Cycle and treadmill desks slowed typing, but did not clearly change attention.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   The studies included 722 people aged 18 to 65 who sit for most of the day. Their average age was about 31, and 225 were men, 376 were women and 121 were not recorded.

2. 02

   What they did

   People worked at a cycle desk or a treadmill desk instead of sitting. How long and how hard people used the desks varied between studies, and most tests were done in a lab.

3. 03

   What happened

   People typed more slowly and made more mistakes on these desks than when sitting. Attention tests showed no clear difference, and treadmill desks helped people remember. The recall figures do not match, the paper did not test for missing studies, and certainty was not rated.

What the review found

1. MixedGoals

   People typed more slowly on cycle and treadmill desks than when they sat.

   Pooled analysis of 8 studies with 363 people · vs people who sat at a normal desk · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

2. MixedGoals

   People made more typing mistakes on these desks than when they sat.

   Pooled analysis of 4 studies with 167 people · vs people who sat at a normal desk · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

3. No differenceFocus

   These desks made no clear difference on attention tests.

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs people who sat at a normal desk · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

4. HelpedOther outcomes

   Walking on a treadmill desk helped people remember more than sitting did.

   Pooled analysis of 2 studies with 75 people · vs people who sat at a normal desk · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

Source