Last updated: January 3rd, 2024
Back pain is something many with a desk job have experienced – and something which often worsens with age. What many don’t realise is that standing desks could be to blame.
The global prevalence of back pain currently sits around 8.2% of people. Back pain results in years lived with disability more than any other condition and is a significant public health concern.
This is especially important for sedentary office workers. Let’s find out.
(Related: Which Standing Desk Should You Buy?)
Will A Standing Desk Reduce My Back Pain?
Shown above: standing desks don’t have to be fancy or expensive. If you’re on a tight budget, create one using a set of cardboard boxes.
There are mixed studies regarding the efficacy of standing desks. The percentile of back pain in sitting desk workers (76%) was slightly higher than in standing workers (70%).
Expert Tip.
Standing can help relieve back pain by supporting the spine’s natural alignment, but standing for too long can worsen symptoms.
(Related: How Long Should I Stand At A Standing Desk?)
Several studies confirm that sit-stand workstations are beneficial. They:
- Positively impact chronic low back pain by encouraging movement.
- Support you in maintaining a proper posture that works best for your body.
- Allow you to alternate between positions and take frequent movement breaks.
Expert Tip.
Excess of anything can be detrimental. Long periods of standing instead of sitting are not the solution to low back pain as they can lead to added load on your joints and muscles.
Ongoing standing can lead to the following:
- Varicose veins.
- Aggravated back pain.
- Poor posture if leaning in awkward ways.
According to a study by the University of Waterloo, working at standing desks for about two hours continuously can contribute to lower back pain in almost 50% of people.
Adjustable standing desks may prove counterproductive in preventing back pain, especially when:
- Standing in a poor posture.
- Not moving around or stretching.
- Having pre-existing back issues.
(Related: How To Stand At A Standing Desk).
How Should I Use A Standing Desk With Low Back Pain?
You should follow a sit-stand cycle to relieve pressure throughout the body:
- Adjusting the desk height accordingly (what height is best?)
- Wear supportive shoes and use a standing mat to prevent soreness in the legs and foot pain.
- Make sure the computer monitor is at eye level (browse best standing desk accessories).
Shown above: Prevent neck pain when using a laptop with a standing desk by elevating it and using a wireless keyboard.
Expert Tip.
The sciatic nerve is often to blame for discomfort. When seated, the nerve is compressed, resulting in pain, tingling, and numbness. Standing reduces this pressure.
Should I Be Concerned About Prolonged Sitting?
Physical activity is a vital aspect of maintaining optimal health and well-being, with physicians across the globe emphasising the importance of regular exercise and mobility.
The greatest hindrance to activity is the 9-5 office job. The dangers include:
- Health problems: Research shows that sitting increases your risk of diabetes, heart attack, and stroke by 112% and 147%, respectively.
- Pain: Occupational studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses conclude that low back pain is more prevalent in individuals with jobs requiring sitting.
Important!
Back pain and neck pain isn’t just an issue for people who work in an office. Consider teens and children involved in console/mobile gaming who spend extended time sitting.
What Are The Long-Term Dangers Of Sitting?
Sitting for up to eight hours (sometimes more) is now considered the new smoking. Extended sitting can lead to a range of health problems alongside back pain, including:
1. Obesity.
Reduced daily movement is a significant risk factor for obesity.
Research shows prolonged periods of sitting can promote dysglycemia (abruptions in blood glucose levels). This lowered insulin efficiency and reduced muscle contractility can promote fat deposition.
2. Hypertension.
Hypertension refers to higher-than-normal blood pressure.
A school study revealed that a sedentary lifestyle was associated with a greater risk of high blood pressure. Abdominal obesity and hypertension were more common in teachers with sedentary lifestyles.
3. Heart Disease.
One of the significant pitfalls of sitting for extended periods is the increased risk of cardiovascular issues. These are dangerously associated with an elevated cardiovascular disease mortality risk.
Higher total sitting time can also increase the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack).
4. Diabetes.
Excessive sitting can also contribute to increased diabetes risk. The latest research encourages us to sit less to prevent Type 2 diabetes.
Important!
Ensure you eat a healthy and balanced diet, prioritise sleep, exercise regularly, and minimise stress for optimal health. Sitting is merely one risk factor for back pain and numerous diseases.
How Should I Use A Seated Desk With Low Back Pain?
If your workplace or home office does not have a sit-stand desk, ensure you maximise your seated position.
You should be:
- Maintaining correct posture.
- Incorporating moderate daily physical activity and stretches.
- Utilising ergonomic chairs with lumbar support.
If you don’t have a standing desk, you can always browse the numerous standing desk converters online for a quick and easy fix.
Impact Of Occupation On Low Back Pain.
Occupational low back pain is a medical challenge that causes disability and discomfort. It is not just sitting that causes pain – multiple factors can contribute. These include:
1. Poor Posture.
A systematic review concluded that sitting in an incorrect body posture for more than half a day increased the chances of developing sciatica and low back pain.
Poor posture also:
- Increased lower back pain.
- Contributed to musculoskeletal disorders.
Disc slips and herniations can be implications of prolonged sitting in a confined posture (on a workstation). Approximately 1 in 3 American workers reported being in a job that increased posture disturbances.
2. Desk Position.
Whether you sit or stand, you should pay attention to your desk’s position and ensure it supports your body.
Important!
A table too low can cause rounding of the shoulders, whilst a table too high can cause you to strain your arms.
To alleviate stiff muscles and improve posture, aim for the following:
- Keep your upper back straight with your hips/buttocks pushed back deep into the chair.
- Keep your legs straight, creating a 90-degree angle with your thighs.
- Adjust yourself to be at eye level with the computer screen, so your neck remains in a natural position.
- Relax your shoulders and make a conscious effort not to slouch.
- Ensure your feet remain flat on the ground.
Relief For Back Pain.
Whether you sit or stand, ensure you support your spine daily with a holistic approach.
You should focus on the following:
- Diet: Opt for anti-inflammatory foods such as salmon, nuts, dark leafy greens, turmeric, and tomatoes. Reduce your saturated fats and refined sugars, which can worsen the pain.
- Reduced stress: Incorporate mindfulness and regular breaks in your day to revitalise your energy and mental health.
- Stretching: Try yoga or special standing desk exercises to relieve your back pain.
- Exercise: The CDC advises you should aim for 3-5 sessions per week. For ultimate health benefits, work out outside in the fresh air and sunshine.
Maintaining your health comes down to consistency. Even on days when you are not in pain – ensure you keep your routine to prevent injuries.
Final Words On Back Pain When Standing.
If you are experiencing persistent back pain that does not improve, see a physical therapist or health professional for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Whilst remaining seated all day can worsen back pain and contribute to spinal misalignment, standing all day can similarly aggravate pain and contribute to injury.
The best option is maintaining movement, stretching, and mobility throughout the day. Remember to take regular breaks, and invest in a desk that allows you to sit and stand whilst you work.
Steven
Cody says:
Hi,
Do you know 9am HOME standing desks?
I want to know how about their desk.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Cody, I’ve never seen them before but I took a quick look for you and I’m 90% certain it’s another Jiecang desk. You can tell by the design of the feet and the lowest height (60cm). Desky, Omnidesk, Stand Desk are all pretty much the same.
Cody says:
Which one do you mean? Pesk or Robin series? I am interested in their Robin series, it looks unique and beautiful. I can’t find anyone like it in Desky.
Steven McConnell says:
I was talking about the Pesk Series. Robin series does look attractive and unusual, but I’m usually not a fan of tubular legs as they tend to be more prone to wobble. I can’t say whether this is the case in this instance, as I haven’t physically tested the desk myself. The 10 year warranty is reassuring, however. I wish they offered a risk-free trial to let you test out the legs!
Cody says:
Thank you very much, Steven; I will take your comments into consideration.
Erin says:
Do you know much about Kangadesks? There are Australian as well.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Erin, its another Jiecang standing desk. Same as Desky, Omni, Stand Desk etc. The design of the feet and 60-125cm height range gives it away. The desk appears to currently be currently on sale for $299, which is an absolute steal and I’m wondering why they’re selling their stock at 1/3 of RRP. Regardless, even if they’re about to go bust, I’d still buy one at that price.
EDIT: Be careful. Fakespot showed these warnings while browsing their website: “Multiple eCommerce scam experiences detected, Poor customer service”
Suzy says:
Hi – given all the desks are so similar, is it possible to mix a desk from one brand with a drawer accessory from another? I don’t like the UpDown desk metal drawer (hangs very low so likely to impede leg space) but don’t mind the Desky one – can these be mixed and matched?
Thank you for the reviews! Super helpful.
Steven McConnell says:
Yes, it’s possible to play switcheroo. But you may want to consider that UpDown design is curved, so it will hurt less if you do jam your thighs into it. Desky’s meanwhile, is quite angular. Pro tip: you can also find a bunch of inexpensive slimline desk drawers on Amazon.
jason says:
I’ve spent far, far too much time agonising over which desk to get haha, definitely more than a week. Very happy that you’ve added the omni-desk to your catalogue. That was the one I was considering the most untill you came you with a review saying that it was more wobbly!
Anyways, do you have an opinion on the new updown desk KLIK Series? Its advertises to be significanlty ligher while having better (on paper) specs
Thanks!
Evelyn says:
Hi Steven, great blog post – thank you! I’m also wondering whether you have any opinion or insights on the new UpDown Desk KLIK series…they come at $100 more expensive (for the same size/table top) but seem to be ‘better’ according to the UpDown website.
Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Evelyn, thanks! I will have a full review of the KLIK up around February 2025. It’s not necessarily a better standing desk – but it is lighter, less bulky and promises easier assembly.
Ben Clements says:
Hi. I’m interested to know more about whether I actually could fit the Desky cable management system in the Omnidesk? I’ve had a look at the omnidesks in person at the showroom and it looks like their cable management trays screw on (vs the clip in at the edges of the desk with the Desky tray). The desky system also has the power plugs that snap into place in the tray.
So I’m curious to know if you have you tried it, and if so how did you do it please? Or is your thinking that you’d just buy the power boards and plugs from Desky and rest them in the Omnidesk tray?
I’m stuck, because I prefer the Omnidesks but I really love the idea of a single power lead!
Thanks
Steven McConnell says:
I just had a new Omnidesk delivered to my house. Give me about two weeks to assemble it, test it out and report back.
Sunni says:
Thanks for your very helpful (and funny) review. I used the information to to buy a Desky standing desk in record time – no consumer agonising for weeks, as is my usual practice. It has a pneumatic up/down mechanism, so lets see how that goes.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! You’re welcome, Sunni. Glad I helped you cut down on the agonising. The pneumatic mechanism is an interest choice – let me know what you think of it?
Amber says:
Hi Steven,
Really great and insightful review. It was refreshing to see something that wasn’t filled with ChatGPT affiliate link garbage!
I’m curious about your opinion on L-shaped standing desks? I know that Desky, UpDown and a few other retailers offer these types of desks and I would assume they are more strong and stable, but I’m not an expert and I can also imagine the opposite being true due to the irregular shape. I’ve been looking at these types of desks because I think their shape suits my space the best. Do you have any knowledge on this or do you only have experience with regular rectangular shaped desks?
Steven McConnell says:
Thanks, Amber. Did you know that I have a L-shaped standing desk review? Search for “arielle best corner standing desks” and you’ll find it.
Melissa says:
Hi Steven great article thank you!
I’ve spent way to much time on this, and I’m now leaning towards the Artiss thanks to your review.
I’m wondering if you have any insight into ergonomic chairs for the home office also?
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Melissa, thanks! The Artiss is a great budget pick. I’ve written numerous ergonomic chair reviews – Google “arielle best ergonomic office chairs” to find them 🙂
tania says:
hey are there any other manual desks apart from the ikea ones you don’t recommend, that you would recommend? I prefer the idea of not needing electricity to move between stand up and sit down but maybe that doesn’t really exist?
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Tania, all of the premium brands (UpDown, Desky, etc) offer a manual crank model. Definitely the way to go if you want to avoid electronics. But TBH I suggest you reconsider. Electronics are very reliable these days – and hand-cranking your standing desk is more annoying than you’d expect.
Adam says:
Hi, do you know much about the UpDown Klik vs Pro system?
Steven McConnell says:
The company has shipped their new Klik standing desk to me yesterday. Stay tuned!
Scott Long says:
You mention in your review of the Up Down Pro that you would get the cable holes and grommets done, but it looks like your (very pretty) Messmate desk doesn’t have them. Is your recommendation a hindsight reflection, or did you choose not to spoil the look of the desk with the grommets? Without the grommets can you can still run the cables behind the desk and into the cable management tray? Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Scott, I said in the review that grommets and holes are a great idea, not that I have them. They’re less important if your standing desk faces a wall. But if you have an open-plan style home office like mine, they’ll make your workspace look much cleaner. PS You can still run cables into the tray without the holes and grommets – the cables will simply run behind the desk.
Isaac Jenkinson says:
Hello,
Have you had a chance to try the new UpDown Lyft model? Curious about its stability vs the pro.
Steven McConnell says:
Isaac,
Not yet. On first glance, it looks like a budget alternative to the “big brothers”. It’s probably pretty good (UpDown has a reputation to maintain), but I’m of the opinion that buying cheap means you pay more in the long term. I’d save up another few hundred bucks and get the Pro. You can often get a melamine or bamboo-topped model on sale for around $900.
David says:
This is a great site and will help me decide on which desk to buy. Have you heard any good/bad reviews about the Blacklyte Atlas Lite or Ergo-Rise II from BDO furniture?
Steven McConnell says:
David, thanks for the kind words. Never heard of the Atlas Lite until you mentioned it. Looks like a decent gaming desk that borrows heavily from Secretlab Magnus – but why not just buy a real Magnus instead?
As for the Ergo-Rise – looks like a decent desk, but its height controller is outdated. The best standing desk brands have upgraded to OLED controllers.
Ben says:
Thank you for writing this review Steven; really helpful to break through the BS.
By any chance have you used or hold an opinion on Vertilift desks?
Steven McConnell says:
You’re welcome. God, I haven’t even heard of them – but thanks for the heads-up. There are too many standing desks on the Australian market. Obviously I haven’t used these in person, but I’m almost certain they’re yet another Jiecang variant (i.e., frames are identical to Desky). You can tell by the identical max and min heights, as well as the design of the foot.
Eloise says:
Hey Steven, I was recommended the Alwyn or Octavia (Living Fusion) 140cm sit and stand desks from Temple and Webster which don’t even get a mention in your review. Would you bother with any of their brands ? (I may have dodged a bullet by finding your review!)
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Louise, I haven’t had first-hand experience with the T&W standing desk (must add one to my list!).
However, I had a look through the specs for you.
It doesn’t look too bad, actually – considering the price. If you can’t stretch your budget to ~$950 for an entry-level UpDown or Desky, this could be a good option.
Jordan says:
Hi Steven, Thanks for the review! I am starting out with a home office set up and need a new chair and sit stand desk. I’m a student but I prefer to buy things I know will last, but I don’t have too much experience with sit stand desks. I initially thought to buy the Artiss but have considered buying the Acacia UpDown Pro+ so I know it lasts and I don’t have to buy another desk in a couple of years. Is it worth the price jump for me? Thanks!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Jordan, the Artiss and the UpDown desks sell at two very different price points. If you have the budget, I suggest you stretch to the UpDown standing desk – you won’t regret it.
jason says:
I know you’ve disqualified the flexispot e7 pro so the e7 max plus would probably also be disqualified, but a quad motor 4 column desk frame at a prices competitive with UpDown desk is incredibly tempting. Plus 15 year warrenty (if the company lasts that long)
Have you had a chance to take a look? Its like half the price of the desky quad!
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Jason, great observation. I haven’t included quad standing desks here because they’ve traditionally attracted a niche consumer – someone who needs to place a tonne of gear on the desktop and doesn’t mind paying 2X the usual price. But Flexispot’s sharp pricing on their quad desk certainly changes things. I haven’t seen one in the wild yet – but the specs look promising.
Steven