We all know that prolonged sitting is harmful, but is standing all day at work really better for your health? A new study reveals that both prolonged sitting and standing come with health risks—standing while working does not prevent strokes or heart disease.
Standing All Day Isn’t the Solution to Sedentary Risks
Extended periods of sitting have long been associated with health hazards, ranging from back pain to deadly cardiovascular diseases. To counteract these risks, many office workers have turned to standing desks, hoping that standing while working might offer protection. But does it really help? Can it reduce cardiovascular risks?
The answer is no. A large observational study published in The International Journal of Epidemiology in October 2024 found that prolonged standing has neither positive nor negative effects on heart health. However, standing for more than two hours per day may increase the risk of orthostatic circulatory diseases, such as varicose veins, venous ulcers, and orthostatic hypotension.
Both Prolonged Sitting and Standing Are Risky: Varicose Veins, Hypotension on the Rise
The study, conducted by the University of Sydney, analyzed data from more than 83,000 adults in the UK Biobank. Participants wore activity-tracking devices to monitor their daily movements, and researchers tracked their health outcomes over an average of 6.9 years. During that period, there were 6,829 cases of cardiovascular disease and 2,042 cases of orthostatic circulatory disorders.
The analysis found no correlation between hours spent standing and reduced cardiovascular risk. In other words, standing all day at a sit-stand desk does not protect against strokes or heart attacks.
The study also showed that both sitting and standing for long periods increase different types of health risks:
- For those who sit more than 10 hours a day, every additional hour of sitting increases the risk of cardiovascular and orthostatic circulatory diseases by 26%.
- For those who stand more than 2 hours a day, every additional 30 minutes of standing raises the risk of orthostatic circulatory disease by 11%.
- If total static time (sitting + standing) exceeds 12 hours a day, each additional hour increases the risk of these diseases by 22%.
What Counts as “Prolonged”? Sitting Over 10 Hours, Standing Over 2
Dr. Wang Zong-Dao, Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at National Taiwan University Hospital, notes that for heart health, sitting poses the greatest danger, while standing has no impact. However, when it comes to issues like varicose veins, ulcers, and orthostatic hypotension, both sitting and standing for too long are risky. Specifically, sitting for more than 10 hours or standing for more than 2 hours per day qualifies as "prolonged."
Dr. Hong Hui-Feng, a cardiologist at Shin Kong Hospital, recommends compression socks for those in occupations that require long hours of standing, to protect peripheral veins. He also cautions that many recent studies rely on UK Biobank data, which are observational. These studies can show correlation but not causation—meaning the relationships found might be influenced by other common underlying factors.
Frequent Movement Is Key to Breaking the Sitting-Standing Trap
Emmanuel Stamatakis, Director of the Mackenzie Wearable Device Research Centre at the University of Sydney and co-author of the study, told The Guardian that the best way to reduce cardiovascular risk is to increase physical activity. Practical strategies include scheduling regular breaks during work hours to walk or climb stairs, or using lunchtime to leave the office and get some exercise.
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