A desk with a treadmill?

History:

For years we have been hearing how we need to move more during the day. Sitting is bad for your health, prolonged sitting can contribute to poor circulation and other body issues. So what is a person to do? We have seen the trays that mount over a tread mill for a laptop, but what about your phone and other work tools? Details a subsidiary of office furniture giant Steelcase came out with a useful product to address the static work environment. Walkstation incorporates a treadmill with a full size desk. The table top is available in a few sizes and multiple finishes. They have also married the treadmill to a desk large enough to have a chair at the same surface and by using a height adjustable desk, you don't need to use a stool height chair. This will be a three days series about some Details and Steelcase products that I tried at the same time and can work together for your office.

My Thoughts:

A treadmill at my desk; could I make work any more grueling? Needless to say I was not looking forward to this product test. My immediate thoughts were, 'How can someone possibly be on a treadmill and work effectively at the same time'. When your legs are in motion your hands are moving, you can sound a little out of breath on the phone, what about the bouncing with your eye line of sight, or working up a sweat. Let me explain what I found out about the treadmill first; it is not a running treadmill, it is meant for walking with a speed range of .3 - 2mph. That speed range is adjustable in .1mph increments so you can go from a slow stroll to a fairly moderate pace. There is no incline adjustment, but it does have a safety cut off (as most treadmills do) in case you fall. There is a display that shows distance, speed, time, and calories burned. The treadmill is very quiet, and low to the ground (no dramatic step-up).

Originally I set to work on one with a kidney shaped work surface. The treadmill was easy to turn on and adjust in speed. I must say it was a bit awkward at first trying to walk and web browse. As time went on it seemed that my body naturally adjusted itself to the slight up and down movement while I walked. Now that's not to say that the belt was too loose, it was just from walking at .5mph. So after about 30 minutes of web browsing I decided to start answering emails. Typing on the laptop keyboard was a little hard so I switched to an external keyboard, that made it a lot easier. After a hour of email, I was feeling like a Walkstation pro! But... what about the phone? So I called my wife, who would be better to notice a difference in my speech pattern? I tried varying the speed to see if she could hear a difference. If I was walking in the 1-2mph zone she could hear a slight difference. So no big deal, just lower the speed down while on the phone. I just could not envision myself working in a standing position all day. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw the answer... a Walkstation with a desk surface large enough to have the treadmill and an office chair.

The Sit-to-Walkstation was sweet, the motion benefit of the treadmill with enough space to have a chair for longer conference calls, or when your legs need a rest. The desk height was very easy to adjust and moved very smoothly, no jerking what so ever. The desk surface wasn't so big that I felt as if I had invested to two desks and there was enough space to spread out and work. The eye line of sight concern was easily fixed two ways; 1. raise or lower the work surface. 2. Use a monitor arm or adjustable laptop holder.

Pros to owning one:

• Movement while you work
• No excuses for not hitting the gym.
• Nice warranty
• Nice finishes

Cons to owning one:

• Large foot print
• Additional tools needed for easier work.
• Assembly (hire someone)

Overall assessment:

The Walkstation is a nice product, but I don't see everyone needing or wanting one. If you are looking for a way to add more exercise into your daily routine, I don't see a better option. Assembly was about what I expected, not for the faint of heart. If you have the room I definitely would recommend going the Sit-to-Walkstation route, the added flexibility won't cause you to be looking for additional desk space later on. The treadmill was quiet, the desktop seemed sturdy and durable.

Looks: B

Durability: A

Service: A

Manufacturer: A

Value: B-