As we’ve mentioned, posture is about movement and being able to center your body in a position that encourages flexibility. Forget standing in an incredibly awkward, straight position. Each body is different, and discovering the best posture for your body type will vary.

Check out the posture infographic to learn more about posture dos and don’ts and how to achieve the right position for you.

[Infographic Via]

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1. Never slouch or slump to achieve good posture.
This claim is false (we told you you’d be surprised). If you only sit or stand in a straight, usually unnatural, position, you’re not allowing your body to experience a full range of motion. Good posture supports the ability of easy, fluid movement, and flexing into a slouch gives you more freedom to easily change positions. Just make sure not to sit in that position too long, posture is about movement.

2. Crossing your legs leads to varicose veins.
False! Although this claim isn’t entirely true, it does lead to negative side effects. Crossing your legs can lead to lower back pain. And when you cross your legs it leads to increased pressure and locks your body into a fixed position.

3. Stand or sit straight to achieve good posture.
Wrong. Standing or sitting straight up to achieve proper alignment is actually doing nothing for you. It’s fixing the body in one position, without allowing room for movement. You’re familiar with the position: shoulders pushed back at attention, spine overly extended, and the face contorted into apparent discomfort. Posture is dynamic, so you can be ready to move in any direction at a moment’s notice. Bad posture is fixed, uncomfortable and unnatural.

4. Bad posture causes scoliosis.
There has never been a study linking bad posture to scoliosis. Scoliosis stems from unknown causes.

5. There’s only good and bad posture.
The idea of bad posture leads to people locking themselves in that uncomfortable position described in Number 3. Then movement completely stops and you’re stuck in one position. That position doesn’t set the standard for what’s good and what’s bad. Posture should instead be viewed as an idea without hard rules. The human body is different, so finding an individual position that encourages movement and comfort will vary for everyone.

6. Sitting at a computer all day ruins posture.
Fact. Beyond adversely affecting your health, sitting does cause bad posture. It causes your neck to strain and shoulders to hunch, but worst of all, it keeps you in a fixed position. Make sure to keep adjusting and moving in your chair during the day, or you can opt for standing up (which we highly recommend).

So instead of remaining in your chair all day, get up and move! You don’t have to awkwardly march to the water cooler with straight shoulders and a straight spine, just move. Saunter over to your coworker’s desk for a chat instead of sending an email, or walk around the block during lunch. Stand and stretch behind your desk every so often to encourage the most important quality of posture: Movement.

[Via Huffington Post and Ladies Home Journal]

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The study found that back pain, muscle and joint aches were relatively equal among different regions, and between men and women. The place where people experienced the most discomfort was the back, with the shoulders and neck coming in at a close second.

People are going to great lengths to cure the unbearable pain they’re experiencing, so much so that last year American’s spent 50 billion on lower back pain treatment alone.

Medication, hot and cold treatments and massage were all common methods of management, but most forgot about prevention. Paying attention to posture and ergonomics is essential to help prevent the risk of serious pain, and a standing desk can help you get there.

Xdesk was designed with ergonomics in mind, and comes with other options so you can achieve the best standing and sitting position. And don’t forget to use other accessories as well, like an anti-fatigue floor mat and comfortable shoes to give even greater support.

Check out the infographic below to learn more about the statistics surrounding widespread pain.

[Infographic via]

The post The Truth Hurts: Muscle & Joint Pain in the U.S. appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

To follow up with last week’s post about yoga poses that lessen the effects of a desk job, we’ve gathered a list of simple office stretches you can perform sitting or standing behind your adjustable height desk. The key to getting the most out of your standing desk is making those small adjustments throughout the workday. And these stretches are geared toward helping you stand and move most of the day.

1. Neck Stretches
This is the most basic stretch, and can be performed while sitting or standing. For this office stretch, let the chin drop down to your chest, and then start to move the neck slowly back and forth. Stretch from the right ear to the right shoulder, backwards and then the left ear to left shoulder. Don’t forget to keep your shoulders relaxed and loose to prevent strain. When you’ve finished, shake out your shoulders a few times.

2. Shoulder Stretches
Moving away from your neck, these shoulder office stretches are quick and easy to do when you start to feel your shoulders tighten. First, with your desk adjusted to the standing position, stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your shoulders relaxed. Then place one hand under your elbow and lift it across your chest. You should feel the upper back shoulder start to stretch. Stand still and hold for 30 seconds, then repeat the other side.

3. Wrist Rolls
It’s important to adjust your keyboard tray so your arms can rest at a 90 degree angle. This position is ideal for preventing strain and discomfort after typing all day, but as added protection, wrist office stretches should keep wrist pain completely at bay.

First, lower your desk so it’s level with your stomach. Stand up and place your wrists facing your computer with your fingers at the edge of the desk. Then lean into your wrists and flatten your palms. Hold for a few seconds and repeat. Another exercise is simply rolling your wrists several times throughout the day. This is a great stretch for office workers who spend the majority of the day typing.

4. Leg Stretches
Once you start standing most of the day, you’ll begin to notice your legs and feet start to strain. Instead of taking a seat, leg stretches are a great way to loosen those muscles and build resistance.

To stretch out your thighs, stand behind your standing desk and hold on lightly for balance. With one hand on your desk, use the other hand to grab one of your ankles and pull your leg behind you and up toward the ceiling. Stand upright and keep your knees parallel and hold for 30 seconds. Relax and repeat with the other side.

5. Back Stretches
Back pain is a huge complaint among office workers who sit all day, but this basic stretch is easy enough to perform in your chair.

With your desk adjusted to a comfortable seated position and you’re seated in a chair, place your hands on the edge of the desk and slowly push the chair back until your head is between your extended arms. Hold for several seconds and slowly pull yourself upright. Repeat five times.

These office stretches are only the beginning to stretching and moving throughout the workday. To learn more about how to switch to a standing desk, click HERE.

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You know that sitting all day is bad for your health, but it’s not a crime to sit down and give your legs a rest every once in a while (gasp!). So why not change the way you sit, for better posture and better focus? A kneeling chair could be the answer.

The kneeling chair has become a popular alternative to the traditional desk chair. When you’re ready to take a break from your standing desk (and hopefully you’re making small sit to stand adjustments throughout the day, for the best outcome possible), try using a kneeling chair. But what is this new wave office chair and how does it help improve sitting?

If you’re the typical office worker, you most likely use a chair that lacks the proper tools for the best comfort and back support. The basic kneeling chair rips away the back completely, and puts the user in the – as you may have guessed – kneeling position. Now there’s no room for slouching or straining your lower back muscles. Other models have a small backrest for lumbar support (the most important element to sitting)

The kneeling position has been slightly modified in these desk chairs, with your body set at a 110 degree angle. This is slightly larger than a 90 degree or less angle in traditional office chairs. This angle is ideal for sitting in an open, relaxed posture. And it supports the natural curvature of the spine.

In a kneeling chair, the hips slide forward and align with the back, neck and shoulders, to help evenly distribute your weight and reduce spinal compression. This means less stress on the lower back as well as the leg muscles.

As a fair warning, the first time you try a kneeling chair it may not be the most comfortable position, since your body isn’t used kneeling for an extended period of time. Just like sitting to standing with an adjustable height desk, slowly work your way to using this nontraditional desk chair. If you stand behind an adjustable desk most of the time but need a break once in a while, use the kneeling chair in 30 minute increments.

When you’re ready to sit, adjust your Xdesk to a lower position according to your kneeling height and you’re good to go. But don’t get too comfortable!

Like all chairs, there are pitfalls to using it for an extended period of time. It can confine the user to one position, which leads to cramps and unnecessary pressure on the knees and shins. And some users can experience poor circulation in the legs if they sit in the chair too long.

But oddly enough, this reason makes them a great desk chair to have around an adjustable height desk, since it allows you to sit in moderation and encourages you to stand and stretch once those shins start to ache.

What do you think about the kneeling chair? Is this something you would own in your office?

The post The Kneeling Chair: The Nontraditional Desk Chair appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

But with all the negative talk about sitting, people forget that standing all day isn’t ideal either. Too much standing can cause varicose veins, swollen feet and joint damage. For this reason, it’s not about picking sides between sitting and standing. It’s about finding a balance between the two.

Adjustable height desks like Xdesk combat this problem by encouraging more movement in the workplace between different positions. So when you’re ready to sit down and think, you have the freedom to do so with the touch of a button.

But before you take a seat, there is a right and wrong way to sit at a standing desk.

Of course, the most important thing to consider when you sit at a standing desk is posture. Improper posture can cause a horde of problems, including back, neck and knee pain. For the moments when you do sit at an adjustable height desk, invest in an office chair with lumbar support.

Your spine curves naturally, and your office chair should support the natural bone structure accordingly. Proper lumbar support when you sit at a standing desk will greatly reduce the risk of back and shoulder pain later on.

When you sit at a standing desk, sit close to the keyboard. Even better, if you have an adjustable keyboard tray, position it so it’s directly in front of your body, but low enough so your shoulders and elbows are in an open, relaxed position. Your wrists and hands should be straight and not curved up or down. A wrist wrest on your adjustable height desk will keep your hands in a natural position and provide added support.

Place your hips at the back of the chair while you sit at a standing desk, and adjust the height so your feet are able to rest flat on the floor. The knees should be slightly lower than your hips, to help you sit up tall. An angle between 100 and 110 Degrees is recommended for your back.

The monitor at your adjustable height desk should be centered directly in front of you, so you don’t have to strain or stress your neck. The neck should be in a relaxed position. When you are sitting at a standing desk, sit at least an arm’s length away from the screen. If you suffer from eyestrain, check out how to avoid it during the workday, HERE.

Don’t stay in your seat too long, remember, it’s all about balance! So if you start to feel sluggish or begin to slouch, stand up and stand tall. If you own an adjustable height desk, how have you made the transition from sitting to standing most of the day?

The post How to Sit at a Standing Desk appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

Thankfully, there’s an adjustable height desk that gives you the freedom of movement, so you can switch from sitting to standing with the single touch of a button.

After several reviews and comparisons, Xdesk has proudly taken on the title as the best standing desk on the market. Xdesk uses sustainable materials combined with advanced technology to produce a desk that is as elegant as it is efficient.

But you don’t have to take our word for it.

Wirecutter, the technology blog responsible for reviewing amazing gadgets, compared heavy hitters in the adjustable height desk world, and deemed the Xdesk Terra as the best standing desk.

There was a constant appreciation for not only the adjustable height desk’s efficiency, but also its design. “In a nutshell, it’s beautiful. And when you see what other desks are like, you really appreciate the beauty,” the Wirecutter said.

Beyond the beauty, the bamboo used in select adjustable height desk models stood out as an exceptional desk surface, just another reason of the best standing desk title. Natural bamboo looks elegant compared to desks of lesser quality, and it is strong and sturdy – to hold up against even the toughest user.

Of all praises the reviewers mentioned, there was the constant recognition of Xdesk’s beauty and modern exterior. And the aesthetics go beyond the sustainable materials, since the advanced design radiates an undertone of a clutter-free workspace.

The Wirecutter praises Xdesk’s wire management as the best standing desk system they’ve seen. Since grommets on either side of the Xdesk and aluminum cable raceway hide any unsightly cables, creating a sleek and modern work area.

Cult of Mac, a news site that reviews Apple products, named Xdesk the best standing desk for health-conscious Apple fans. The review praises Xdesk’s simplistic design that makes it more than office furniture, but an art piece that you can proudly display in your living room, rather than hide away in a corner of your home.

The reviews say it all: if you want an adjustable height desk that is efficient, and maintains an element of design, the Xdesk the best standing desk for you.

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