7 On Your Side looks at the benefits of standing desks

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Sitting at a desk all day can be hard on the body, and some are even calling it the new smoking, so then why not stand.

It is becoming more and more common. 7 On Your Side has a guide on how to go from sitting to standing at work.

Most offices today have whole bunch of people sitting down at desks looking at computer screens. It's normal, it's usual, it is however not that healthy And it isn't just an aching back.

The problems from sitting in a bent over position isn't just back problems, but also issues with your internal organs because they are being compacted by bad posture. Another payoff is that those who do stand part of the time are more alert and focused on their work, so employers make their money back.

"There is an increased incident of heart disease, diabetes and even some kinds of cancer as a result of spending your day

sitting. The longer you are sitting, the more likely you are to shorten your life," Dr. Rickey Fishman, a San Francisco chiropractor.

Fishman says studies show people are risking a lot by sitting down.

Fishman went to Ergo Depot in the San Francisco Design District where desks are made for sitting and standing, that way workers can stand part of the time and sit part of the time.

Sara Worthing is the office manager for DPR Construction in Redwood City. Half the workers in the office stand. The company has invested heavily in these desk top units called Varidesks. There is no installation, you just pull them out of the box.

CEO of Varidesk Jason McCann says users are their best salespeople.

"It typically starts when one employee in a company finds the product, buys it online, we ship with in a couple of days and suddenly they are standing up in the middle of the organization," he said.

Varidesks range from $275 to $400.

If you really want to go for it, you can add a treadmill. They range in price from around $600 to $2,000. It sounds like a lot of money to make the change over, but Fishman, says it might just extend your life.

"Even if you are sitting all day and then going out to the gym each night and putting in your time on the treadmill and anything else you are doing that does not mitigate the negative effect of sitting all day," he said.