It might be a while until things go back to normal as the world reels from and deals with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but as life gets more disoriented by the day, it’s clear that it’s best for us to make the most out of the situation, take each day as it comes, and if you are working from home, then you need to make the most out of it.
Specifically, you need to invest in one of the best work from home solution, and it starts from investing in the best work from a home desk. There are numerous options on the market today, but you need to determine what makes the best working desks.
One of the best of the work from home solutions is the standing desks. Whether you are gaming or working, the standing desks offer a wide range of health benefits, and it might also be the one investment that helps in improving your productivity.
It’s worth noting that the standing desks are a great substitute for even the best ergonomic chairs because sitting for too long is not good for your health.
Sitting has been equated to smoking, in terms of the damage that it causes, with the American Journal of Public Health pointing that in as much as sitting might not be that damaging, it could increase the risk of premature death, as well as an increased risk of chronic illnesses by 10% – 20%. With that in mind, it would be a great idea to invest in the best of standing desks.
But does this mean that the standing desks are foolproof and 100% safe? Not quite. The truth is that a fixed standing desk might be just as dangerous, which is why we recommend choosing standing desks with an adjustable height.
You also want to avoid the fixed standing desks or the risk of standing too long because standing too long would increase the risk of skeletal and muscle disorders.
Therefore, it would be a great idea for you to mix sitting and standing desks to alleviate the common muscle and skeletal issues, including aches and pains.
You will be happy to know that people using the best standing and sitting desks have reported a significant improvement in pain and discomfort, specifically back pains and all other associated pains.
But before we look at one of the best standing desks on the market, you need to keep in mind that the use of standing desks is not all you need to do to alleviate the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, and if you decide to opt for the standing desks, then you have to keep in mind the importance of constant breaks. Also, don’t forget to get those legs and your blood moving.
You’ll also need a mat to stand on to make it easy on your feet and for extra comfort.
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General Benefits of Standing Desks
As the name suggests, a standing desk is a desk that allows you to stand, working instead of sitting, allowing you to protect your back and joints, while enhancing your productivity.
Sitting for too long is, without a doubt, bad for your back. And if you have been down this path, you know that back pain is no joke.
According to a review of data conducted and collected from over 142,000 patients and published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, it was discovered that back pain is number 3 on the list of the reasons why most Americans visit the doctor.
And the interesting/ sad bit is that the main cause of the back pain is sitting for too long or the sedentary lifestyles we all lead. The reason for this is that in the seated position, your muscles at the front of the hip or the hip flexors rest in the shortened position, while the muscles at your backside of the hip joint or the gluteals will be stretched out.
The catch is that with extended sitting, the muscles adapt to this position, and the hip flexors tighten while the gluteals lengthen, which also means that your hips lose their natural flexibility. You also have the pelvis and the hip joints, which work as literal middlemen between the back and the lower body.
So, when your muscles around the hip joint become inflexible because of sitting for too long, standing after sitting for too long will place undue pressure on your spine when walking, and this eventually causes back pain, and if you have pre-existing back pain, the inflexible muscles will aggravate the back pain.
Besides the muscle inflexibility, the other reason for back pain when we sit for too long has to do with the fact that 90% more pressure will be put on our back muscles when sitting than when you stand, as reported by the Cornell University’s Department of Ergonomics.
While things like the design of the chair and how you sit affecting the pressure on your back, it’s clear that sitting is very tough on the back.
Note that the standing desk would help in keeping tightness of your hips off, meaning that you won’t have to struggle with the loss of hip mobility, resulting from undue pressure/ stress on your adjacent joints.
Since the added stress might result in accelerated development of pain and discomfort at the hips, joints, and knees, the standing desk might help improve your health and even help you lose weight over time.
Standing desks will further enhance your health and reduce your risk of early death. Some of the diseases associated with sitting for too long include coronary heart disease, cancer, stroke, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, diabetes, peptic ulcer, digestive diseases, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, musculoskeletal disorders, nervous disorders, and high suicide rates among others.
The other risks involved with sitting for too long, include an increased risk of taking part in unhealthy behaviors, and it also has a negative impact on your hormones and the function of the immune system.
That said, it’s worth noting that sitting in itself is not bad, but the problem has to do with the number of hours we actually spend sitting. With all these in mind, the use of a standing desk would be an excellent heath option that improves joint and back pain.
The standing desk would significantly reduce back pain by reducing pressure on the nerves and muscles. On top of that, the standing desk would also lower the risk of obesity and weight gain, further reducing the pressure on your back, while keeping you moving.
There’s also the fact that the standing desk would help improve your health indirectly by promoting muscle activity, encouraging better circulation. In this review, we’ll take a look at the Yo-yo Mini Standing Desk, which is one of the best standing desks on the market.
To reduce your levels of anxiety and stress, lower your blood pressure, and also lower your risk of high blood sugar or diabetes, this is one of the best mini standing desks on the market.
Yo-Yo Mini Standing Desk Review
A classic mini standing desk designed specifically for users between 5 inches and 6 inches tall, this mini standing desk was featured on BBC TV’s How to Stay Young experiment, not to mention the ex-policeman who shed off up to 13 years of his body in only 8 weeks, all thanks to the Yo-Yo desk.
This standing desk has a height of 23 1/4” and a width of 26 ¾“, dimensions that make this standing desk an ideal fit for anyone working with single monitors or if you have a smaller desk.
It boasts a compact design and makes use of a smooth-action adjustment system designed from premium-quality aluminum and a gas-spring action, which ensures the smooth operation and height adjustment of this standing desk.
With an unbeatable adjustable height range with an extension range that allows for the use of standing desk converters, you might like this Yo-Yo mini standing desk for its wide range that ranges from 5.9” – 19.7” for desktops and a range of between 0 and 14.17 inches for keyboards, not to mention the 15-level smooth adjustable height range and the split level 26” worktop, this Yo-Yo standing desk might be the best option for you.
So, if you are looking for one of the most versatile desks on the market, you might like this Yo-Yo mini standing desk. If you have been working on ways of improving your health and productivity, and wish to improve binge sitting, then the transition between sitting and standing would be an excellent option for you to start with.
This Yo-Yo mini standing desk is designed to allow and support a wide range of movements in the body by allowing the perfect ergonomic comfort.
So, if you have been struggling to find some of the healthiest solutions while working, we would recommend this standing chair for the best active working experience. You’ll also be happy to know that the Yo-Yo Desk company is the official sponsoring brand for the Get America Standing campaign.
The other impressive feature of this mini standing desk has to be its convertibility.
You can convert this Yo-Yo Mini standing desk into a sitting desk, which means that the desk easily caters for the needs of most workspaces, accommodating a single monitor. Its installation is quite easy, and you will be done with its full setup in only 5 minutes.
Add that to the effortless switches to and from the standing and sitting positions in under 3 seconds, thanks to the easy-press levers strategically placed on the sides of the desk, and you have the best working experience.
If you have been researching the Yo-Yo standing desks for a while, you might be wondering about what makes this desk very special, and most importantly, what makes it different from the Yo-Yo 32-S desk.
Well, the difference between these two chairs has to do with the fact that the Yo-Yo Mini is part of the original classic series of sit-stand range of desks, and it has a heavier frame, as well a desktop design that is 8” deeper compared to the SLIM range.
As a result of these design features, the Yo-Yo Mini is one of the sturdiest variations at its highest height, which makes this sit-stand chair an ideal fit for users under 6ft or 72inches tall.
The desk has a standing height of 29inches. You might also like this desk because it comes in either white or black, which means that it will transition with your office or home office décor seamlessly.
The other impressive feature of this standing desk is its heavy-duty and sturdy tabletop, which will comfortably support as much as 33lbss of weight.
There’s also the ergonomic design of the chair, which ensures easy elevation of your monitor to an optimal height. The easy-grasp handles on the sides ensure that this adjustment is seamless and safe.
The ease and comfort of using this standing desk are further enhanced by the non-slip silicone frame pads. These pads will also enhance the shelf-life of the desk as it protects against scratches and overall wear and tear.
Pros
Cons
Buying Guide for the Best Standing Desks
Here are some of the most important considerations that you need to consider when looking for a standing desk.
Types of standing desks
If you are planning to buy a standing desk, we recommend that you opt for the height-adjustable standing desk. The adjustable standing desks offer more flexibility, and it’s good for your health, and the desks can be manual or electric.
Manual Adjustable Standing Desk
The manual adjustable standing desk is a common option as it uses a common adjustable mechanism with the crank allowing you to lower or raise the desk. Some of these manually adjustable desks make use of the pneumatic mechanisms, allowing you to use the desk either up or down singlehandedly.
Electric Adjustable Standing Desk
Next is the electric adjustable standing desk, which is common with some of the high-end standing desk models. These desks feature an electric motor, and the up/ down adjustment is made possible by hitting a button with which the entire desk will move up/ down to the desired height.
One of the impressive features of the standing desks is that you can save the positions of the desk to the desk’s memory. So, if you share the adjustable standing desk with your colleagues, the save option will help find your preferred settings.
Fixed-Height Standing desk
For this standing desk, you would have to buy the standing desk then have its height preset to a specific height. Unfortunately, you cannot change the sitting or standing height of the desk at will.
Choosing the best standing desk
Besides knowing the options available on the market, you need to keep in mind factors such as:
Standing Desk Converters
The other consideration that you need to keep in mind is whether you need a standing desk or a standing desk converter. Essentially, the standing desk converter is an excellent alternative for you if you are looking for the best affordable alternatives to the standing desks.
If you are unable to replace your sitting desk with a complete elevated/ standing desk, then the desk converters would be an excellent alternative for you. The desk converters allow for the transformation of your existing traditional sitting desk into a desk that you can work from while standing.
The converter will not change the footprint of the existing desk, which means that the standing desk converter might be a great option for individuals with smaller offices or little room to move existing furniture around.
Since the sit-standing desk converters are significantly cheaper than the full desks, they are an attractive choice if you wish to invest in your health or the health of your employees while keeping your bottom line low.
Like the standing desks, there are different types of standing desk converters, and these adjustable converters will differ from each other depending on the size and the weight of your computer, the keyboard tray, monitor, and the printer. We’ll look at some of the options you could try below.
The Electric Adjustable Desk Converter
This desk converter allows you to control the height and the conversion of the desk with the use of a mechanical motor, which means that you won’t have to worry about using your physical strength for the adjustment of the converter.
All you have to do is to press the simple button on the side to adjust the height of the converter, matching your requirements. If you prefer automated systems or unable to seamlessly and safely operate the manually adjusted desk converter, this would be a good option for you.
This sit-stand desk converter offers a great level of accessibility.
Unfortunately, it’s imperfect, and it has more parts which are susceptible to breaking, and they might cause numerous problems, which means that you need to research more about the companies offering these desks, and it would be a great idea for you to opt for the companies that offer comprehensive warranties.
Floating Platform Desk Converter
The floating platform desk converters make use of a unique mechanism that attaches to your existing desk effortlessly. It comes with a floating platform that will attach to your existing desk, lifting and rising to create the perfect single flat working surface, the same way as a monitor’s arm.
In most cases, the floating platforms come with several compatible attachment accessories such as the keyboard tray and others for the mouse, etc.
Note, however, that the floating converters lack a dedicated workspace, which means that you need to reach under the platform or even around it for access to your existing work surface.
But you can adjust the floating platform desk to make it easier for you to push the floating platform back towards your existing desk if you want to. This flexibility allows you to make the sit and stand adjustments with ease.
The Fixed Double Platform Desk Converter
This adjustable platform desk converter is a fixed model that comes with adjustable height options featuring two fixed areas that hold your keyboard and the monitor.
This converter is the most common option on the market, they are reliable, durable, and since they don’t have too many moving parts, they are relatively easier to use and maintain.
While the desk converters are an excellent alternative to the full standing desks, also affordable, and there is a wide variety, they are imperfect, and they appear bulky and have stability issues. Some of the electric desk converters call for constant repair and maintenance, as well as parts replacement.
Conclusion
The Yo-Yo Mini Standing desk is one of the best standing desks on the market today. This standing desk delivers great value for money, and you might like it if you need to reduce the number of hours spent sitting and for the overall improvement of your health.
With a nice and sturdy design, 33lbs tabletop capacity, non-slip silicone frame pads which protect your desk, and access to accessories like the thick and supportive Yo-Yo mat, this standing desk might be the best investment you make this year.