The Benefits of a Standing Desk Treadmill

We spend a great deal of time sitting at our desks. Running a treadmill underneath your standing desk can help increase your circulation, burn calories, and encourage you to get moving throughout the day.

Our interviews revealed that most treadmill desk users were motivated to use their desks due to health reasons.

Improves circulation

Humans are supposed to be up and moving throughout the day, rather than slouch in front of our screens. While research has revealed the dangers of sitting for hours, many people still struggle to find the right balance to get enough time to stand and walk to improve their health. Fortunately, a treadmill for your desk is an option. By adding a treadmill to your desk will allow you to walk while working and can provide a host of important benefits that go beyond burning calories.

Regular exercise boosts mood and boosts endorphins. Both of these elements can reduce stress, which is especially beneficial in the workplace. This can lead to increased productivity and morale since employees can concentrate and focus on their work.

A recent study revealed that using treadmill desks produced an improved short-term treatment response than a sit-to-stand desk and the treadmill group showing a significant increase in total daily usual standing bout patterns and duration after adjustment (multimedia appendix 8) when compared to those who sat-to-stand and control desks. The effects were not sustained at M6 or M12.

The treadmill desk also promoted higher intensity stepping compared to the sit-to-stand and control groups. The treadmill group showed an early trend within-group towards accumulating longer-lasting stepping sessions. These differences were not sustained through M6 or M12.

The treadmill desk group also showed an unintended effect in favoring prolonged sedentary duration after just a few months of usage, in contrast, the control and sit-to stand desk groups favored increasing standing in prescribed bouts or shorter (1-10 minutes) durations. This is significant, as prolonged sedentary behaviors have been linked to chronic disease risk factors and general health.

Although walking on a treadmill while working might seem counterintuitive, it has been proven efficient in improving circulation while providing the physical activity required by most office workers to maintain healthy body weights and blood pressures. It is possible that this kind of ambulatory exercise that is low-intensity could be integrated into office workflows in the future, thereby reducing the health risks that come with a sedentary life.

Burns Calories

One of the most appealing aspects about a standing desk treadmill is that it burns calories. This is because walking burns more calories than sitting. Additionally, since most people spend around three hours of their workday at their computer, burning an additional two to four miles of walking every day can reduce the harmful effects of sedentary lifestyles.


This is among the main reasons why people are hesitant to purchase one. However, there are fantastic alternatives to a full-time treadmill desk, like a walking desk. These treadmill-compatible desks let you walk and work simultaneously, without compromising efficiency or the comfort.

These devices allow you to set your own pace and monitor your progress through an integrated display. Some models have an USB connector so you can plug in your favorite tracker to monitor your daily activity. Some of these workstations are capable monitoring your heartbeat, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels as well as tracking your daily activity.

It is crucial to keep in mind that when you are using a treadmill desk, you will not be burning more calories than you would be running or exercising in a gym. The slow walking pace of most under desk treadmill treadmills means that you won't burn more than 500 calories an hour. This is still more than what you would burn if you sat in a chair the whole day.

If you are new to working at the treadmill at your desk it is crucial to begin slowly and gradually increase your speed and duration of your walk. This will ensure that you don't overload yourself and cause any injuries. Additionally it is important to discuss your plan to use a treadmill at work with your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise routine.

Some people might be worried that a treadmill desk might affect their work performance. This is a valid concern, as some studies have found that treadmill desks can cause small declines in mouse proficiency and typing skills. These declines are usually short-lived and then return to normal within some weeks of working at the treadmill desk regularly.