A rundown of the pros and cons of each
Did you know that 74% of workers experience pain at their desk at least two times per week?
Both an ergonomic chair and a standing desk have health benefits and help you to avoid sitting-related physical issues. When choosing between the two, the most important consideration is your needs. What do you want from a working environment? Do you mind standing for long periods? Have you got any health problems you want to address? These are all questions to answer before searching for your chair or desk.
What are Standing Desks?
Standing desks are higher than the average, so that you can use them when standing completely upright.
Standing Desk Pros
- Standing burns more calories than sitting, as you are actively engaging your muscles to keep yourself upright. Therefore, this is a good option for people trying to stay fit or lose weight.
- Users often report feeling more energised, especially if standing desks are used in short bursts.
- Standing chairs encourage more quick walking breaks.
- When used correctly, standing desks can encourage good posture, with the pelvis in neutral alignment, and hip, knee and ankle joints aligned with gravity line.
- Standing desks are a great pick for someone with poor circulation in their legs, which can lead to a blue tinge to skin and serious foot problems. Standing promotes circulation throughout the legs, which leads to a higher ability to fight off illness and healthier organs.
Standing Desk Cons
- When used for prolonged periods, standing desks can get tiring, especially on your feet. Make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes, like padded trainers.
- For people with existing health conditions, standing can be uncomfortable and in some cases even worsen the condition. Therefore, if you have health conditions, you should always check first with a registered medical professional before purchasing a new seat.
- Adjustable standing desks are more expensive, but they’re necessary if more than one person is using it. If a standing desk is not at the correct height, it can cause incorrect posture and resultant back issues and neck strain.
What are Ergonomic Chairs?
Ergonomic chairs generally have three features: adjustable seat height, seat depth and lumbar support. However, with the first modern ergonomic chair invented in the 1970s and fast ergonomic furniture progression since then, today’s options offer far more varied features.
Ergonomic Chair Pros
- Ergonomic chairs have lots of adjustable features, including lumbar support, back rest, seat height, seat width, seat depth and more. This means that good ergonomic chairs can be adjusted to fit almost anyone using almost any desk.
- Due to the adjustable features, ergonomic chairs can adapt to suit people with a variety of health conditions. They’re particularly good at preventing back, neck, posture and circulation problems.
- Over the course of a day, efficiency and productivity can increase when you take into account features like chair swivel and wheels, as well as reduced discomfort, studies show ergonomic furniture can lead to 75% reductions in absenteeism, 56% reduction in error rate and 40% increase in time on task.
Ergonomic Chair Cons
- The more adjustable features the ergonomic chair has, the more expensive it is. This means if you have specific physical ailments, you may need to spend close to £500.
The Verdict
For most users, the best option is a combination. We would suggest using an ergonomic chair most of the time, making sure it’s well-adjusted to you and your desk. Then, switch to a standing desk for one hour every morning and every afternoon. Lots of offices have a rotating schedule for the standing desk, maximising the potential for boosted energy and productivity.
BONUS TIP: Consider Other Chair Types
You can find a list of office chair types and their pros and cons here. Ergonomic chairs and standing desks and are only some of the options on the market. You should also consider kneeling stools, good for taking weight off your hips, and saddle stalls, the go-to for medical professionals.
