Last updated: January 21st, 2026
You’ve invested in a standing desk. Now comes the fun part: learning about standing desk ergonomics to reap its full benefits.
A great sit-stand desk can lower your stress levels, increase your productivity and make work more enjoyable.
However, you must learn how to use it properly.
Follow the simple steps below to ensure you practice optimal standing desk ergonomics, avoid standing too long and set your desk to the correct height.
Expert Tip.
Ergonomics is the science of fitting your office furniture to your individual needs.
How To Set Up Your Standing Desk For Standing.
Follow the following three steps to stand in an ergonomically sound position.
Here are your cues for achieving perfect ergonomics when standing:
- Shoulders relaxed.
- Straight back.
- Pelvis in a neutral position.
- Knees unlocked.
- Hips, knees and ankles aligned with gravity line.
Now that you know what your standing position should look like, here’s how you can achieve it.
1. Adjust Your Desk To Elbow Height.
The top of your desk should align with your elbows when bent at a 90-degree angle.
This will ensure that your forearms are parallel to the desk surface and your hands hover above the keyboard with relaxed, straight wrists.
Your fingers can angle down to meet the keyboard.
Expert Tip.
Research shows that any angle or bend in your wrists increases the pressure in the carpal tunnel, which can result in carpal tunnel syndrome – a painful inflammation of the hands and arms.
2. Maintain A Neutral Spine.
When we talk about a neutral spine, what we’re talking about is keeping a good posture.
This means keeping your shoulders back and relaxed, your neck and head nice and tall, and a slight bend in your knees to prevent hyperextension or locked joints.
(Related: 5 Standing Desk Setups That Actually Look Great).
Let the balls of your feet bear most of your weight.
Expert Tip.
If you stand for long periods, you can reduce fatigue by shifting your weight from your toes to your heels (and don’t forget to use an anti-fatigue mat).
3. Adjust Your Monitor Screen.
Ensuring that your monitor screen is in the appropriate position for your height is crucial for establishing good standing desk ergonomics.
- Your screen should be at eye level, but not too close to your face. (About arm’s length is perfect).
You don’t want to be cranking your neck and bending it upwards to look at your monitor.
Your eyes should look slightly downward when viewing the middle of the screen.
(Related: Omnidesk Standing Desk Review: Best In Class?)
How To Set Up Your Standing Desk For Sitting.
You’ll often use your standing desk as a traditional computer workstation, sitting behind it for long periods.
Adhere to ergonomic principles by following my advice below.
1. Repeat The Same Principles.
Principles that apply to standing apply to sitting, too. I covered them above, but here’s a quick reminder:
- Desk at elbow height.
- Neutral spine.
- Monitor at eye level.
2. Set Up Your Ergonomic Chair.
Height is the most critical adjustment of an office chair, and you know it’s in the right spot when your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Your feet must remain flat on the floor, pointing forward.
Next, adjust the seat pan depth (if available) until you see a 5cm gap between the back of your knees and the seat’s front edge (this will prevent pins and needles in your toes).
Expert Tip.
The best ergonomic office chairs feature seat pan depth adjustment. If yours doesn’t, and you find that the backs of your knees are flush against the seat edge, the chair is too big for you – and it’s time to buy a new one. My guide to choosing an office chair will help!
Finally, set up the arm pads of your ergonomic chair so that they act as an extension of your standing desk.
If you experience discomfort in your lower back, consider investing in an office chair designed for people with back problems.
Above: a standing desk, an ergonomic chair, and a monitor riser set up in a perfectly ergonomic position. Note that the chair’s armrests are in line with the surface of the desk.
Are Standing Desks Compatible With Laptops?
As the name implies, laptops are designed to rest on your lap, so they’re not ideal for standing desk ergonomics.
If you work from a laptop, buy a separate keyboard, external monitor and mouse to elevate the screen to meet your eye line.
Expert Tip.
If you don’t have the budget to buy a new monitor, buy a laptop stand or a standing desk converter to elevate your screen.
Why Should You Care About Standing Desk Ergonomics?
People buy standing desks for different reasons, and two of the most common are for better health and productivity. By sitting less and moving more, you can enhance both.
1. More Energy.
Staying mobile throughout the day helps you stay awake and alert. You know the term “thinking on your feet?” Well, it didn’t come from nowhere!
You feel more engaged and switched on when you’re standing.
Standing desks are a great way to counteract feeling sluggish during the work day and bring back some natural energy.
- A significant 87% of participants from a study in the UK on the effects of standing desks said they had more energy when they used their standing desks at work.
- Closer to home, an Aussie study called Thinking on Your Feet found workers had more energy when standing rather than sitting.
Those who stood just 60 to 90 minutes each day were more active and felt more energised than workers who used traditional desks.
2. Better Productivity.
A study by the Texas A&M University’s Health Science Center School of Public Health found standing desks significantly improve your productivity at work.
The study monitored employees at a call centre over six months, and found employees using a standing desk were more productive than their colleagues at a seated desk.
Fun Fact.
In the first month alone, the standing desk users had 23 per cent more successful calls than their seated colleagues, and by the sixth month, they had 53 per cent more successful calls.
3. Increased Job Satisfaction.
Want greater work satisfaction? Give standing a go. Results from the Take a Stand study found 62% of participants felt happier throughout the workday when using a standing desk.
As little as 60 minutes behind a standing desk daily can result in great job satisfaction. Yes, that’s my official prescription.
(Related: 10 Tips To Clean & Clear Your Office Desk).
Frequently Asked Questions About Standing Desk Ergonomics.
Here are the most common questions we get about adjusting your standing desk.
How Long Should I Stand For?
Alternate between sitting and standing. While sitting for too long isn’t good for your health, neither is standing, which is why you need to create sitting/standing intervals.
- Ergonomic experts suggest standing for 5-15 minutes every 60 minutes, but this research isn’t definitive.
A study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine recommends you should move, stand and take a break from sitting for at least 2 hours out of an 8-hour workday.
(Related: Pros And Cons Of Standing At Work).
What Should I Stand On?
The floor is a good start! But in all seriousness, you might find your feet and legs fatigued standing on a hard floor.
- Fight fatigue by using an anti-fatigue standing desk floor mat.
These mats typically have contoured surfaces engineered to encourage movement and stretching while standing.
Are Standing Desks Worth It?
Yes, mostly. Even the cheapest standing desks help counteract a sedentary lifestyle.
- Human bodies don’t love to sit all day. Standing desks offer an opportunity to reduce the amount of time you spend in an office chair.
But I’d encourage you not to think of your standing desk as a panacea that will solve all your health problems.
Yes, it can help increase blood circulation, and alleviate neck and back pain while also having a positive impact on your mental health by making you more energetic, engaged and productive.
Important!
But a standing desk alone isn’t enough to counteract unhealthy habits. Think of it as icing on the cake in an otherwise healthy lifestyle, rather than a magic shortcut to great health.
Final Word About Standing Desk Ergonomics.
Standing desk ergonomics are incredibly personal; a standing desk position that’s good for you is unlikely to be good for your colleague.
That’s why it’s important to keep customising your desk until it feels good (even daily if you wear shoes of different heights).
Still finding your standing desk uncomfortable after implementing the above tips?
Remember that standing in an upright position with a neutral spine might initially feel uncomfortable as you become accustomed to it, especially if you’re used to slouching (guilty!)
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