NCSEM-EM researcher Dr Fehmidah Munir is leading a year-long trial of standing desks with NHS staff in Leicestershire.
Sitting for long periods has been shown to damage health, and is linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Three hospitals in Leicestershire will get the desks, which offer the choice of raising or lowering them as you work at a computer. Staff using the desks will also be given regular prompts via a wristband reminding them to move.
Those using the techniques will be compared with colleagues working as normal, comparing their musculoskeletal health, mood and fatigue, as well as job satisfaction and absenteeism.
NCSEM-EM’s Dr Fehmidah Munir, reader in health psychology at Loughborough University, said: “The evidence suggests that if you are sitting for eight or nine hours and you then do one hour of exercise, it has very little impact.
“We hope that by breaking up the bouts of sitting, and allowing the blood and oxygen to flow through the body better, it will result in improved health, wellbeing and work engagement.”