Stand up because sitting down could be killing you

WINNIPEG — If you’re sitting down, you may just want to get up on those feet, if you can, before you continue to read.

A study published Thursday in the Lancet Journal found sitting at work, at your desk, on the couch watching TV, for hours on end is as bad for your health as smoking.

But, fitness experts and local companies said there’s a possible solution to the problem.

While popping off your chair every hour and getting in to plank position is for sure one way around this, Lifestyle Mentor Dai Manuel said he has another solution.

“If you are in a situation where you sit a lot, look at a standing work station to alternate between the two,” said Manuel.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "If you are in a situation where you sit a lot, look at a standing work station to alternate between the two," said Manuel.

Manuel explained, sitting at the desk is essentially signing up to win a lottery you really don’t want.

“You have a better chance of getting heart disease or colon cancer. That’s scary to me. That’s a lottery I don’t want to win,” said Manuel.

Many companies have started to adopt the standing desk style to enhance healthy living in the lives of their employees.

At Bold Commerce and Safe Work Manitoba employees have the option to get a sit down to stand up desk if they’d like.

“We wanted to offer a healthy work environment to ensure our staff was healthy in the work place,” said Director and Co-founder of Bold, Stefan Maynard.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We wanted to offer a healthy work environment to ensure our staff was healthy in the work place," said Director and Co-founder of Bold, Stefan Maynard.

Jamie Hall with Safe Work Manitoba added, “We know that ergonomics is important at any work place. In Manitoba our stats show us that over 60% of all work place injury and illness is related to musculoskeletal injury.”

If a stand up work station isn’t suited for you, or you just can’t get one, there are luckily other options for you.

Experts say you can simply get up and walk to your co-workers desk instead of emailing them a question or answer. You can also set a timer every hour to just get up and walk. Or, perhaps take a work call on your cell phone as you walk around instead of remaining at your desk.