Do you sit for long hours at work? You could be suffering from ‘desk derriere’. Insufficient activity is the primary reason for the syndrome where your bum muscles shrink and make way for layers of fat. This can make your gluteal muscles become less responsive over a period of time, resulting in weakening of the largest muscle in the body.
While it’s incorrect to say that women are more prone to this syndrome and have layers of fat deposits at the back more often, men, too, are exposed to sitting for long at the workplace or otherwise, and the inactive lifestyle makes them victims of this syndrome.
Making a choice
Sitting for long hours is a health hazard as it not only makes you overweight or obese, but also disrupts sleep and induces social anxiety, besides stressing back muscles, neck and the spine. Even those sitting for eight hours a day are 20% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, as per a study by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College.
The research team studied over 105,677 participants. Those who sat for eight hours or more a day had a 17-50% higher risk of death or heart problems like heart attacks or strokes compared to those who sat for less than four hours a day. This difference in risk was higher in lower- and middle-income countries but can be somewhat countered by increasing physical activity. The study found that those with higher sitting time were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular disease (CVD).To counter the growing problem, organisations have now paved the way for stylish and fancy desks at their offices, giving employees the flexibility of working while standing. Bengaluru-based Neil Thomas, who works at an MNC that offers both standing and sitting desks, says: “It all depends on the nature of the job. Standing at the workplace can make me work faster. I stand and work for a few hours as it is a good way to stay active too.”
This ‘stand-at-work’ culture is finding more and more takers, especially among employees who spend around 7-8 hours on an average in front of the computer.
“These desks are part of our standard offerings, and more clients are choosing them as part of their employee wellness programmes because of the perceived health benefits,” says Harsh Binani, co-founder of Smartworks, a flexible office space provider to large enterprises, SMEs and high-growth startups.
Binani says these desks transform a static workspace into a dynamic one by providing height-adjustable alternatives, making setup simple, and allowing desktop customisation to match any office style. “Using ergonomic furniture in professional and personal settings can lead to physical and mental health improvement,” adds Binani.
Standing more often can burn three times as many calories instead of sitting all day. It also helps in toning up postural muscles—calves, hip flexors, chest and all the muscles along the spine.
While standing at work is a lifestyle choice, even a height-adjustable standing desk can help move shoulders and legs and make employees do some quick stretches while standing.
Nobroker, a brokerage-free real estate service, has allowed its employees to work on various types of workstations that include regular desks, standing desks, breakout areas and couches at its offices in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru. “We have no cabin culture, and encourage everyone to use open seats,” says Amit Agarwal, its founder and CEO. “This helps in having a transparent work environment where the leaders are accessible and approachable,” adds Agarwal.
Having different types of seats has multiple benefits. According to Agarwal, it gives a good positive vibe on the entire office floor, while employees are able to use various kinds of desks for various purposes.
“Generally, for short meetings of 2-3 people, employees prefer using standing desks instead of using the normal meeting rooms. Employees use breakout zones/ couches for casual conversations. Various types of options provide flexibility to employees, and they help in breaking the monotony as well. This mechanism has been very effective for us and it gives a very lively feel to our offices,” says Agarwal.
As per Sampad Swain, CEO of Instamojo technologies, such desks are the new way of work while offering employees the choice to identify the best work style for them. “Standing desks have been an integral part of an office design. The idea was to foster an ergonomic organisational ecosystem where wellness and creativity become the dual mantra for our day-to-day activities. As a counterbalance to the negative health impacts, we have seen employees embrace it as the preferred mode of group discussions and individual tasks. It has become a collaborative effort in preventing morbid illness and promoting productivity. It is that much-needed fitness, more so required with increased screen time,” adds Swain.
Most senior leaders, including Swapnil Kamat, CEO of upGrad Workbetter, work on standing desks that can be adjusted for seating purposes accordingly.
“Even on the work floor of upGrad’s headquarters in Mumbai, we have placed tall tables for employees to encourage overall fitness and physical well-being. As we continue to grow, we ensure our team members are not falling prey to any physical ailments or other musculoskeletal issues due to long hours of sitting,” says Kamat. UpGrad Workbetter is an executive education and training company specialising in soft skills, sales and behaviour training, and is a B2B arm of upGrad bringing over 300 corporate clients and more than 250 trainers to the platform.
Sumit Sabharwal, CEO of TeamLease Hrtech, an HR technology organisation, feels that by standing one can increase focus and energy, especially when sitting in a chair becomes monotonous.
“Our new office is all about productivity and innovation, we’ve made stand and work cultures and desks readily available in small soundproof cabins that are completely free from distractions. Our employees can stand and work with complete focus whenever they need it. Standing desks are completely workable all around the world. Many employees need a change in environment for short periods to stay engaged, and switching from sitting to standing is a great way to do so,” he says.
Don’t be a couch potato
There can be many reasons for people to prefer standing or sitting, but for starters, standing is good for health as the body gets some movement and exercise while working. It increases productivity, focus or energy during work hours. However, such desks look fancy, appealing and make one feel active with an alert brain, straight spine and good posture. But if one can stand for long at a stretch, more than an hour or two, it could hurt joints, especially knees and ankles in the future.
“Take for instance, the security guards. They have issues with their knees, hips, feet and the lower back gets weaker due to constantly standing for long. Standing for long can build up varicose veins. As gravity constantly drains energy, one must intermittently rest, stretch legs, sit and walk. Do it several times in a day. Take leg and back massages regularly,” says life coach and health guru Dr Mickey Mehta, who feels that a fancy standing desk can be bad for posture and musculoskeletal health as it can drain energy at a high pace.
“Standing correctly with head, neck and spine in a straight line is important. Our modern lifestyle can offer many conveniences but it is important to take care of your body and posture and find ways to be active by moving optimally through the day,” Mehta adds.
What’s going wrong?
- Gluteus maximus is the largest of the three gluteal muscles and makes up the bulk of the shape and form of the buttock and hip area
- Make sure you don’t waste gluteal muscles due to inactivity, decreased blood flow at the back or wrong posture
- If you sit more, your fat cells in the buttocks expand more to create a rounder and bigger derriere
What can you do?
- Get up and move. If there’s no standing desk at work or at home, take a break every 30 minutes of sitting with 30 seconds of movement
- Stretching or walking around is good to keep muscles and joints active. You’ll find it especially helpful if you’ve been seated for a long time
- Relax your hips forward until you feel a stretch. While holding this pose, stand tall. Roll your shoulders back and down to reset your spine and neck. Hold for 30 seconds
- Try a quad stretch with feet hip-width apart, balance your left leg, bend right knee up toward your buttocks and grab the right foot. Hold onto a wall or chair if needed
Benefits galore
- Stand after every 30 minutes to burn calories and improve circulation
- Studies say those who sit for long had shorter life spans due to poor cardiovascular health
- Standing gives an energy burst
- It can improve postures, mood and help focus more
