Standing Desks To Help Relieve Back Pain, Neck Pain & Improve Circulation
Multiple studies have shown that prolonged sitting is not good for our health. In additional to musculoskeletal effects that result in neck and back pain, prolonged sitting can negatively affect blood circulation and lead to associated problems. So, what can we do if we need to spend a lot of time in front of a computer or perform other activities involving prolonged sitting in front of a desk? For many people the answer is an adjustable height work surface that allows alternating from sitting to standing. These "standing desks" can not only help minimize back and neck pain but may also help avoid some of the impairment of blood circulation that may be caused by prolonged sitting. The good news is that many of these standing desks are affordable enough for most people to consider. Below are what I believe to be some of the best options for the money in this catagory.
This is a good quality desk with four programmable settings to simplify the task of changing positions between sitting and standing. This is especially useful if two different people plan on using the desk. This desk is also surprisingly sturdy for this product catagory. Along with the quality of construction, continuous height settings between 25.5" to 50.5" and surface size of 48" (width) x 30" (depth) - this is even available in a 60" width for those requiring additional surface area - this desk has all the features most require in an adjustable size desk.
Another electric height adjustment desk, this one is also very sturdy and a good choice for people that don't need a desk with a surface quite as large as the above product. Although at 46.5" it is almost as wide as the above desk, it is not as deep (this one is 23.6” compared to 30" for the above desk). Like the above desk, this one also has customizable preset options to allow more than one user to easily switch between desired desk heights. However, this does not have quite the range of the above desk with regard to height adjustment. Heights between 30.5" and 48" may be chosen; if this is sufficent for your needs and you prefer the smaller surface area, the quality of the desk at a lower price (compared to the above product) makes this a great option.
At a 55" wide desktop, this is a good choice for those requiring a full size standing desk. Although the desktop is only 23.6" deep, it comes with a clamp-on monitor shelf than can be adjusted to the preferred distance from the front of the desk. This not only adds to the available workspace but also allows the monitor (or monitors) to be placed at an optimal viewing distance. On the downside, although this desk is still relatively sturdy, it does not have the weight capacity of the above electric desks and requires height adjustment with a manual crank. However, these limitations have kept the price down making it an attractive option for those seeking a desk this size with these features.
This is a good option for those interested in being able to work in a sitting or standing postion but would like to continue to use their existing desk. This may be due to features of their current desk that they want to keep (drawers, surface area, etc) or are unable to change (built in work area, etc). In these cases, many people with find this to be a good option to allow the conversion of a current desk to stand up desk. I have picked this particular product due to its value when considering both price and quality. By spending more - sometimes as much or even more than a full standing desk - you can find products that are of better quality and may last longer than this unit. However, unless there is a good reason not to, most people prefer to just purchase a free standing desk if they spend the extra money. For this reason, as reflected by its above average product reviews, I believe people looking for a sitting to standing desk converter will be happy with the functionality of this unit at this price point.
This falls in the "you get what you pay for" category - it's not great but it may still be able to reduce the negative effect of prolonged sitting for some. This unit has two separate surfaces that may be adjusted independently. This should theoretically allow options such as using a keyboard on one surface and a monitor on the other. However, depending on the size of the items one envisions using on the product, the narrow width of each surface may not make this possible. Placing the shelves at the same height may work in certain cases; however, changing surface height becomes more difficult as only half of this surface would be adjustable at a time. Even with these significant limitations, there are people that will still benefit from this product and find it useful. Perhaps someone requires a standing height that they rarely need to adjust. There are wheels that allow this to be mobile, making this useful in certain cases. Perhaps the shelf size is adequate in your particular case. If you are considering this unit because of the price, please review the item specs (dimensions, height adjustments, etc) on the link provided as you consider your planned use of the product. If this works for you, it may be just the desk you're looking for!