Since mid-October, I have been experiencing a pinched nerve in my lower back. Anyone who has experienced this type of condition knows the pain can be excruciating, as my symptoms also include numbness or weakness of my lower back and left leg. Lumbar radiculopathy is typically caused by a compressed spinal nerve root, which results with pain in the leg rather than in the lumbar spine. Why this happened to me is unknown, but I would speculate it gradually developed from daily running when not biking. Having ‘additional’ birthdays may also be another reason!
With the help of a physical therapist, I perform various daily exercises at home (or in the office). Despite PT, however, the searing pain persisted enough to have an MRI performed, confirming the Lumbar 4 location. As I wait for the next elevated level of care – most likely an epidural steroid injection – I judiciously use Tramadol, a synthetic analgesic opioid medication that is used to treat moderate to moderately-severe pain. For me, the best relief is to simply sit down, which allows me to forgo Tramadol. Accordingly, I spend more time sitting at my desk working on projects that don’t require traveling to outside meetings. Needless to say, having these physical limitations are wreaking havoc on my daily activities…and exercise routine.
I share this ‘protected health information’ because I am intrigued by the latest craze – the stand-up desk – a desk that allows you to stand up while working at the computer. You will find ads in newspapers, magazines and the internet about these desks, often touting why it is so much healthier to be working on your feet rather than, well, your bottom. The purported health benefits of these desks are both broad and deep. One website listed at least seven potential health benefits when using such desks:
- Standing Lowers Your Risk of Weight Gain and Obesity
- Lowers Blood Sugar Levels
- Lowers Risk of Heart Disease
- Appears to REDUCE BACK PAIN!!!
- Helps Improve Mood and Energy Levels
- May Boost Productivity
- May Help You Live Longer
Fantastic! I want…no…I NEED to have a stand-up desk!
Due to our sedentary office jobs and daily living habits, American workers burn around 140 fewer calories per day compared to 59 years ago (1960). In July 2016, The Lancet issued study results that indicated 60 minutes of daily physical activity (e.g. brisk walking, pleasure biking, etc.) may help offset health risks of having to sit eight hours a day at the office. This November, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued updated activity guidelines for Americans to help combat the fact that nearly 80 percent of U.S. adults and adolescents are insufficiently active. The health benefits of exercise are clearly not fake news, as there is too much scientific research to refute the naysayers.
Cautionary Note
Before buying into the aforementioned stand-up desk ‘craze,’ one might want to consider some research that at least tempers its glowing accolades. Aaron Carroll, professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, writes well-researched blogs about healthcare and policy. Recently in the New York Times, Carroll wrote a compelling piece about why standing-desks are ‘overrated,’ winnowing fact from fiction.
I will not take up my sitting time by regurgitating Carroll’s article, but I would like to summarize his ‘finding’ with the following: Exercise is important for our health, but merely standing is NOT considered to be ‘exercise.’ Sitting may not be the problem on why we are unhealthy, but rather, it may be a “marker for other risk factors that would be associated with higher mortality.”
Personally, I’m intrigued about standing while working at my computer. But first, my lower back must heal before I can stand for any period of time. For now, my lofty expectations about using a stand-up desk have been adjusted at a more reasonable (and comfortable) level…that of my office chair!
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