No doubt you’ve read the stories that say treadmill desks are the best invention since birth control.
One study found that they can make you healthier and improve your mood while you’re tied to a computer; another discovered that treadmill desks can boost your work performance.
And of course, there are the physical health benefits. Research presented last month at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine found that sedentary office workers who walked at a treadmill desk for two hours each day for two months improved their blood pressure and slept better, The New York Times reports.
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There’s also a more general link between exercising while working: A University of Florida study published last month found that older people were able to exercise more intensely when they did cognitive tasks at the same time.
Convinced you should beg your boss for a treadmill desk this second? Hold up.
New research suggests the honeymoon period might be over for treadmill desks. A recent study from Brigham Young University found that people who use treadmill desks at work couldn’t think as well as their coworkers who sat. Womp womp.
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For their research, scientists split 75 healthy people into two groups: Those who worked at treadmill desks and those who sat. The treadmill group did a series of tests while walking at 1.5 mph (so, slowly), and the sitting group did the same tasks while working at a normal desk. They were also evaluated on their typing skills.
The results weren’t so favorable for Team Treadmill Desk: Participants in that group couldn’t concentrate as well and had more difficulty remembering things, compared to their seated coworkers. And here’s something your boss would not like: People who worked at a treadmill desk were “significantly worse†at typing.
So okay—if you’re obsessed with your treadmill desk or still really want one, don’t panic. This was a pretty small study, so it’s a little early to definitely say they’re not great to use at work. Plus, a lot of research has found treadmill desks are beneficial, and many of those studies were conducted on a larger group of people.
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But if your job entails having to type like crazy, constantly maintain intense concentration, or remember tons of stuff, maybe treadmill desks aren’t for you.
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