Tips for Standing Work #2 – Foot Bar & Perch Chair / Sit Stand Chair

Gravity is a constant, driving us down! So when people stand for prolonged periods of time, they tend assume some rather strange and awkward poses. One hip may shift to the side, or the knees will lock back. People lean on a desk, or their shopping cart, or a countertop with either their arms or hips when standing up.

This helps us get stability in our legs. In the workplace, these same postures held for hours at a time will result in injury - to the feet, knees, hips, back, neck and shoulders. The best way to obtain stability and comfort is to obtain a foot rest, or if you’re in the pub a foot bar.

Keeping customers in the pub longer, meant more drink sales. So, bar owners wanted people to get comfortable standing with one foot elevated. The surface of the counter usually extended out toward the patron so that there was plenty of knee clearance. Sometimes there was a section of a soft mat underfoot to soften the standing surface. The patrons would instinctively raise one foot onto the rail, alternating as the other foot got tired. Applying the same principle in the workplace is simple. A foot rest bar can be made out of anything solid.

While it is true that we were not designed to sit all day, we were also not designed to stand all day. One way to introduce a bit of variety is to use a sit to stand stool or a “perch chair”. The idea behind this is to allow the buttocks to be propped up on an angled support surface to reduce the load on the feet and legs when standing. While some models do not offer back support, the angled seat will help to maintain the proper pelvic tilt and curve of the lower back. It is also important to make sure that the desk height is appropriate because supporting the body this way does lower the trunk slightly.