The Benefits of Treadmill Desks

If you have worked at any office job longer than six months you are most likely already familiar with the repercussions of sitting down for long periods of time everyday. You have most likely experienced the back pain that haunts you on a daily basis and the feeling of fatigue from remaining sedentary for long periods of time. In fact, a recent study posted in BMJ Open states that sitting for three hours a day cuts your life expectancy by two years. Other studies conducted by LifeSpan fitness found that 1 in 10 adults have trouble walking a distance equal to walking from the parking lot to the back of a large store or through a mall.

Unfortunately for most of us, we are confined to our cubicles and desks for the majority of our work day and do not have the time to get up and walk around every hour as recommended by health and fitness experts. But what if you were able to get your work done while being able to walk and stretch your muscles simultaneously? While this may seem like an idea that is far off in the future, treadmill work stations are slowly making their way into more and more work spaces across the world as companies are becoming more familiarized with their positive benefits.

What is a treadmill work desk?

The treadmill work station was created as an alternative to the traditional sedentary work place. It allows you to walk and work simultaneously during the day on a treadmill with a connecting sit stand desk, allowing you to significantly increase your activity level without taking time away from your busy work schedule. Most of us come home from work too tired to get back on the road and hit the gym or wake up an extra hour or two early to get your daily exercise in. The treadmill desk is the perfect way to integrate exercise into your daily routine without the hassle of making it to the gym after work, although it is recommended not to replace the treadmill desk entirely with your pre-existing work out schedule.

If you already have a standing work station, simply purchase the treadmill separately as most work station treadmills are designed to work with a large variety of sit stand desk applications. If you do not have a standing desk, there is also the option to purchase both the treadmill and desk in conjunction with each other as many companies offer packages for both items that are often less expensive in price than purchasing both products separately.

What is the benefit of a treadmill work station?

The American Heart Association warrants that walking steps a day leads to a 90% reduction in heart attacks and 70% reduction in rate of having a stroke. The American Cancer society agrees that walking 10,000 steps is beneficial in that it leads to a 30-70% reduction in rates of cancer. Other benefits obtained from walking throughout the day on a treadmill include increased alertness, blood and oxygen flow to the muscles, increased energy, greater clarity, weight loss, improved productivity, feeling more positive, and a decrease in back and joint pain generally associated with sitting in an office chair.

Worried about being able to work and walk at the same time?

While it may seem like it may be a difficult task to walk and work at the same time, many have successfully transitioned to the treadmill work station with minimal effort. It may take a day or two to get accustomed to walking at a slow speed while working which is why it is recommended to test the waters on simple tasks such as responding to e-mails or answering phone calls. A study conducted by SitBetter.com at a UCLA health walk event tested over 50 employees of the university to see if they were able to work while walking and of those employees, 45 found that they could transition to this new form of working right away while 3 said they would be able to adjust over time.

Whether you are looking to reduce back pain, incorporate more exercise into your routine, maintain a healthier lifestyle, or simply want to be more active throughout the day a treadmill desk is your perfect solution.