ADDRESS

12825 SW 1st St Suite B
Beaverton, OR 97005

PHONE

503-626-5761

Ergonomics

Standing > Sitting

There are many benefits to standing over sitting. When you stand, your spine adapts to its 3 ideal spinal curves in your neck, mid-upper back, and low back. When you sit, your low back loses half of its ideal curve, putting additional pressure on your spinal discs, pull on the extensor back muscles, puts pressure on the sciatic nerves, allows your mid-upper back to slouch, and encourages your head to rest too far forward. The simple solution to this is to work from a standing position whenever possible, especially when using a computer, tablet, or phone.

Below are tools that I have used for years to help maintain ideal posture when working from a standing position, as well as links to their Amazon Prime listings. I have also tried to provide lower-priced items that are comparable. Enjoy.

Learn to stand up straight...finally: 14" Economy Balance Board  Amazon Prime

There are many different exercises that you can perform on a beginner's balance board, and benefits are achieved with just a few short minutes of training per day. I have used balance boards to train poor posture, forward head carriage, hunched backs, low back pain, sprained ankles, loose crunchy ankles, poor balance, wanna-be weekend warriors, soccer players, PGA pros, and more. Children love to play on these and it helps to improve the communication between the two hemispheres of their brains, helping with reading and learning. Balance exercises help to train your proprioceptors and kinesthetic awareness (where your body is in relation to itself independent of other sensory cues.) Use a wall at first for support when using this balance board, until you feel confident in progressing to more advanced exercises. Contact the Drs. Pierce for an exercise routine specifically prescribed for your use at home.

Standing work station: Anthro Corporation Enook  Amazon Prime  

This wall-mounted computer desk isn't for everyone, in fact, its probably only for a select few. It is relatively expensive at about $800, weighs almost 70 pounds, and once it is installed, you can't adjust it. Then why on Earth would I own several of them? They are designed and built locally in Tualatin, Oregon. They are designed for medical offices and are incredibly secure when double locked when not in use. They keep your electronics and patient files very secure. Unless you need Fort Knox security for your laptop and gear, I wouldn't recommend buying this Enook.

Alternate standing work station on a budget:  FREE

Stack up some books on a table. Use the top of your dresser. Get creative. The important thing here is that you can use your computer while standing with your arms resting at your sides with your elbows bent to 90 degrees, your shoulders relaxed, and your head back over your shoulders and looking straight or no more than 15 degrees down at the center of your screen, monitor, or device.

There are over 4,000 results for Standing Work Stations on  Amazon Prime  

You want to look at just the 4 stars and up reviews, as many of the items are flimsy, and no one wants to drop a laptop or monitor. Then you need to decide how much space you have, if you want to put the work station away each time you use it, if you want a table-top design or a free-standing design, if you are going to use it with a desktop or laptop, or both, how many monitors you will use. There are lots of individualized customizations to consider. You can spend $20-$1,000.

This is a work in progress, and next I'll be adding items like back supports and compression wear. Stay tuned.