initial investment to try a stand-up desk.
I'm going to try it whenever I'm at home before deciding to invest in a proper
setup.

1:
[https://twitter.com/neilgupta/status/255039626849443840/phot...](https://twitter.com/neilgupta/status/255039626849443840/photo/1)

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grogenaut
If you want to try it just buy some cinder blocks from lowes / home depot.
They're about $2 each and 4 of them will get your desk up pretty high. I'm
6'2" with a regular height adjustable work desk (many office ones are). For
$16 I tried it out for a month. Have a Geek Desk on order. Still need a floor
/ mat solution for my office.

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phire
I've been meaning to try setting up a standing desk, but there was a major
earthquake where I live 2 years ago and 6 or so major aftershocks since. There
is still a high change of another major aftershock so I can't really stack my
monitor on random things.

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shorttime
You could use the security kensington lock feature available on many monitors
to act as a "catch" so it won't fall over.

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gdubs
I tried a standing desk for a while, but didn't have a way to adjust the
keyboard height, so it ended up causing strain for my neck and shoulders. I'd
give it another shot with a more legitimate piece of furniture -- mine was
makeshift.

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tpainton
Perhapse you should talk to nurses who stand all day or doctors take care of
them? See venous insufficiency and lower extremity edema. I recommend Ted
hose...good luck .

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grannyg00se
The best desk is neither stand up nor sit down, but fully adjustable between
the two. Staying in any one position for lengthy periods of time can be
harmful.

