Working On Your Feet: Are There Any Real Benefits?

Do you often work standing up in front of a computer? Or in some other way? Or on the contrary, would you like to work standing up more often?

I answer the most frequently asked questions on the subject, from the perspective of a physiotherapist who likes to delve into the scientific literature on the subject!

But also, as someone who spends a lot of time in front of a computer every day

♻️ Last update: April 6, 2025.
👩‍⚖️ Declaration of financial interests: none directly related to the subject. My complete declaration of financial interests is in the legal notice section.
Written by Nelly Darbois, physiotherapist and scientific editor

What are the theoretical AND verified benefits of working standing up?

Since the 1960s, in the US and UK for example, levels of occupational physical activity have fallen by over 30% (Cochrane 2018).

This decrease can largely be attributed to an increase in the amount of time spent sitting at work:

• office workers spend 66% of their total working time seated ;
• and 25% of total sitting time spent in periods longer than 55 minutes (Cochrane 2018).

Studies have shown that excessive sitting at work can increase the risk of :

• cardiovascular disease,
• obesity,
• diabetes,
• of all-cause mortality,

even if one practices recommended levels of physical activity in one’s free time (Chau 2014a; Craft 2012; Dunstan 2011).

Standing puts more strain on the metabolism than sitting. You burn more calories. This means you can lose weight, provided you don’t consume more calories in your diet.

Another advantage of standing is that it puts more strain on the core muscles: abdominals (obliques), pectorals and back muscles.

Regarding the impact of standing work on productivity, there are still few studies. A pilot study comparing people sitting, standing or standing while walking found higher laboratory productivity markers for the standing position (Gilson 2017).

Are there any negative consequences?

Working in a standing position doesn’t have all its advantages , which is why it’s so important to vary your posture!

Working in a standing position on a regular basis can lead to (Waters, 2015):

• foot pain,
• swollen legs and heavy legs,
• varicose veins,
• general muscular fatigue,
• lower back pain,
• as well as stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

When standing statically, blood circulation is reduced and fluids can accumulate in the legs. Wearing compression stockings (or socks) is sometimes suggested to limit this effect.

What’s the maximum standing time?

There really isn’t a time threshold that you shouldn’t exceed. It also depends a lot on your physical condition and whether or not you’re used to a lot of static standing.

If you’ve never worked on your feet before, it’s probably difficult for you to stand regularly for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time. But over time, this time may increase.

Ideally, you should alternate several times a day between sitting and standing, giving preference to standing if it’s comfortable for you!

Personal note: my lower back hurts quickly if I stand still in front of the computer for more than 20 minutes. I alternate with walking or sitting down again when I start to get muscularly or nervously tired of standing. On an 8-hour day (with breaks) in front of the computer, I only have to spend 2 hours standing, although this varies a lot from day to day.

Do I need a special desk to work standing up?

Depending on where you’re working, it‘s perfectly possible to work standing up.

Personal note: we’ve chosen to have a high worktop between the kitchen and the living room. This allows us to work on it.

Although there are a few ergonomic tips for working in a standing position (such as the height of the work surface), the most important thing is to change position regularly !

Even if you have a perfectly ergonomic desk, if you use it 8 hours a day without changing position (alternating between sitting and standing), you’re likely to experience pain.

A few tips on things to think about from time to time during your standing work sessions:

• rest your forearms (not just your wrists or elbows) on the work surface: this distributes the weight of your body over a wider surface;
• raise or lower your screen so that it’s at eye level from time to time;
• use the mouse from time to time, keyboard shortcuts from time to time, and the pad from time to time if you’re on a laptop;

In terms of footwear, flat shoes with thick soles, such as sneakers, are often the most comfortable for long periods on your feet.

In 2018, the Cohrane Collaboration network of research teams compiled all the studies evaluating the effectiveness of corporate interventions to encourage people to work standing up.

Results were compiled from 34 studies involving over 3,000 employees.

Here are his conclusions:

There is some low-quality evidence to suggest that using a sit-stand desk increases the time spent working standing up, during the first year of use.

✅ The use of sit-stand desks appears to reduce the time spent sitting at work by an average of 84 to 116 minutes a day (1 to 2 hours).

The Cochrane Collaboration considers that there is insufficient evidence to conclude on the value of the following to increase the time spent working standing up:

• ❓ work while walking on a suitable treadmill ;
• ❓ be made aware at workshops or conferences by someone of the benefits of spending less time sitting ;
• ❓ have visual reminders displayed on his computer.

Another interesting result: taking short breaks (one to two minutes every half-hour) seems to reduce the time spent sitting at work by 15 to 66 minutes per day more than taking long breaks (two 15-minute breaks per working day).

What to remember: adopting a specific desk (sit-stand) or standing desk may encourage you to work more on your feet, but it’s not essential.

What do the regulations say?

In France, legislation does not contain any specific provisions dedicated exclusively to standing at work.

However, the French Labor Code also covers health, safety and working conditions, which may apply to the use of standing workstations.

Article R4225-5: “An appropriate seat is provided for each worker at or near his or her workstation.”

Article R4542-7: The display screen keyboard complies with the following characteristics:
1° It is tiltable and separate from the screen to enable the worker to adopt a comfortable position that does not cause forearm or hand fatigue;
2° The space in front of the keyboard is sufficient to provide support for the user’s hands and forearms;

When is a standing position dangerous?

There is no general case where standing up to work is dangerous and forbidden for everyone.

For example, having a herniated disc is not a contraindication. What’s more, many people have herniated discs without knowing it, because they have no symptoms!

Nor is being pregnant a contraindication to standing (Waters 2015). In some studies carried out in pregnant women, only standing ≥ 8 hours showed a moderate increase in preterm delivery rates.

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That’s all I wanted to say on the subject! Any questions or comments? See you in comments!