Standing desks may increase risk of swollen veins and blood clots – study

Standing desks do not compensate for being inactive and may increase the risk of developing conditions such as swollen veins and blood clots in the legs, scientists have warned.

The office set-up has become popular in recent years and is often seen as a way to reduce the health risks associated with sitting all day at a computer.

But a new study of more than 80,000 UK adults found that standing does not reduce the risk of diseases such as stroke and heart failure, despite the widely held belief that it does.

It also found that being on one’s feet for more than two hours a day could put people at higher risk of developing problems such as deep vein thrombosis – blood clots that form deep inside veins – and varicose veins – enlarged and twisted veins under the skin.

Based on their findings, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, researchers said people who sit or stand for long periods should schedule regular movement throughout the day.

Dr Matthew Ahmadi, of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health in Australia, said: “The key takeaway is that standing for too long will not offset an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and could be risky for some people in terms of circulatory health.

“We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health over the long-term and increases the risk of circulatory issues.”

Previous research by Dr Ahmadi and his team found vigorously exercising for six minutes a day can help lower the risk of heart disease, even in people who were sitting for more than 11 hours a day.

To understand if standing provided any health benefits, the researchers looked at data from 83,013 adults who are part of the UK Biobank, a database which holds health and lifestyle records of more than half-a-million Britons.

These people did not have heart disease at the start of the study and wore devices on their wrists to track movement.

The team found that for every extra 30 minutes spent standing beyond two hours, the risk of circulatory disease increased by 11%.

The researchers said standing was not found to reduce risk of heart conditions such as stroke, heart failure and coronary heart disease (where the heart’s arteries are narrowed or blocked).

Meanwhile, when time spent sitting exceeded 12 hours a day, it was associated with a 15% increase in heart disease risk for each extra hour of sitting, the findings showed.

Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub at the University of Sydney, said: “For people who sit for long periods on a regular basis, including plenty of incidental movement throughout the day and structured exercise may be a better way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Take regular breaks, walk around, go for a walking meeting, use the stairs, take regular breaks when driving long distances, or use that lunch hour to get away from the desk and do some movement.”

Commenting on the study, Emily McGrath, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, who was not involved, said: “This research emphasises the importance of getting up and active during the day.

“The more people can avoid being stationary, the better.

“Over the long-term, the study showed that standing time was not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, however it did have other circulatory health implications for some.

“It is important to get active to reduce this risk.

“Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity, like brisk walking, cycling or swimming, per week to reduce your risk of heart and circulatory disease.

“This will help manage your weight, promote better sleep, boost energy, reduce your stress and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”