Positive thinking

Peter Smith, University of Toronto - Canada There’s been a lot of interest in the harmful effects of prolonged sitting at work, from academics and the public alike. The attention being paid to sitting — or rather, not sitting — while on the job stems from the scientifically validated message that being sedentary in general, both indoors and outdoors, is bad for your health. However, comparatively little attention has been devoted to the harmful effects of prolonged standing at work, despite past studies linking it to chronic back pain and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the lower limbs. What’s more, research has shown that prolonged standing might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. That’s because standing too long can result in blood pooling in the legs, increased pressure in the veins and increased oxidative stress , all of which can contribute to an increased risk. Prolonged standing at work doubles heart disease risk We recently published...