Foot Swelling in VDT Operators with Sitting and Sit-Stand Workstations

Abstract

In a controlled field study, effect of sit-stand workstations on foot swelling during the course of a workday was monitored in visual display terminal (VDT) operators. Six VDT operators first worked in offices furnished with nonadjustable sitting workstations. Then they worked in offices furnished with sit-stand adjustable furniture for six weeks. In the later setting, they stood for 15 minutes every hour. In both settings, the foot swelling was measured at 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. using a foot volumeter. Between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., subjects walked for 20 minutes and sat for 40 minutes. The results showed that the average right foot swelling in offices with sit-stand adjustable furniture was significantly less than that in offices with nonadjustable furniture, 12.3 ml (1.1 percent) compared to 21 ml (1.8 percent). These results suggest that activity promoted using sit-stand workstations benefits sedentary office workers.