What are the Common Problems with a Sit-Stand Desk?

Sitting for a long time will adversely affect your health and productivity at work. And transitioning to standing desks might just alleviate this problem. But of course, it does not come without some tradeoffs. After all, it’s not possible to have a beautiful rainbow without a little rain, can we?

Let’s talk about some common issues most encounter with their sit-stand desks. We’ll also toss in some tips on how to overcome them.

Mechanical glitches and failure

Everything electronic often comes with this precaution. 

Glitches and failures are inevitable. 

The desk might get stuck while transitioning. Worse, you might find yourself stuck in an awkward position where you would not be able to use the desk in either sitting or standing position.

 Most brands come with troubleshooting instructions should glitches and eros happen. 

Most of the stalling issues can easily be addressed by making sure that every cable is plugged in. Sometimes, ensuring that the chords are not twisted or stuck does the trick. 

Other mechanical issues can also be solved by restarting the desk. Most desks will display a specific error and there are corresponding solutions to each particular problem that you can often find in the user manual. 

But if this happens all the time, there might be more to it.   

Replacements and refunds can come in handy. Your desk might have some parts that need to be replaced so that it can work properly again, this often happens if the brand lacks quality control. 

That’s why buying from reputable brands should be the initial step. Doing research and diving into user reviews are some of the ways you’ll be able to gain insight into how reliable a standing desk is. 

As we have mentioned above, glitches can be inevitable if you are using an electronic device. Though issues may happen not too soon should you buy a legit standing desk, it will happen one way or the other. 

If you do not want to deal with this even in the distant future, opting for a manual sit-stand is the more viable solution.  But you also have to familiarize yourself with the possible problems that you can encounter with a manually adjustable desk, you just have to pick your poison.  

Even with a reputable standing desk brand, stalling or the desk getting stuck can still happen if you are going to use the desk beyond its maximum capacity. 

Loud and noisy motors

This may or may not be much of a concern. Some standing desks may make a subtle whirring sound while the desk is transitioning. While others may make a very annoying loud screech. 

This may affect your productivity and those of the people around you. So it also pays to check for the decibels or better yet, test the desk in the store so that you can personally hear how loud it can be.

Wobbly and shaky desk 

A shaky desk is a nuisance. It can disrupt your productivity and can even make you feel dizzy. 

Buying from a reputable standing desk is your first line of defense. But do not rely on what the brand claims, always check reviews and drop by the store to personally see how the desk performs before swiping your credit cards or ordering online.   

Oftentimes, a desk wobbles more when it is used at the maximum height. So if you are very tall, buy brands not only that are recommended for taller people, but have positive user experience from the same group. 

Slow transitioning

If you often change the height of your workstation, it is well worth looking into this feature. If a standing desk takes forever to shift from sitting to standing, and vice versa, it can eat a chunk of your time.

Deceptive marketing

This is not limited to standing desks, so you should be a clever buyer. 

Even if you’re fancying a standing desk from a famous brand, it pays to do additional research on how the desk performs. 

Always take everything with a grain of salt and do not always believe what the media tells you.  

Leg Discomfort and muscle fatigue

Too much standing can result in swelling of the lower limbs, especially if you’ve just been transitioning into this more active lifestyle. 

There are ways to alleviate this discomfort. 

Create a balance between sitting and standing. There should be proper breaks between sitting and standing. You can set an alarm on your phone to notify you when to transition. Some sit-stand desks also come with this option for your convenience.

Second, you can use more comfortable shoes that are suitable for prolonged standing. This can help prevent swelling and discomfort on the soles of your feet and lower limbs. And three, you can make use of anti-fatigue mats. These are specifically designed to be used with standing desks and can be quite soft and comfortable for the feet and legs. 

Keyboard and mouse surfaces too small

A lot of midrange standing desks come with a narrow or small working surface. Oftentimes, not enough to have a mouse or a keyboard tray.  

You have to check on your workflow so that you can get the proper and more suitable desk size that can make you more productive. 

Choosing a bigger and deeper desk is one solution, but it can also mean additional costs.  Also, you can make use of monitor stands and arms which can help free up more area so that you have free space for a keyboard or for your arms to move around. 

Buying a suitable standing desk may eliminate these problems

Even with a healthier alternative such as a standing desk, it’s not all sunshine and daisies.

There are also cons and trade-offs but oftentimes, it can be alleviated should you be able to make the more suitable choice.