Before getting to the conclusion about whether standing desks are worth your money or not, you must know the complete details regarding these desks. You must know the potential benefits and downsides to make a final decision.

The Pros

Standing desks are used to negate the health hazards caused by prolonged sitting. The foremost downside of sitting for long hours is gaining extra weight. We just do our work and lack physical activities. In return, all we get are extra calories. Obesity is the mother of numerous diseases among which diabetes is at the top of the list. It can also put us at risk of cardiovascular diseases. Sitting can hinder the normal blood flow resulting in the formation of clots in the blood vessels. Moreover, if one sits in a poor posture he is prone to getting back pain and neck strain. All these things greatly affect mood and productivity. Buying a standing desk can negate these harms. It is because these desks allow working while standing up comfortably. Though they won’t help in losing weight, these desks can help in maintaining the weight as they will not add up to your calories. These desks allow more movements and help to maintain normal blood flow and sugar levels. The risks of cardiovascular diseases, back pain, and neck injuries are reduced to a great extent. These desks thus can increase your productivity by boosting brainpower.

In short, by reducing your sedentary behavior the life expectancy is supposed to be increased. It was observed in a study that estimated the life expectancy of the US population by reducing their sitting time.

The Cons

Nothing is perfect so are standing desks. They have got some downsides too. The first disadvantage observed is due to the excessive use of standing desks. As these desks do not allow you to sit or rest thus can cause pain in your legs and feet and muscle cramps. Most of the time circulation of the blood remains normal and there are no risks of blood clotting. But due to excessive standing, the blood may pool in the lower legs resulting in a condition called varicose veins. In this condition, the affected veins swell and become twisted resulting in unbearable pain. These desks are not suitable for you if you are really health conscious and want to lose some weight. In addition to these, there is another downside. These desks are more expensive than the regular sitting desks. While the regular desks can be bought for $100  to $200, standing desks cost more than double this amount. A good standing desk costs somewhere between $500 to $750. They can be even more expensive than this.

Are Standing Desks Worth it?

Just like many other people who used and shared their experience of the standing desks, I would recommend you to think twice before buying a standing desk. You are investing your money and expecting to get something that will benefit you in every aspect. But as mentioned above standing desks don't fall in this category as they have got many disadvantages. In short, they are not worth your money. It's not like you are investing your money just to trade back pain, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases for varicose veins, heel pain, and leg cramps.

What’s the Better Option?

By now it has been concluded that neither prolonged sitting nor prolonged standing is good for your health. To achieve the optimal health goals and maximum productivity at work, there is a need for a desk that can give benefits of both sitting and standing by allowing you to alternate between the both from time to time. Keeping it in view, desk manufacturers have come up with the idea of sit-stand desks. As the name implies they can be used for both purposes as per need. Currently, they are available in two varieties. The first one is a height-adjustable desk and the second one is the standing desk converter which can convert your existing sitting desk into a standing desk. Both of them have got pros and cons, you can choose the one that suits your budget and the nature of your work.

Height-Adjustable Desk

Height-adjustable desks have got some mechanisms to adjust their height as per need. Some of these desks have electric motors that are very convenient to use. You only need to press a button located at the corner of the desk and can elevate or lower the desk. Others have a hand crank and can be adjusted manually. Moreover, these desks are available in a variety of designs and colors giving your home or office an aesthetic look. But height-adjustable desks are more expensive than the regular sitting or standing desks.

Standing Desk Converter

The second option to getting the perks of a sit-stand desk is to buy a standing desk converter. They are small in size and can be easily placed over a sitting desk. The major advantage of this converter is that you don't have to get rid of your sitting desk as well as you can remove the converter whenever needed. They are extremely lightweight and won’t put much stress on your desk tabletop. But they are strong enough to withstand the weight of your monitor laptop and other essentials. They are a cheaper option as compared to other desks in the market. Small workspace can be considered as the downside of these converters as they don't allow you to accommodate your accessories. Moreover, if you are a person to whom beauty and decor matter the most these desks are not for you.

Consider Buying Desk Accessories

No matter how ergonomic a standing desk is, you will definitely need some standing desk accessories. You also need them for a sit-stand desk. These include two major things. First is the anti-fatigue mat. The office floor and home floor are hard and can cause fatigue. These mats protect your feet against the hard floor giving you long hours of comfortable standing. In addition to it, consider buying a standing desk stool. It is a high stool that will support your pelvis and back allowing you to work in a neutral position. You might think of these accessories as an addition to your finances but they are very important to maximize the benefits of your standing desk.

Do I Really Need a Standing Desk?

Continuous sitting or standing at a 7 to 8 hours office job does not seem a good idea so you definitely need a standing desk. If you are buying a desk to work from home there are two things you need to consider. First, your workload, if you have to work for 6 to 7 hours or more than you need a standing desk. Secondly, you need to consider your finances. If you can afford a good sit-stand desk, then go for it. In the other case, consider buying a standing desk converter.

Conclusion

Standing desks have got numerous pros and cons. They can protect you against numerous diseases caused by prolonged sitting and can even boost your productivity levels at work. But they are expensive and overuse can cause problems in lower limbs. So the right option is to buy a sit-stand desk which allows both sitting and standing. You can either buy a height-adjustable desk or can buy a standing desk converter that can convert your regular desk into a standing desk.