What are the health benefits and problems of standing too much?

SO, SHOULD I LIMIT MY STANDING TO TWO HOURS A DAY?

“Standing for two hours a day is the average duration most people spend standing and not everyone will develop complications,” said Dr John Wang, a vascular and general surgeon at PanAsia Surgery Group.

He pointed out that the study showed only 2.5 per cent of the participants developed OCD. The study also does not differentiate patients, who may already be prone to OCD, such as pre-existing varicose veins or a family history, he continued.

“To extrapolate these findings to all patients of all age groups and set a standing limit of two hours a day is a bit of an over-stretch. People’s vocation and livelihoods can be affected with misinterpretation of this data,” said Dr Wang.

DOES STANDING BURN MORE CALORIES THAN SITTING?

The difference in calorie expenditure between sitting (80 calories per hour) and standing (88 calories per hour) is a mere eight calories per hour, according to this study.

“That difference is about the energy contained in two baby carrots,” said Dr Wang. However, “a lot of people assume that standing takes significantly more effort than sitting and consume more calories in order to maintain posture and to remain upright”, he said.  

HOW DO I TELL I HAVE A PROBLEM FROM STANDING TOO MUCH?

OCD can manifest in mild forms such as spider veins (fine, thready, red veins) and reticular veins (blue or green tinge, 1mm to 3mm in diameter), said Dr Wang. “The affected limb may swell as the day progresses and the muscular part of the calves may experience heaviness, easily tire, or cramp.”