We all know how rare it is for nurses to complain that they sit too much. On the contrary, eight- and 12-hour shifts are often spent entirely on your feet.
However, there are healthcare positions that do consist primarily of sitting, such as office assistants. Vicki Kron discovered this when she began working as an office assistant at the Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting, Iowa. After coming home in pain many nights, she soon learned that her problem stemmed from sitting all day—so she switched to a standing desk.
If you haven’t heard of it, a standing desk is exactly what it sounds like: a normal desk setup raised to a height you can use while standing. Kron now has the choice to sit or stand throughout the day, which she says has significantly reduced neck pain while increasing her core strength.
“I’m thrilled to be able to have the option of either standing or sitting,” she told the Sioux City Journal. “I just think it’s cool our administrator was on board with our health and finding what works best for us.”
The article also quotes physical therapist Abbi Boutwell, who says sitting can be a problem if you don’t occasionally stand throughout the day.
“Sitting does put more pressure on the lumbar spine than if you are standing,” she said. “If you’re breaking it up and you’re doing some sitting and standing, you’re going to be getting out of those static posteriors.”
If you have a position that requires a lot of sitting, is a standing desk something you’d want to try? Let us know in the comments below!
This article was republished with permission from SCRUBS Magazine.