Ways to Avoid Sitting All Day

Improve your health and your running with these alternatives to the traditional office chair.

 

Prolonged sitting reduces circulation to the brain, hurting creativity and mood. Also, sedentary behavior has been linked to various forms of cancer, including breast, colon, lung, and prostate.  Stop spending your whole work day sitting in a chair with these alternatives that allow for some movement throughout the day.

Prolonged sitting reduces circulation to the brain, hurting creativity and mood. Also, sedentary behavior has been linked to various forms of cancer, including breast, colon, lung, and prostate.  Stop spending your whole work day sitting in a chair with these alternatives that allow for some movement throughout the day.

STABILITY BALL
While sitting on a stability ball isn't enough of a core workout to score you six-pack abs, it promotes movement—and any extra movement you can squeeze into your day is good, says Douglas Lentz, M.S., C.S.C.S., a certified strength and conditioning specialist and the director of fitness and wellness for Summit Health in Chambers-burg, Pennsylvania. "You'll engage more muscles than you would in a traditional office chair because you'll move around more on a ball," he says. "You'll also likely stand up more often because you're not too comfortable and melting into a chair."

ADJUSTABLE DESK
The ideal scenario is an adjustable workstation that allows you to work on your feet as well as your seat. Why not just stand? Because being on your feet all day isn't necessarily good for you either, says Alan Hedge, Ph.D., C.P.E., director of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory at Cornell University. "Prolonged standing places an additional load on your heart and circulatory system, puts a strain on your legs and feet," he says. "It's best to alternate between the two."

With a little ingenuity, you can create a sitting/standing workstation. The simplest way to transform a traditional desk is to place boxes or books under your monitor and keyboard. A high-seat stool allows you to sit. For the best ergonomics, your keyboard should be at or slightly below elbow height, with your monitor at eye level. If you plan on standing for long periods of time, ergonomics expert Alan Hedge, Ph.D., recommends placing a footrest under your desk—propping one foot up will help you change positions and allow you to give each foot a break throughout the day. A padded mat can also reduce stress on your legs and feet. Forget about standing all day in high heels or unsupportive shoes. "You need anti-fatigue footwear," Hedge says. (Running shoes, anyone?) If you're committed to a bigger investment, here are a few high-tech solutions

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Move Your Computer Find a work fit  sits atop your desk and holds your keyboard and monitor so you can manually slide them up and down.

Move Your Desk  Get an adjustable desks, which allow your entire work surface (computer, phone, coffee mug) to move up and down with you with the touch of a button.

Move your Feet Under-the-desk stair-steppers, cycles, or elliptical machines allow you to move as you type. Since these devices are portable, you can easily push them aside when you want a break . Treadmill workstations are more of a commitment. The desk is affixed to a treadmill .