Standing desks have been trendy for over a decade, largely because they claim to improve the health of those of us who use a computer for hours every day. A new study with years of data and tens of thousands of participants throws cold water on these claims, suggesting that standing desks don’t help with some basic health problems.

In the December 2024 issue of the International Journal of Epidemiologya team of researchers published a study with data from more than 83,000 participants in the United Kingdom who mixed sitting and standing to work. They found that “stationary time” increased the risk of circulatory system disease.

Sitting more than 10 hours a day for a prolonged period was associated with a 13 percent increase in heart problems over seven years and a 26 percent higher prevalence of circulatory disorders. The longer participants remained still, the greater the risk (measured by an increase in average heart rate). Hence the desire to get people to periodically stand at a desk instead of sitting in a chair.

The most concerning data is that time spent standing for the same stationary tasks did not significantly reduce these risks. In fact, lying still for hours upon hours instead of sitting was associated with measurably higher risks of orthostatic circulatory diseases, including “orthostatic hypotension, varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, and venous ulcers.” But, again, this is not shocking: doctors know that staying still for long hours to work, repeated over weeks, months and years, has predictable harmful consequences.

The report is quite dense, academically. (The Washington Post a story summarizing the results(but that’s unfortunately behind a paywall.) What’s worrying is that those who stand for two hours a day, in addition to sitting in primarily sedentary tasks, have not significantly reduced their risk of circulatory problems. In simple terms: Sitting for a long time is not good, standing still for a long time is not good, and mixing things up won’t change that.

Researchers recommend more significant movements with numerous muscle contractions (walking would be enough) every 30 minutes to avoid the risks of cardiovascular and orthostatic circulatory diseases.

I have been dealing with spinal issues for most of my adult life. One of the most frustrating things is that it’s hard to find quantified research on the best things to do. Usability, especially for computers, and especially in conjunction with any type of marketing, often comes down to “vibrations.”

As a back pain sufferer and constant user of standing desks (and other alternatives to conventional chairs, like yoga balls), the most helpful conclusion I’ve come to is that you simply need to listen to your body . If your back or shoulders hurt after a full day sitting at a desk, it’s a sign that something needs to change. Find something that works for you…and it may or may not work for someone else.

I understand that this seems like an old joke. “It hurts when I do this,” the patient tells the doctor. “Then don’t do that,” the doctor replies. But it’s also common sense. Combining this with the usual (and much more concrete) advice on regular exercise and diet will help you feel better, even if you can’t avoid sitting or standing in the same position for hours every day.