For years, we have been told that "sitting is the new smoking." It is a catchy phrase, and it points to a real problem. But it is also far too simple. If sitting were always the worst choice, we could solve the problem by standing up. That is not the case.
For millions of people, standing at work is not a healthy choice but a daily demand. Healthcare and factory workers, teachers, salespeople, waiters and hairdressers spend countless hours on their feet, and their bodies pay a price too.
Problems with the muscles, bones and joints of the back, neck, shoulders, legs and feet are the most common work-related health problem in Europe. In Spain, for example, such problems make up 78% of all illnesses linked to work.
So is it better to work sitting down or standing up? That may be the wrong question. What matters most is how long we stay in one position, and how often we move during the day.
The human body does not do well in any position it holds for too long. Long hours of sitting tend to cause problems in the lower back, neck and shoulders. Long hours of standing are more closely linked to tiredness, lower back pain and too much pressure on the legs and feet. Sitting and standing may not hurt in the same way, but neither is harmless if we do it for too long.
When we think of aches and pains from work, we usually think of the back. But the body's workday starts much lower down.
The foot is the base that everything else rests on. It touches the ground, spreads out pressure and passes forces up to the ankle, knee, hip and spine. If that base works nonstop for hours, the rest of the body can suffer too.
A recent study of factory assembly line workers found that a full day of standing was linked to measurable changes in their posture and in how pressure spread across the soles of their feet. The workers also often felt discomfort in their lower back, knees and feet.
Europe's workplace safety agency says it is generally healthier to change your position, build movement into your day and spend less time standing or sitting still.
That has led many people to look for clever tools, such as desks that go up and down, special chairs and insoles, and cushions or supports for the back. Some of them can help. But none of them alone can make up for a badly planned workday.
The measures that really work are less exciting: regular short breaks, switching between tasks, adjusting your workstation, wearing suitable shoes, getting exercise and having a schedule that leaves room to move.
In the end, there is no need to treat the chair as the enemy or to see standing as perfect. The body is made to change, adapt and move. Problems start when, to get our work done, we often stay in one position for too long.