A Physiotherapist’s perspective on sit-to-stand desks in the School and workplace environment
Patrick Carbone
Doctor of Physiotherapy
B.AppSc/ B.ExSc
Neck, shoulder, and back pain are common complaints among schoolchildren (Trevelyan & Legg 2006) but also highly prevalent among their office-working parents, with 60% of office workers complaining of musculoskeletal-related discomfort (Spyropoulos et al. 2007).
Ergonomically efficient workplaces and the highly sought-after sit-to-stand desk are gaining momentum, and with good reason. A Finland-based research group conducted a 2-year longitudinal study with 16–18-year-olds still in school. Adjustable furniture (desks and stools) was implemented within an intervention group, while the control group used the standardised school furniture. Findings showed that in comparison with the control group, students sitting postures, standing kyphosis, scoliosis, and lordosis (spinal curvatures) became significantly better, as well as improvements in trunk muscle strength with decreased muscle tension through the upper trapezius (neck and shoulder muscles) and lumbar (low back) muscles, areas that we know to provoke headache and backache symptoms, respectively. Interestingly, these students also displayed higher academic achievement than their control counterparts. However, this is a novel finding, and it is unclear if we can attribute this directly to the intervention. Similar results have been replicated in adults with data entry occupations (Husemann et al. 2009).
Clinically, we see patients who suffer these types of musculoskeletal discomforts daily, some of whom can spend 6–10 hours seated without even blinking an eye, working sub-optimally, and are left with neck, shoulder, and upper back-related headaches, low backaches, and associated health deficiencies when they go to their workplace. Enter sit-to-stand desks. With current studies yielding results like the aforementioned with reductions in musculoskeletal complaints and increases in cognitive function and workplace efficiency, why are we not proactively implementing these in more workplaces and schooling facilities rather than reactively?
From a physiotherapy perspective, tit-to-stand desks present a logical solution if we can implement better postural solutions, mainly when dealing with patients who replicate sustained postures for numerous hours a day and reduce injury while improving efficiency. They can be lowered when the user requires a sit break and raised back up when ready to stand. It must be noted, however, that poor postures can still be attained in standing positions, mainly when weight distribution over the feet is not relatively even. There are still risks of laziness and slouching over the desk. The user must regularly rotate and stand throughout training for therapeutic benefit. So, while sit-to-stand desks may not be the complete solution, they are certainly a step in the right direction!
