Treadmill Desk
Ok, I might be pushing it a little to say that this is fun, but it definitely is healthier to do some work standing up and walking slowly than just sitting all day. I just purchased an adjustable laptop stand for my treadmill and am walking 1 mph at an incline of 1 while typing this.
It’s not perfect but it really is a wonderful option to transition between sitting and walking. Laptops in general are super convenient but they are also set up in such a way that they immediately put various parts of our bodies at risk for misalignment.
What I notice right away is the importance of keeping my neck in line with my spine, rather than looking down at the screen. It’s a great way to practice our typing skills and looking with our eyes versus our head (meaning you look down at your screen with only your eyes, while keeping your neck in line with your spine).
The other thing that feels really important is to relax your shoulders while keeping your arms at a 90 degree angle. It’s easy to reach forward while you type. If you find yourself doing this, try to walk closer to the stand so you can maintain better alignment and posture while relaxing your shoulders.
The final, super important thing I’ve noticed is the need to engage your abdominal muscles while also leveling your pelvis. If you feel discomfort anywhere in your body, something is out of alignment. A minor adjustment makes a major difference!
It does take a little bit of getting used to but it’s also kind of fun and definitely is fitness. While writing this post, I walked half of a mile (yes there were many typos as I got used to it). The only down side, I don’t think I got any Fitbit steps because my arms weren’t moving!
If you’re interested in trying one out, this is the model I purchased: VIVO Universal Treadmill Desk
I like it because it’s really easy to put on and off the treadmill, was easy to set up (and I often have trouble with such things), and it was reasonably priced.
Final Notes:
If felt really good to walk a bit and proof read while fully relaxing my arms. In a perfect world, we’d transition between the positions of standing and walking for awhile and then sitting and working while practicing body awareness and good posture in each.
Do what makes sense for you and as always, don’t forgot to stretch when you’re done.
