Ryan Holmes, Hootsuite Founder, Has $25 Solution To Healthier Office Workers | HuffPost

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It's better for you!

Rhianna Schmunk— The Huffington Post B.C.

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The Vancouver founder of Hootsuite is branching out to bring the stand-up desk to the masses.

Ryan Holmes, 41, announced the launch of his own brand of folding stand-up desks on Wednesday.

The entrepreneur, who founded the social media company in 2008, can't sit at standard office desks because of back problems caused by sports injuries.

Holmes needed a standing alternative that could be easily set up and taken down, but couldn't find what he wanted for sale — so he designed his own "Oristand" with co-founder Steve Suchy.

Ryan Holmes, Hootsuite CEO and co-founder of Oristand. (Photo: Hootsuite)

The Oristand, made of industrial cardboard, sits on top of a traditional desk and folds flat when it's not being used for storage.

It's cheap, too, retailing for $25 when other stand-up desks are usually priced at around $200.

“Many companies want to provide stand-up desks as an option to enhance the work environment and promote the overall health and well-being of employees, however cost is a big barrier,” Holmes said in a press release. "We wanted to create a product that would solve this problem for both companies and employees.”

Office workers should be standing for at least two hours per workday, according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Ideally, staffers should spend half of an eight-hour day on their feet.

Other studies suggest sitting all day can cause diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and even an earlier death — even if you're a regular at the gym.

READ MORE:
6 Desks That Will Make You Happier And More Productive At Work
How To Work At A Treadmill Desk (Without Falling Off)
How To Clean Up Your Desk And Stay Organized At Work

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6 Reasons Why Sitting Is Bad For Health

It Ups Diabetes Risk(01 of06)

Back in October, researchers from the University of Missouri published results suggesting that sitting throughout most of the day may put individuals at higher risk for diabetes, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease -- even if you clear time for daily exercise. (credit:Alamy)

It Increases Your Overall Death Risk(02 of06)

As HuffPost editor Amanda Chan reported back in June, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that women who sat six or more hours a day were nearly 40 percent more likely to die over a 13-year-stretch than those who sat less than three hours. As for men? Sitting for more than six hours was linked with an 18-percent higher risk of death. (credit:Alamy)

Just A Few Mins (In Front Of the Tube) Takes A Toll(03 of06)

An August study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that every hour you sit in front of the TV, you can slash your life expectancy by nearly 22 minutes. And watching the tube for six hours a day? That type of seriously sedentary behavior can cut your life expectancy by five years. (credit:Alamy)

It's Linked With Cancer(04 of06)

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It Makes Your Bottom Bigger(05 of06)

As our UK compatriots recently wrote, researchers have found that putting pressure on certain body parts (i.e., your bottom) can produce up to 50 percent more fat than usual.HuffPost UK reported: "In a bid to explain why sedentary behaviour causes weight-gain, scientists believe that the precursors to fat cells turn into flab (and end up producing more) when subjected to prolonged periods of sitting down, otherwise known as 'mechanical stretching loads.'" (credit:Alamy)

It Could Raise Your Heart Attack Risk(06 of06)

Not too long ago, Men's Health covered a study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, in which researchers from Louisiana found that people who sit for the majority of the day are 54 percent more likely to die of a heart attack. Indeed, the investigators found that sitting was an independent risk factor for serious cardiovascular events. (credit:Alamy)

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