RESEARCH REVIEW
WORKOUT
WHILE YOU WORK...
With the bulk of many people’s
sedentary hours being in
the workplace, what does
the research say about the
efficacy of desk-bound physical
activity? Review by Dr Mike
Climstein PhD & Joe Walsh
34 | NETWORK AUTUMN 2019
Title: Energy expenditure while using workstation alternatives at
self-selected intensities
Authors: Dr’s Schuna and colleagues. (College of Public Health and
Human Sciences, Oregon State University, USA)
Source: Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 16, 141-148.
Introduction: It’s never ending, patients are referred to see us as
they either have a number of risk factors predisposing them to chronic
disease and/or conditions (i.e. high blood pressure, high cholesterol
– including low high-density lipoproteins – and high blood sugar)
or they have developed a chronic disease and/or condition and the
general practitioner or specialist wants exercise or physical activity
to be a component of the patient’s treatment regime. Simple – or so
you’d think.
The majority of these patients have very busy lives: work and
family (kids and often grandchildren as well), so a big part of clinical
thinking on my feet is to find ‘potential exercise/physical activity’ time