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Comment by orschiro | Hacker News Reader

Does anyone else work at a standing desk?

I tried. The problem is standing without moving seems to be just as bad as sitting. As you tire you will start shifting weight to one leg and locking the hips to one side.

I then tried a half-reclined chair which was a bit better. Then I switched to a flat hard chair without back support. That was tough initially (more so than standing desk) but seems to be the best option so far. Other than moving, of course.

Try standing on a balance board at your standing desk. That works really well for me.

I stand on a small inflatable pillow (originally for sitting on); 3 bucks, works like a balance board.

The desk-treadmill is even more interesting to me, as you can even exercise while working. But at this point a little over my budget, would love to rent one to try for a while :)

I just bought a used one for $100 and removed the rails and put the controls on my desk behind the keyboard. It was ok at around 3kph.

The one I bought was a bit too narrow though so the rails have gone back on and I just use it for us intended purpose now.

I've read several times that a conventional treadmill will not cut it for walking-desk purposes.

The ones at my gym would be fine since they seem to be about 15cm wider. Mine is fine for running but when walking I seem to have a wider step. Other than that there would be no problem with it.

I use a simple can of beans and place a board on top and balance on it through out the morning. During lunch I eat the beans but this leaves the problem of not having a sturdy can to balance on.

My standing desk is not high enough for an additional can+board. :( Will try non the less, a side of the desk :)

use a motor table that can be adjusted in height. then lower it and Sit down when you get tired. First you will only be able to stand for minutes. After getting used you can stand up to an hour. Get a thick mat, and take your shoes off.

get a cheap 1 usd camping pad insulate,fold it, and you got a 200 usd ergonomic mat.

I also recommend the kitchen mats at costco. I'm not sure if they still sell them but for $15 I couldn't tell the difference (well any large difference) between it and the $150 ergo mats I've tried.

I tried standing, but discovered I have to walk. When standing my feet start to hurt within 5-10 minutes, and it gets unbearable after 20.

Lots of people I know use them though, and report loving them. Most people have a thick mat to stand on, and say they shift their weight a lot. Some of them don't end up standing for long periods because they're in and out of their office so much.

It's also a lot less expensive and lot less bulky to try a standing desk setup than a treadmill, so either way I'd recommend standing first. You can even use a bunch of boxes to prop up your keyboard & monitor -- or bricks under the desk legs -- before you invest in any other equipment.

Does anyone use a small treadmill with slow speed at a standing desk?

I saw a video a year ago, looks like a good idea, I am planing to buy a small one

Linus Torvalds seems to use a treadmill with his standing desk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuS-3HSnpq4

Hello wsc981, This one is off topic and I am sorry about that. A while back I have read here somewhere that you are/were freelancing and doing so via Computer Futures. Can we get in touch? I've got couple of easy to answer question. Thanks fella developer.

Hi sevmardi, we could chat over email. You could contact me on wsc981@gmail.com

I know someone who used to play warcraft this way.

I did but the one I bought was too narrow so I've put the idea on hold for the time being.

I got one after my doctor recommended it. He was jazzed about the Trek Desk, which is a small-ish folding desk that fits over most treadmills. It seems like a TV infomercial product, but it did what it said, and it was a cheap way to start and not have to buy a super heavy integrated treadmill desk.

I loved walking while I worked. I can't stand and work, my feet start to hurt surprisingly fast, but walking I can do all day. I felt better, and it cured my afternoon post-lunch crash, I no longer went through an hour of trying to stay awake. It helped my back feel better too. One hard part about using it for me is the constant stream of interruptions I have, people needing to talk to me during the day. I have to turn it on and off a lot. (The Trek Desk, btw, made it slightly harder to reach the start/stop buttons.)

Even with them being small, one of the biggest problems I had is the setup is still bulky. The treadmill takes a lot room in a small office. It's pretty noisy too, even just walking, so consider the noise if you're in a shared work space.

Yes, I have an IKEA bar table that I bought second hand and I stand at that for 8-12 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week. It was kind of exhausting for the first 6 months or so but now it actually feels really weird to sit at a table and work. I really like how standing for long periods of time forces me to want to move. I find that I walk away from the computer and go outside for short walks a lot more frequently than when I used to sit. When sitting, I found that several hours could pass before I realized how long I was sitting. Now that I've been standing and working for so long (over 2 years now) sitting feels like an absolute luxury and I've started to associate standing with working and sitting with relaxing.

I do. And it definitely helps. Initially I felt tired at end of day but more alert while working at standing desk. No struggle with trying to stay awake.

Half day sitting down and half standing up seems best.

I do, sometimes. It's nice to mix things up throughout the day. Where I work they're standard issue to all employees. Pretty awesome!

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