{"id":59600,"date":"2016-08-19T18:12:38","date_gmt":"2016-08-19T18:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/native\/uncategorized\/standing-up-for-optimal-health\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:28:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:28:49","slug":"standing-up-for-optimal-health","status":"publish","type":"native","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/native\/varidesk\/standing-up-for-optimal-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Standing up for optimal health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Everyone knows that being in the military can be very physically demanding. From the dangers of carrying 70-pound packs to physical fitness tests, military duty is one of the most strenuous occupations you can have. What should not be strenuous or physically demanding is being a “desk jockey” but, believe it or not, having a desk job comes with its own set of problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Height-adjustable standing desks, like a VARIDESK, allow you to sit and stand throughout the day. This freedom of movement is the key component to an active office, and not only benefits your health, but also improves productivity and increases morale.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: VARIDESK<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, being sedentary all day has proven associations with heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer (Notes\u00a01,2). Researchers all over the world agree that these “sitting diseases” are a problem of epidemic proportions in the US. So, sitting behind a desk all day long has some very clear and negative repercussions to your long-term health. Second, sitting behind a desk can increase the likelihood of experiencing moderate to severe back pain (Note\u00a03). While it is in no way comparable to the burden of carrying around a 70-pound pack on a 20-mile hike, back pain caused by a sedentary lifestyle is still a very real problem. Back pain is the number one reason people are absent from work every year (Note 4). It’s also the second most costly health expenditure in the US every year, exceeded only by cancer (Note\u00a05).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third, you are sacrificing your fitness when you sit all day long. In fact, out of concern for overall fitness, the Department of Defense is establishing new fitness standards for our men and women in the military (Note\u00a06). Furthermore, a study done by the Mayo Clinic found that for every 2 hours you sit during the day, you cancel out 20 minutes of your morning workout (Note\u00a07). So, if you sit for eight hours a day you, effectively erase your morning physical training.