NC West Virginia News

Research conducted by West Virginia University indicates that alternating between sitting and standing at work does not lower blood pressure, despite reducing sedentary behavior. The study, led by Bethany Barone Gibbs, chair and professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at WVU School of Public Health, also suggests that excessive standing could negatively impact cardiovascular health.

The clinical trial aimed to explore whether people with hypertension could reduce their blood pressure through behavioral interventions involving sit-stand desks. However, findings revealed no improvement in blood pressure metrics such as resting blood pressure or pulse wave velocity. "That’s important because I think a lot of people are using sit-stand desks and think that might help their blood pressure," Barone Gibbs noted.

Nearly half of U.S. adults experience high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. Increasing physical activity is known to be an effective method for lowering these numbers. Barone Gibbs stated, “We know moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity like brisk walking or biking absolutely decreases blood pressure.”

In previous studies led by Barone Gibbs, individuals who sat extensively exhibited poorer cardiovascular health compared to more active counterparts. For this trial, participants were advised to stand 15 to 30 minutes each hour and take hourly walking breaks. Some participants stood longer than recommended, leading to increased aortic arterial stiffness—a marker for early-stage cardiovascular disease.

Barone Gibbs explained the physiological mechanism behind these findings: "Whenever you flex the muscles in your calves by walking or moving, those muscle contractions are helping to push the blood up through this one-way valve." Prolonged static standing can result in similar adverse effects as prolonged sitting due to impaired circulation.

The research was published in Circulation journal by the American Heart Association and will feature in a special null hypothesis article collection. Despite yielding a null result regarding blood pressure improvement through sit-stand desks, Barone Gibbs emphasized its significance: “We need to know what doesn’t work just like we need to know what works for improving blood pressure.”

The study involved 271 desk workers with elevated blood pressure who were equipped with sit-stand desks and wearable activity trackers prompting them every hour if they hadn't walked enough steps. Assessments included monitoring their behaviors both during work hours and leisure time.

Interestingly, researchers found positive effects on lowering blood pressure when participants stood outside office hours—a difference attributed by Barone Gibbs to more dynamic movements during leisure activities compared to static occupational standing.

While acknowledging benefits such as relief from chronic low back pain provided by sit-stand desks, Barone Gibbs advises against static standing without movement at workstations: "What we want to investigate are the small things you do at your desk... Does that make standing at a desk beneficial rather than harmful?"