Thu 16 Aug 2007
Walking beats standing still
Posted by David under Uncategorized
[4] Comments
WFIU Produces a somewhat silly radio short called A Moment of Science. Silly though it may be, they’ve had quite a few shows that gave me a valuable bit of scientific knowledge. And a couple of times they’ve offered expert concurrence with theories that I’ve developed on my own. Last year they confirmed that fruit flies don’t really like fruit. And now, about walking…
For several years, I’ve asked people to “rank the following in order of comfort: standing still, walking, sitting”. You might take a moment and come up with your own answer if I haven’t already asked you…. Well, the striking result is: I can’t remember a single person who didn’t rank walking as more comfortable than standing still. I started asking the question because I realized that this was the case for me. Nearly everyone seems to agree, when they stop to think about it.
A Moment of Science says that this is because it lets points on your feet “take turns” bearing the pressure of your weight, (each resting when it’s not its turn) and because it circulates blood in your feet better.
So, now if anyone ever tells me they think standing still is more comfortable for them, I can tell them that they are wrong! :)
I find walking more comfortable than standing. I also find walking more comfortable than running. What does that prove? Mom
DEFinitely walking. In fact, when I’m having lower back pain and I can’t stand sitting anymore (computer-oriented desk job, dontcha know), I’ll go and take a walk and it immediately reduces the pain by a lot. Standing is tough, too; its rare I can hang out in museums or do usher-y/greeter type activities for too long, ’cause otherwise my back starts barking.
Interesting…. I also prefer walking! But, if I had to chose a position in which I could confortably stay still for a long time, it would be laying down with my back on a flat floor and bended knees. Btw, Amy, this is awesome as well as backpain relief (specially if you “hug” your knees on your chest).
;^)
Right now I have blisters the size of kiwi on my feet from walking, so I would have to say that sitting is the most comfortable for me. :)
This seems like a silly moment of science to me. “Comfort” is very subjective. And, ok, so they have a theory as to why walking is better, but how does one prove that that is the reason? Correlation not causation. Also, need to define “standing still” because when I stand, I shift weight from one foot to the other, resting my feet in turn, is that still standing still?
Here is my counter theory: people want what they don’t have. If you are walking, you want to sit or stand, if you are standing you want to walk or sit, and if you are sitting you want to stand or walk. :) You ask them when they are standing or sitting so of course they want to walk… (probably away from the questioner) :)