Conclusion : sit-st and workstations may reduce low back pain  among workers .
Practitioner Summary : In a sedentary population , changing posture may reduce the chance of developing low back pain .
Abstract Background : Sit-st and workstations are proposed solutions to reduce sedentary time at work .
Numerous companies are using them to mitigate health concerns such as musculoskeletal discomfort .
Objective : To review the literature on sit-st and workstations and low back discomfort .
Evaluation of sit-stand workstations in an office setting: a randomised controlled trial
Background Excessive sitting time is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity independent of physical activity . This aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a sit-st and workstation on sitting time , and vascular , metabolic and musculoskeletal outcomes in office workers , and to investigate workstation acceptability and feasibility . Methods A two-arm , parallel-group , individually r and omised controlled trial was conducted in one organisation . Participants were asymptomatic full-time office workers aged ≥18 years . Each participant in the intervention arm had a sit-st and workstation installed on their workplace desk for 8 weeks . Participants in the control arm received no intervention . The primary outcome was workplace sitting time , assessed at 0 , 4 and 8 weeks by an ecological momentary assessment diary . Secondary behavioural , cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal outcomes were assessed . Acceptability and feasibility were assessed via question naire and interview . ANCOVA and magnitude-based inferences examined intervention effects relative to controls at 4 and 8 weeks . Participants and research ers were not blind to group allocation . Results Forty-seven participants were r and omised ( intervention n = 26 ; control n = 21 ) . Relative to the control group at 8 weeks , the intervention group had a beneficial decrease in sitting time ( −80.2 min/8-h workday ( 95 % CI = −129.0 , −31.4 ) ; p = 0.002 ) , increase in st and ing time ( 72.9 min/8-h workday ( 21.2 , 124.6 ) ; p = 0.007 ) and decrease in total cholesterol ( −0.40 mmol/L ( −0.79 , −0.003 ) ; p = 0.049 ) . No harmful changes in musculoskeletal discomfort/pain were observed relative to controls , and beneficial changes in flow-mediated dilation and diastolic blood pressure were observed . Most participants self-reported that the workstation was easy to use and their work-related productivity did not decrease when using the device . Factors that negatively influenced workstation use were workstation design , the social environment , work tasks and habits . ConclusionS hort-term use of a feasible sit-st and workstation reduced daily sitting time and led to beneficial improvements in cardiometabolic risk parameters in asymptomatic office workers . These findings imply that if the observed use of the sit-st and workstations continued over a longer duration , sit-st and workstations may have important ramifications for the prevention and reduction of cardiometabolic risk in a large proportion of the working population .Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov NCT02496507
Conclusion : sit-st and workstations may reduce low back pain  among workers .
Practitioner Summary : In a sedentary population , changing posture may reduce the chance of developing low back pain .
Abstract Background : Sit-st and workstations are proposed solutions to reduce sedentary time at work .
Numerous companies are using them to mitigate health concerns such as musculoskeletal discomfort .
Objective : To review the literature on sit-st and workstations and low back discomfort .