We really weren’t made to sit for long periods of time. Sitting causes pain in your body and increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease. See this article by Maureen O’Hagan.
Catena, who is starting a new Gait and Posture Biomechanics lab at WSU, said that as counterintuitive as it may sound, sitting puts more stress on the spine than standing.
“Our body is configured to stand. In our evolutionary history, people didn’t sit for long periods of time. They stood or they walked,” he said. “So sitting actually takes us out of our natural position.”
In a standing position, your spine is gently curved. “That curvature basically dampens the load of your body weight pushing down due to gravity,” Catena said.
If you’d like more information about how sitting messes with your metabolism and body fat along with tips on finding a standing desk check this out.