Standing Desk Mat Buyers Guide – Read This Before You Buy!

Have you ever been standing for a long time and your feet, calves and back all become sore? Why does that happen? You’re not even moving, and yet when you get home and sit down, you feel like you just ran a half marathon. Have you ever thought that just standing there, doing nothing is more difficult than walking? Well, it technically might be on your body. Let’s try to answer the questions, what is a standing desk mat and what’s the point?

Standing Desk Mat

First off, let’s take look at the question, what is a standing desk mat. The name is pretty self-explanatory, so I won’t waste too much of your time here. So, a standing desk mat is something that you put on the ground in front of your desk in front of you standing desk or height adjustable desk. It’s something softer to stand on that isn’t a hardwood floor. Standing desk mats are a bit more complicated than that but that’s the gist of it.

However, if you have a standing desk and work on your feet for 8 hours straight, stop right there and read my article: How to use a Standing Desk, Properly.

Standing desk mats come in 2 different styles. We have the Non-flat standing desk mat, which, as you can see in the photos below, comes with different angles and foot positions to change your stance during the day. There are a few options and styles and even one that comes with a built-in foot massager.

The other design is the traditional, flat standing desk mat. There are pros and cons to each, but the main difference is that with the non-flat design you can stretch and move and engage your muscles a bit more than the flat standing desk mats allow. Some people love the non-flat model because it gives them something to do and think about. However, if you’re someone who doesn’t like distractions, the flat design would probably be best for you.

How standing desk mats works

Alright, so here comes the fun (nerdy) part and it was something I’d never thought about before looking into a standing desk mat. If you’re like me, you probably think a standing desk is just something squishy to stand on so your feet aren’t so sore at the end of the day. Well, you’d be right and also a little not-so-right.

So, when you move any part of your body, your muscles lengthen and shorten depending on the type of movement you’re doing. The classic example of this is your bicep. When your arm is parallel to the ground and sticking straight out, your bicep is as long as it can go, yet when you bend your elbow your bicep slowly contracts making it shorter and pulling your forearm up. Taking a quick look at the photo below the girl is contracting (shortening) her bicep and that’s why Arnold Schwarzenegger looked like he had a tennis ball smuggled in his arm. That was his muscle shortening.

That muscle movement actually helps circulate blood (and oxygen) around your body. So, why’s this important for a standing desk mat? When you stand on something hard and flat (concrete, wooden floors, etc.), your feet, legs and back muscles are constantly tightened, because if they weren’t, you’d just fall over. They’re neither shortening and lengthening because you’re not moving but they are holding your body up, so they’re working. When your muscles are working over hours of standing or sitting in one place, your blood can’t flow as well, and that’s why you get so tired when you just stand there. It’s not that your body can’t handle it, it’s that it’s not getting any oxygen or nutrients that your blood carries.

The movements you make with a standing desk mat are giving your body the opportunity to get oxygen and blood to those muscles that are working all day long.

Enter the standing desk mat

Now that you know why standing in one spot is so hard on your body, let’s look at the idea behind a standing desk mat. These anti-fatigue standing desk mats are soft, and they give a little when you put pressure on them. That means your body continuously has to balance and adjust to the flexibility. Your muscles are now moving, shortening and lengthening, which creates that blood flow we were missing while standing on a hard surface.

It might seem a bit counterintuitive but a standing desk mat makes your body work harder than a flat surface does, and while doing so, allows your body to adequately supply muscles and tendons with oxygen, so they work more efficiently. You don’t tire as quickly or feel as fatigued at the end of the day. That make sense?

What is a standing desk mat?

*Side note: Remember though, if you’re using your standing desk correctly, then you should only be standing for a maximum of 30 minutes per hour. Personally, I still recommend a mat because I like to change my posture and position every few minutes when I’m working. I also love a good calf stretch.

A few standing desk mat options

So now we’ve answered the questions, what is a standing desk mat and we’ve learned the reasoning behind them. Now, let’s take a look at a few good options.

Topo by ErgoDriven

A great non-flat option for home offices. The Topo Ergodriven comes in two sizes depending on how big your space is and how big you are. The Topo is incredible for stretching your calves and being able to change positions throughout the day. For $100, the topo could easily save you money in the long run by increasing productivity, your energy and decreasing back and leg pain. Totally worth it.

Buy Now: Topo by ErgoDriven

TerraMat Standing desk Mat

The TerraMat is another great non-flat standing desk mat option. However, this one comes with a few extra features like ball massagers and a balance beam. Similar to the Topo Ergodriven above but with a little different design. This also runs about $100 but if it can make you feel better throughout the day, I’d say go for it.

Buy Now: TerraMat Standing desk Mat

HemingWeigh 3/4″ non-Slip Mat

This a traditional non-slip flat standing desk mat. No frills, no extras, just a great standing desk mat. At less than half the price of those above, about $40, it’s a great deal for something you’ll use every day for years to come.

Buy Now: HemingWeigh 3/4″ non-Slip Mat

Sky Mat

This is another great traditional flat standing desk mat. Very similar to the option above and at basically the same price of $40, they’d both be perfect for any home office.

Buy Now: Sky Mat

What is a standing desk mat?

I’ve also written a separate review on one of my favorite standing desk mats, the Sit-stand smart Mat. It’s one of the only standing desks mats that you don’t have to constantly lug out of the way when you change from sitting to standing. Take a look at my review here: Sit Stand Smart Mat- Never Struggle with Your Desk Mat Again!

Protecting your health is a priority

A Standing desk, a standing desk mat, and an ergonomic chair are all essential and fundamental items to any freelancer’s home office. As I’ve said many times and will keep repeating until it sinks in, I believe a freelancer’s health is more important to that individual than someone working in an office. That’s because as freelancers, we’re on a bit of an island. If we’re not healthy, that means our productivity is down, and we’re not providing for ourselves or our families. If an office worker is out they usually have coworkers who can help pick up the slack for a day or two and no ones the worse for wear.

Check out my Free copy of the  Top 5 Ergonomic Office Products to Prevent Pain and Increase Productivity by clicking the image below!

So, please, take care of yourself so that you can have a happy, long and successful freelance career. One simple place to start would be with a better chair, a standing desk and a standing desk mat. We’ll talk about those nasty diet and exercise habits you have at a later date. Happy Freelancing everyone!

To get your home office pointed in the right direction I’ve put together a few quick ideas on How to Organize a Home Office – Function and Comfort over Form

Do you have a standing desk mat in your office? Would you recommend it to others?