Standing desks are beneficial to me for many reasons. My blood circulation is improved throughout my workday. It improves my mental clarity, which makes me more productive and creative. The option to stand up straight at work allows me to activate muscles that would otherwise be neglected if I were sitting all day. Standing also allows me to keep a balanced activation between my anterior (front) muscles and my posterior (back) muscles.
If we were sitting instead, the anterior muscles are typically compressed and shortened all day. The posterior muscles are also compressed all day, but they are lengthened instead of shortened. This caused a major imbalance of functionality for me during exercise, sports, running, walking, sleeping, and even waking up in the morning. Using an adjustable standing desk has reduced the probability of straining my back either while working or exercise. Plus, my back just feels healthier and stronger.
Everyone’s situation is different. Ergonomics can vary based on multiple variables. A person’s height, arm length, leg length, body type, and job requirements are just to name a few. Determining the proper height of the adjustable standing desk can help you maintain good posture more consistently than sitting.
Side note: All of our situations are very unique, so I don’t recommend specific products. I simply share my experience in a way that I think is helpful. Some of the photos used in this article contain brand name products. I’ve never used these products and I do not receive compensation from any sales. I’m simply using these photos because they are good ways to tell my story.
How High Should a Standing Desk Be
I like to talk about my experiences with as little information possible that will lead to the biggest results. That said, I think standing desk height can be explained with these 3 simple factors.
Factor 1: Go with an adjustable standing desk versus a non-adjustable standing desk
Ideally, we want to work in multiple different positions throughout the day. Sitting is not the only enemy here. The enemy is repetitive strain to our muscles and tendons, caused by being stuck in the same position for 40 hours per week. This repetitive strain can happen regardless if we are sitting or standing. It’s not what position we are in that causes this. It’s how long we are in that position. I like to work in 3 different positions when I’m at my computer desk. These positions are standing, sitting in an office chair, and sitting on a stool. I need some type of standing desk converter that allows me to use the same desk for these 3 positions. This is why an adjustable standing desk is essential for me.
Factor 2: The proper height of the desk should be even with your elbow height
I switch from a sit to stand position multiple times throughout the day. This factor actually applies for me in any of the 3 desk positions I use (standing, sitting in a chair, or sitting on a stool). When my elbow height is even with my desk, my forearm creates a 90 degrees angle with the bicep and tricep portion of my arm. If the elbow height is a little bit higher than the height of your desk, that position feels okay for me too. I’m talking about an inch or two higher at the most. If my elbow height is any more than 2 inches higher than my desk, it causes me to reach down too far to type. This will cause too much strain throughout my arms, shoulders, neck, and spine.
Conversely, I never want to have my elbows below desk level. That causes me to activate my bicep too much in order to put my wrists straight on the keyboard tray. It’s essentially like holding a 1 pound bicep curl all day long. In the past, this has caused pain and dysfunction for me in both my elbows and shoulders.
Factor 3: The top of your monitor screen should be eye level
This factor doesn’t directly correlate to the height of your desk. Factor 2 does that. But this factor is very important in determining whether or not you need to raise the level of your monitor.
First, I want to take half a step backwards. I need to mention that I always work from a laptop. When I’m working at my standing desk, I use the keyboard on my laptop, but I do not use my laptop screen. That would cause me to look down at too much of an angle. To see an example of this incorrect position, take a look at the photo below that has Exhibit A in the caption.
To alleviate the repetitive strain this would put on my neck and spine, I plug in a monitor to my laptop and mirror my screen to that. To see an example of this correct position, take a look at the photo below that has Exhibit B listed in the caption.
You will notice how the woman in Exhibit B is not looking down at an excessive angle to see a laptop screen. Her neck is in a comfortable position while looking down slightly. The top of the screen is about eye level or just a little lower. This is the proper height for me. You’ll notice how she is using a large monitor, so it’s the proper height. If she was using a smaller monitor, or if the user is very tall, the monitor may be too short (even if the sit stand desk height is correctly adjusted even to elbow height). In this case, a monitor riser might be necessary (not pictured). Mirroring my laptop screen to a monitor not only prevents neck pain, it also prevents eye strain.
If you don’t want to purchase an additional monitor, you could purchase an additional keyboard instead. Then, use the screen on your laptop, as long as you have a way to raise the top of the screen to eye level, which is the proper height. Check out the Exhibit C photo below for an example of this.
How to Set Up a Standing Desk
As I’ve stated before, all of our ergonomic situations are different. Job requirements, office environment, technology equipment, body height, etc. That said, I can’t recommend a situation that will work best for everyone. However, I will list an example process of how I would set up a sit stand desk for myself today.
Buy an adjustable standing desk
A sit to stand desk has to be easily adjustable for me. Sitting isn’t necessarily the enemy here. The enemy is repetitive strain caused by holding our muscles and tendons in the same position for too long, regardless of what that position is. This is why it’s important for me to work in multiple positions throughout the day (standing, sitting in a chair, and sitting on a stool).
Buy a stool that has a footrest
Sitting all day causes problems. If we stand up straight all day, that will cause problems too. That’s why I sit on a stool sometimes. It’s a good half-way active position between sitting in a chair and standing up straight.
Use an additional monitor (if using a laptop)
I’m 6’3″ tall, so this is essential for me. Otherwise, using my small laptop screen would cause both neck strain and eye strain. This strain is easily avoidable by using an additional monitor.
Ergonomic Desk Height Chart
Sometimes people will create a desk height calculator, or an ergonomic desk height chart. The charts tell you what the standing desk height should be according to the user’s actual height. I don’t think that is the most accurate way to calculate the proper height of the desk. What if you have 2 different users who are the same height? That doesn’t necessarily mean their elbows are the same distance from the floor when they stand up straight. I don’t think determining proper height of your desk has anything to do with someone’s actual height. It doesn’t need to be that complicated. In my opinion, determining the height of your desk is pretty straight forward.
If you’re using an adjustable standing desk, you don’t have to calculate it at all. Simply stand up straight with good posture, then raise (or lower) your desk to a position level with your elbow height (or an inch or two below your elbow height). Finally, put your hands in a typing position with your wrists straight. To see an example of this, check out this stick figure ergonomic desk height chart.
Thanks for your interest in sitting posture.
If this article was helpful, check out my book titled “45 Ways to Improve Computer Posture.” It’s available in both digital and paperback versions.
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This book explains how to improve your posture through different variables of health and wellness. These include sitting posture, standing posture, sleep, hydration, and breathing. Poor posture is not just how we sit at a computer. The health habits we practice, 24 hours a day, are directly related to how good (or bad) our computer posture is.
Go to SittingPosture.com/book to learn more.
Take care,
Todd Bowen
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