By Jon Stavres MS, ACSM-EP-C
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that an individual should participate in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity to achieve health benefits. These health benefits include reductions in blood pressure, reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, and improved functional ability.
For a person with a full-time job, a family, and other responsibilities that may be very difficult to do.
Treadmill desk increases daily physical activity
There are a few tools and methods that a person can use to fit some of that activity into their work schedule. The average full-time employee likely spends at least 8 hours every day at work. If you can turn those 8 hours into periods of light physical activity, you can significantly boost your daily energy expenditure. In a recent study, researchers Ben-Ner et.al, found that adding physical activity into the workday in the form of a treadmill desk significantly increased daily physical activity therefore, caloric consumption.
Treadmill desks are standard work-type desks that are elevated and sit above a standard treadmill. A normal walking pace on a treadmill is between .5 and 3.0 mph, and with speeds less than 3.0 mph which generally do not affect dexterity (i.e. the ability to type and write). In fact, this same study found that using a treadmill desk had a strong positive correlation to an employee’s self-rated work performance, as well as with supervisor-rated work performance.
The cost of these desks can vary. The NordicTrack treadmill workstation costs between $1,600 and $2,500 depending on what type of sales are running. This may be something that you would ask your employer to purchase. However, there are other ways to activate your workstation at a relatively low cost.
Reduce sedentary time with a standing desk
Another way to reduce sedentary time is by purchasing a standing desk. A quality standing desk can be purchased for less than $500 dollars. Although standing may not be as active as cycling, it is a beneficial alternative to sitting. If you don’t want to purchase a standing desk you can modify one to fit. This can be done by purchasing a small square table and putting it on risers usually used to elevate a bed-frame.
In order to stay healthy and achieve fitness goals, people need to find a way to fit in physical activity and reduce time spent sitting down. Implementing some activity into your workday may help you achieve those goals; all while conserving your time and possibly improving your work performance.
**Always consult with your physician or healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.
*For examples of other variations/exercises look under Multimedia-VDF Exercise Tip
Article’s Resources
Ben-Ner, A., Hamann, d. J., Koepp, G., Manohar, C. U., & Levine, J. (2014). Treadmill Workstations: The effects of walking while working on physical activity and work performance. PLoS ONE 9(2). E88620. doi: 10.137/journal.pone.008620