You've probably heard of people walking to work. But have you heard of people walking while working? And, no, I'm not talking about the mail carrier! A good writer-runner-blogger-buddy of mine, Dena, sent me a link to an article about the TrekDesk. Yep, it's a desk and a treadmill combined into one!I checked out the TrekDesk website to get a better idea about the thinking behind this unique desk and discovered it was invented by Steve Bordley who was the victim of a disabling accident. Upon returning to work and his traditional desk, he suffered severe back pain and gained a lot of weight. He decided to create an alternative to help alleviate both. Tah Dah! The TrekDesk.
The benefits of standing desks have been known for years. One main benefit of standing at a desk is that your hip flexors don't get tight. Ever been sitting at your desk for many hours and when you finally need to get up, you can hardly stand up straight? Tight hip flexors are the culprit. Years of tight hip flexors can lead to a forward curve to your posture. Not good. Also, because you're seated all day, you're burning very few calories, so weight gain can be a problem related to sedentary jobs.
Well, the TrekDesk helps to alleviate both. According to the TrekDeck website, 84% of all medical claims in the US are directly related to lack of exercise, poor nutrition and lifestyle. They go on further to say that using the TrekDesk treadmill desk (along with adherence to dietary guidelines) could have the following results:
- 33%-70% risk reduction in rate of major cancers
- 90% reduction in number of initial heart attacks
- 50% reduction in risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes
- 70% reduction in risk of stroke
Why such radical risk reduction? A few of the reasons sited include, increasing the metabolic rate therefore burning more calories (helping with weight reduction), stimulating the lymphatic system helping to ward off disease, increasing blood flow and improving circulation, improving lung capacity and strength, improving blood lipid profiles, etc. The increased blood flow also helps stimulate brain function, improving memory as much as 15% in 6 months!
These are not new findings. We've known for years that walking and regular exercise provides all the aforementioned benefits. The problem is that people, no matter how often told, either don't have the time to get in the needed exercise or they're not motivated to get in the needed exercise. Enter the TrekDeck. It helps remove the excuses. It provides you with ample time to get in the exercise you need because you don't have to make extra time to fit it in. It's the ultimate in multitasking. Of course, not every work situation will lend itself to using the TrekDeck, but it yours does, it might be worth checking out. If you work from the home, it may be the perfect solution to getting in that needed exercise.
So, while I've not personally tested the TrekDeck and can't attest to it's construction or effectiveness, it may be worth further investigation. If TrekDesk is listening....I'll be more than happy to give it a thorough testing for an official RunnerDude's Blog review! I was surprised that the price of the TrekDesk is under $500. For a walking treadmill and a desk, that's not too bad.
10 comments:
It sounds interesting but I’ll pass on this one. :) Even an extremely busy person shouldn’t be buying this desk.
Hi Meechelle! Yep, if you're already active, the TrekDesk probaly isn't for you, but for those who aren't it could be a good way to get started. Us runners would probably get "overtrained" using one. LOL! Have a good one!
... because people don't feel like a little gerbil running in a wheel at work enough as it is.
I'd have to pass, too; a) because I'm barely employed, and b) I have a hard time not killing myself on a treadmill when all I have to focus on is not falling off of it. throw in having to worry about answering phone calls, emails, playing minesweeper, etc, I'm a dead man jogging.
This is a very cool "IDEA" but practical? Since my job is driving, that is out of the question for me, but for those working in an office even? I can see it. Hey, do you have that report for me? yeah, Ill have it done after one more mile boss. The Idea is good though. Im surprised they actually make them though. Maybe if I lived on a space station 10,000 light years from Earth.
I want one!!! hehe ;)
Yep, like I said, definitely not for everyone, but there are many jobs that it would work great. I worked in a publishing company for 13 years, Many of the artist had standing desks and even some of the editors. I bet some of them would have loved the ability to move throughout the day while working. Remember it's at a very slow pace. It's designed to keep your heart rate steady throughout the day. Not really meant to be a full-blown workout.
A recent government study projects that 43% of the U.S. adults will be obese (not overweight, but obese) by 2018, if changes aren't made. That projection is exptected to cause obesity spending to quadruple to $344 billion by the same time frame. So, I'm of the thinking that anything is better than nothing. Currenlty in my home state of NC, 65.7% of the population is considered overweight/obese (36% overweight and 29.5% obese). In my county(Guilford), 60.9% of the pop is overweight/obese (32%overweight and 28% obese) according to the NC State Center for Health Statistics 2008 BRFSS survey results. Those are pretty scary figures.
PS, I wasn't criticizing the product (or exercise, of course); my immediate thought after reading the post was the image of people in cubicles running on treadmills, generating power into the motherboard a-la The Matrix.
But don't mind me; I've been feeling a little dystopian lately.
Hey southofthecliff! LOL! no worries. Didn't think you were disnin anything. I love all the discussion pros and cons. That's what it's all about. Now that you mention it, it does conjure up the hamster-on-the-treadmill picture. LOL!! Maybe they can make a mobile one like the hamster ball.
It could save on cubicle space. Set up 10-20 of these in the area that normally held cubicles, add a few filing cabinets, water stations and there you have it. I wonder what kind of job you could do while on one of these?
I have been wanting one of these since I first heard of the concept years ago ... I am a graphic designer, and I do think that at a very slow pace I could do a lot of my job - maybe not fine-tuning the touches on a design, but I could get a lot of typing down and basics of design sketched out. I remember reading about the calories that could be burned over a workday, even walking super slow, and it adds up to a lot. I am a runner and I still want one!
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