For years, we’ve been told that “sitting is the new smoking”. It’s a catchy phrase that seems to sum up a very real problem, but it’s also a huge oversimplification. If sitting were always the worst option, we could solve the problem by just standing up, and that is not the case.

For millions of people, working while standing up is not a healthy alternative but a daily demand. Healthcare and industry workers, teachers, salespeople, waiters and hairdressers spend innumerable hours on their feet — and this also takes a toll on their health.

Musculoskeletal disorders – which affect the back, neck, shoulders, legs and feet – are the most common workplace health problem in Europe. In Spain, for instance, 29% of work-related accidents resulting in sick leave in 2024 were the result of physical overexertion, while musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 78% of work-related illnesses.

The body........

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