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He took a stand — against sitting.
Researchers recommend standing for at least two to four hours during the workday to reduce the health risks associated with prolonged sitting. YouTuber Lucas Ball, who goes by Pigmie, took that advice to the extreme and decided not to sit for a week.
The rules of the experiment were clear: Ball could lie down for exactly eight hours at night, but he had to be upright the rest of the time. That means in the bathroom, he squatted over the toilet, and in the car, he didn’t let his bottom touch the backseat.
“Prolonged sitting and lack of physical activity have been correlated with obesity and a cluster of obesity-related conditions,” Ball, 34, said while kicking off his feat two years ago.
“Sitting for such prolonged amounts of time can result in back pain, spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, poor posture in the upper back, neck and shoulders, as well as vascular problems in the legs.”
Though he appreciated that he could do the challenge alone and without pricey equipment, he did purchase a bamboo standing desk to ease the transition.
That turned out to be a good move. Ball found he was more productive standing to work — he didn’t have time to “take a breather and then get distracted.”
Outside of the work day, he tried to stay moving to distract himself from the fatigue that crept into his legs and feet. He watched TV and ate dinner standing up.
He also ran errands by walking instead of driving and tried to work out without sitting.
Day 3 is when things took a turn.
“It really hit me in the lower legs and feet. I felt very sore and tired, and I felt like my posture while standing was starting to slack,” Ball shared.
“On top of this, I was also extremely hungry. Maybe I was hungry from burning extra calories, but one thing I noticed is that when I was eating, it took my mind off of standing up,” he added. “And partially for this reason, I constantly ate throughout the entire day.”
He couldn’t wait to lie down for his allotted eight hours.
Eventually, his sleep worsened because his legs felt so uncomfortable. He spent hours tossing and turning while trying to stretch ’em.
Ball cut the challenge short on Day 5 and took stock of where he stood.
He noticed that he was slouching — his upper back was rounded — but his butt popped more.
“It looks like I’m starting to really form this slouched-over position, especially in the upper back,” he explained. “But on the positive side, it looks like I’m getting back a little bit more curve in my lower spine, which should have been there.”
His hip and knees ached, and he gained a pound, likely because he distracted himself from the pain by eating.
But his digestion was “faster and smoother,” and he estimated he was 30% more productive at work.
“What I think I’m gonna do from here on out is stand up, maybe like first thing when I go to work at the computer for a few hours. When I start to get fatigued, we’ll bring that desk out,” Ball said before finally taking a seat.
There are pros and cons of standing desks — research suggests they can improve posture, help regulate blood sugar and enhance focus. However, they may also increase fatigue and the risk of developing varicose veins.
Simply standing isn’t enough — experts recommend taking movement breaks throughout the day to improve circulation and reduce stiffness.
English (US)