Desk Treadmill - Everything You Need to Know

Using a treadmill (or in modern English, a walking pad) under the desk is becoming more and more popular. Admittedly, it looks a bit funny at first. In meetings, some heads now move up and down, and those colleagues look a little like a hamster in a wheel. Why not simply go for a short walk in the fresh air?

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. If you work at a computer, you sit for most of the day. A standing desk adds some variety, but it doesn't change much about the fact that you hardly move.

It's even worse in the home office. There, even the commute is gone. And in the evening, mentally tired, you lie down on the couch and watch Netflix.

With the lack of movement come the problems: back pain, weight gain, exhaustion. So on this page I want to answer the questions people ask before getting a desk treadmill, including the downsides.

How useful is a treadmill under the desk?

Many people sit almost all day long:

• Commuting by car, or straight to the home office.

• Working at the desk.

• Sitting at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Relaxing on the couch.

This lack of movement leads to common problems like back pain. With back pain, it's harder to exercise. And just like that, you're caught in a vicious cycle.

So why not spend part of the time you would normally sit walking instead? The desk is ideal for this.

You can start with short sessions of 15 to 30 minutes at a slow pace. If you stick with it, you can soon walk several hours a day at your desk. Which office worker can say they walk 3, 4 or even 6 hours a day? Regular walks outside can't get you there.

In short: it's hard to make up for 8 or more hours of sitting with a bit of gym, jogging or swimming. It's simply sensible to spend part of that time walking.

Here you can read about my own results after more than 4 years of walking at my desk.

Does a desk treadmill help with back pain?

For many people, it does. A study published in The Lancet found that people with chronic lower back pain who followed a walking program stayed pain-free for longer (the study in The Lancet). There are also many reports from people with a herniated disc whose pain eased through walking.

Physiotherapists also recommend walking as gentle activity for back pain and herniated discs. Don't overdo it, listen to your body, and if you have a back condition, speak to your doctor first.

Does a walking pad help me lose weight?

Walking burns calories slowly. How many depends on your body weight and your pace, so a single number would be wrong for most people. Put your own weight and hours into the calorie calculator.

What makes the difference is the hours. With some practice, you can walk for several hours a day at your desk, and that adds up. You still need a calorie deficit in your diet for the weight to come off.

More on walking and weight loss in this detailed article.

Does a desk treadmill cause knee pain?

Some people report knee pain after getting a walking pad.

This orthopedist points out that a slight incline of around 3% on a treadmill helps prevent knee problems. Walking on a flat treadmill is closer to walking slightly downhill, which puts more strain on the knees.

So either pick a treadmill with an incline, or go for a curved manual walking pad. Curved designs reportedly put less strain on the knees, and you don't pay for electricity. More tips against knee pain in the setup guide.

How fast does a walking pad go?

Motorized walking pads have set speeds, but at a desk most people walk between 1 and 3 km/h.

Walking at your desk is more like a very relaxed stroll. At least at the beginning.

At first, 1 km/h is enough. That's really slow, but it lets you get used to the new situation and practice working while walking.

After a while, you can go up to 2 to 3 km/h. That's noticeably more active and your pulse goes up a bit. Working at this pace is still possible with some practice.

My personal maximum was 4 km/h, after a few years of using a walking pad. In summer, you start to sweat at that pace.

I could only keep that pace on an electric walking pad, because it forces you to keep going even when your body doesn't want to. On a manual walking pad, my speed settled between 2 and 3 km/h. Since you move it with your own body instead of a motor, it takes a bit more energy.

Can you type on the keyboard while walking?

Yes, you can type and use the mouse while walking. Some people find it harder than others, so take it step by step.

First, just walk, because moving in front of a desk feels strange at first. Then rest your hands on the desk and read something on the screen. Only then start typing.

Wrist rests help. Your hands rest on something stable and don't move with the rest of your body.

I used cheap memory foam ones from Amazon for a long time.

In summer, the memory foam gave me a skin rash, probably from sweat and friction.

For a while now I've used DeltaHub Carpio wrist rests. They take some getting used to, but I couldn't work without them anymore.

What is the difference between electric and manual desk treadmills?

There are lots of electric walking pads on the market. Their main advantages are price and size: some cost under 200 euros, and many fold away.

But look around in online communities and you'll quickly find bad experiences. Many cheap models break after a few months. They aren't built for hours of use every day, and the motor can't take the load. Some literally burn out.

Manual walking pads don't have this problem. There is no motor, only mechanical parts like bearings. Those have to be good quality, but they last.

Manual walking pads are also much quieter. An electric walking pad usually gets louder over time, until it's hard to use in meetings or with the window open.

The full comparison of manual and electric walking pads is here.

There are only a few manual models on the market, and most of them are big and heavy. The Office Walker is my answer to that: a manual walking pad that fits under a standing desk.

What is the best walking pad?

The one you will still use after a year. For a few minutes a day almost any pad works. For hours at your desk, check these:

• Noise after months, not on day one. Most pads are quiet when new. Look for reports from people who have used theirs for a year.

• Built for hours a day. Many cheap electric pads are made for a short daily session, not a full working day.

• Height. Every centimeter of step-up has to fit under your standing desk.

• Weight capacity. Check the maximum user weight, and leave some margin.

• Warranty and spare parts. Ask what happens when a part wears out: a new part, or a whole new device?

How do you oil a walking pad, and how often?

Many new owners don't know that every standard treadmill needs lubrication. With frequent use, lift the belt once a week and touch the surface underneath.

Still greasy? No lubrication needed.

Dry? Add a few drops of silicone treadmill lubricant and keep walking.

A manual walking pad like the Office Walker needs virtually no maintenance. Just clean the walking surface now and then.

How much electricity does a walking pad use?

It depends on the model, the load and how many hours you walk. If you use it for several hours a day, it adds up over a year. Put your own tariff and hours into the electricity calculator. A manual walking pad uses none.

How much does a walking pad cost?

Motorized walking pads start under €200. Manual and wooden ones cost more, because they are built from heavier materials to last for years. The Office Walker starts from €1,149. The price on the box is only part of it, though.

Besides electricity, keep in mind that cheap electric walking pads often break quickly. If you're "lucky", it happens within the warranty period.

Then you deal with customer service, insist on a new device instead of a new motor and a short repair guide (all of this happened to me), pack the device back up (hopefully you kept the huge box) and ship it abroad. A few weeks later you get a replacement, which may well break again a few months later.

At least there's no big financial loss. But it costs you a lot of nerves.

If the warranty has run out, you buy a new one and spend a few hundred euros again. And the old device has to be disposed of.

The exact cost of an electric walking pad depends a lot on luck. But you can expect some problems. That's why a manual walking pad can make sense from the start.

Do I need a special desk?

You need a standing desk you can raise and lower, at least if you want to work while walking. If you plan to switch between walking, standing and sitting often, an electric standing desk is worth it.

Stability matters too. At the beginning, you might hold on to the desk a bit, which can make the screen wobble.

Over time, I got used to not leaning on the desk anymore. That's better for your posture anyway, and it stops the wobbling.

If you don't have a standing desk yet, look for one with two legs on each side. That makes it more stable.

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