Number 204 - May 2000
The Stand-Up Desk
by Guenther Schoti, Fallbrook PC Users Group
   Stand-up desks are used by a good number of professionals for a couple of reasons. Many, of course, have back problems and simply cannot endure the stress that sitting at a desk sometimes creates. Even the best-designed ergonomic chairs do not provide enough comfort for them. People who use this type of worktable say that they simply feel more alert and more productive working and thinking on their feet.

    An East coast company uses the Internet effectively as a selling platform for their products. Their desks, particularly preferred by the armed services, come in specific sizes to meet a person's height. In this respect the company works with a simple formula. Someone 5' 10" tall should have a desk with a front height of about 46"; a 5' 9" person should have a front height of about 45 1/2"; 5' 8", 45" and so on. Good advice is to simulate the recommended height at a makeshift work-station and see how it feels. If it seems a bit on the high side, chances are you'll get used to it, especially if you make good use of that foot rest; it will take a lot of strain off your lower back. The key here is not to slouch over too much, that is to stand erect.

    The company is extremely proud of their craftsmanship but realizes that there is nothing sacred about their particular design. If you have worked with another cabinet maker, no doubt he or she can build you a stand-up desk that also will be sufficient. In that regard, they would like to share with you two simple pieces of advice: build the desk to an appropriate height and be certain to include a footrest, which some designers unfortunately do not include.

    A study of the backs of 31,200 Boeing Company employees several years ago documents that sitting puts 40 to 80 percent more stress on the back than standing; this research by the Spine Resource Clinic at the University of Washington confirmed what many people don't realize.

    Of course, stand-up desks have been around for a long time, and some pretty famous people have used them. Sir Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, Virginia Woolf, and even Thomas Jefferson worked at these unique desks.
    In recent years demand for both conventional and stand-up desks that accommodate computers has also increased quite a bit. The company also produces some items for that particular market.

    The workshop is located in Alexandria, Virginia, part of a cabinetmaker's cooperative. For more information and a free brochure contact:
    The Stand-Up Desk Company PHONE: (301)657-3630 FAX: (703)519-0635 e-mail: standup@erols.com

TOGGLE Editor's Notes:
    Several years ago, former TOG President, the late Marvin Eidinger, who had spent a considerable part of his career in ergonomic design, gave a presentation on computer desk design and configuration. It was first published in the September 1994 TOGGLE and we repeat it here in the next article. These were not stand-up desks, but included several valid design considerations for placement of wrap-around desk components as well placement of the computer keyboard and screen for best ergonomic performance relating to head and eye movement. Those principles apply to the height and angular placement of these components on a stand-up desk aswell.

    One design feature in any piece of furniture keyed to the height of the user must be some means to adjust the height of the working surface. Surely this is simply taken care of through the use of screw-adjustable feet or casters, which can be raised or lowered and inch or two. It also seems desirable to be able to adjust the slope of the desk. Absolutely horizontal may not be the most ergonomically friendly angle.

    Most of us have had back problems over the years, some of us have even been hospitalized with back spasms that brought us to our knees. Ages ago, our doctor recommended a foot rest, about 6 inches high, even under a desk. Placing your foot on the footrest while either standing or sitting tends to relax that leg and take stress, due to muscle tension, off your back. So we agree--the foot rest is an important part of the ergonomic furniture mix. Why do you think they installed those brass rails in the saloons--the customers relaxed and stayed longer!
  Number 204 - May 2000