In august 2017, I went to the gym to do my regular leg day exercises, I warmed up and then started my squats routine. In the middle of my second set i felt something was wrong. Very wrong. As i was trying to bring my body to a standing position, i felt a strong sharp pain in my lower back. It felt like someone kicked me really hard. Somehow i managed to place the barbel on the squat rack safely.
I finished my workout, got home and everything was fine. Until the next morning. When i tried to get out of my bed, i felt my lower back muscles going out of control and i couldn't walk straight for more then a couple of seconds without feeling that sharp pain that threw me back to the floor. After a couple of Tui na treatments i felt better, but the pain was still in the background.
I couldn't sit at my desk for long periods like i used to before. Now with this new annoying pain, i could sit for maybe an hour straight until i felt the pain taking over. So i had to get out from my chair, do some stretches and get back to work after 10 minutes.
After searching online for solutions to my pain, i came across many articles about standing desks and the amazing benefits you can experience from standing more often. So i decided to get one. At the beginning, standing and working was weird, because i was used to sit when i work, so my body needed to adjust. After a couple of days i got used to standing for longer periods and felt my back and my abdomen slowly but surely getting stronger.
Fast forward to today and i don't have any back pain whatsoever. My back and my abdomen are very strong. Of course i did a lot of stretches during that period and my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training also helped to speed up the recovery process.
If you suffer from a back pain, i highly recommend you do you own research about standing desks, but you can take my word for it. It works!
Here are two important studies about standing while working:
Standing While Working Improves Cognitive Function
A study conducted by the Texas A&M School of Public Health, set to determined the neurocognitive benefits of standing desks and explore any associated changes in frontal brain function. The researchers recruited 34 freshman high school students and tested them at two time points during the school year - In the fall semester and in the spring semester. The researchers evaluated the students executive function and working memory by using a computerized neurocognitive test battery. They also tested the brain activation patterns of the prefrontal cortex. The conclusions was that a continued utilization of a standing desk is linked with significant improvement in executive function and working memory capabilities.
Sit-Stand Desk Reduce Upper Back and Neck Pain
As awareness continue to grow around the topic of prolonged sitting, more and more people are beginning to understand the health risks involved and abandoning their old regular desks and switching to standing desks. A study conducted during March - May 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, among employees with sedentary jobs, found that using a sit-stand desk can reduce sitting time, improve mood, and reduce upper back pain and neck by 54%!
While i think a standing desk is great, you should definitely take a break from time to time to sit. If you find that standing for long periods is too difficult, you can always get a sit-stand desk and alternate every time you feel tired or that you need to get up and shake things up.
Do you have any experience standing while working? Share your thoughts with me