Why does standing so easily fatigue? How can we stand better, to ensure we get the most out of standing whilst working? I remember my first mini music festival, it was Evo Fest, up in Newcastle, circa 2009. Despite the awesome bands, you know what I remembered the most, the pain of standing for so long.
This blog post series will give some great tips from health care professionals:
Tip 1 of 5: Maintain an “active” stance
Rather than adopting a “relaxed” stance at your sit/stand desk, focus on keeping your stance “active”. What does this mean? A relaxed stance when at your desk would be standing with your feet rolled inwards, with your arches flat against the floor. So when working, your weight can shift to inner side of your foot potentially causing pain from your feet up to your neck. This is different to when walking, as you naturally align your joints better, spread your weight more evenly, which is why you probably feel you can walk for longer than you can stand.
So when at your standing desk, how do you maintain a more “active” stance? Dr. Diane Koshimune is a podiatrist, she says: “The way we stand is so important. Our body can only handle so much strain in one position, mindfulness can help to make standing a little more comfortable.” Some summarised tips include:
- Mentally check in on your stance regularly
- Use the muscles in your feet and legs
- Lift up your arches, to do this keep your feet grounded but rotate your kneecaps outward
Check our part 2: Movement breaks.
