Tips for Taller Stand Up Desk and Treadmill Desk Users

It’s not always easy being tall. Vertically-blessed, prospective stand up desk and treadmill desk users often run into one simple problem: the industry hasn’t quite reached their level. Even some of the most popular standing desks are generally designed to ANSI/BIFMA certification standards, and so come with a 22″-47″ range to accommodate 95% of the population. According to US census statistics that means anyone over 6’2″ is going to find themselves out of this range. Add a treadmill deck under your feet and anyone over 5’9″ would be excluded.

It’s important to realize the implications of ANSI/BIFMA when shopping for an adjustable height desk. If you’re any taller than 5’9″ (or 5’4″ on a treadmill) then desks built to ANSI/BIFMA standards – which include the majority of manufacturers – are going to have some shortcomings you should be aware of prior to investing in a new desk. Even desks that are not ANSI/BIFMA certified still generally top out at 47″ or 48″ in height, with few exceptions. They’re all after the same core market, and aren’t motivated to pursue the child market on the low end, or the NBA players on the high end of the range.

The good news is there is one — and presently only one — standing desk manufacturer that makes extra-tall standing desks (topping out at 49″ – 51″) that also offers leg extensions kits to being all their electric standing desk models up to an incomparable 55″ of height. This allows even the tallest of users to a) have a stable desk at their ergonomically-correct standing height, and b) also enjoy the use of an under-desk treadmill with exceptional stability.

These models include the top-of-the-line iMovR Lander series desks, the Energize XT, Cascade XT, Elite and Everest. Plenty of desk models to choose from across a wide price range and thousands of size/color/shape desktop options, and all able to reach 55″.

Regardless of how high your standing desk goes, however, there are three implications for tall people: stability, monitor height and keyboard height, which you can read about below.

Focus on the Ergonomics

All adjustable height desks will become less stable as they reach the last few inches of leg extension. This is just basic physics; the telescoping tubes have less and less overlap between them and so the desks become more susceptible to left-right shake (lateral stability) as they get taller. Front-to-back shake (longitudinal stability) will also increase with desk height, naturally, so longer feet are a good thing to look for. Learn more about this with our primer on Why Some Standing Desks Shake More Than Others.

Monitor height is a simple solution; use an extra-tall iMovR Tempo monitor arm or extra-tall Ergotron monitor arm if you’re over 5’10” to make sure the top edge of your monitor aligns with the zero-degree sight line (i.e. straight line perpendicular to the floor) while holding your head straight up. However, all monitor arms – even the most rigid – will shake with a heavy monitor on the end. The only way to completely eliminate shake is to install a fully-articulating wall-mount monitor arm. Divorcing the monitor from the desk prevents instability in the desk from translating into the monitor.

Keyboard height is a different matter. To determine how high a desk you’re going to need, stand straight up with your forearms at just lower than a 90 degree angle to the floor, and then have someone measure the distance from the floor to your fingertips. That’s where you’ll need the keyboard to be for the best ergonomic position when standing. Add 5″ for the treadmill deck if you plan to walk at your desk.

One thing we like about the iMovR Stowable Ergonomic Keyboard Tray is its ability to rise slightly above the desk surface. For a tall user this can add an inch or two. Compare this to conventional trays which tend to lower the keyboard below the desk surface and you have a much higher range of height adjustability. Try to mount the keyboard tray as close to the edge of the desk as possible: doing so lets the keyboard tray elevate even further, giving you a little extra height. This is a double-edged sword, however. Sliding the keyboard further away from the desk will let you raise it higher than the desk, but it will also increase the “lever” on the entire desk – so unless you are using a wall-mounted monitor arm, expect increased monitor shaking.

You can also gain more fingertip height by using an ergo keyboard that is elevated at the user edge (e.g the Microsoft Sculpt), extending the screw-threaded footpads on the feet of the desk, adding spacers underneath the four corners of the desk, or placing a spacer under your keyboard to raise it a bit. All of these are good solutions, and in combination will get you where you need to be.

The Wobble Factor

One other piece of advice we can proffer to the very tall standing-desk users: all adjustable-height desks exhibit great rigidity until they reach the top end of their height ranges. The wider the table top and the more weight on the desk, the greater the momentum on the entire frame. If you think you might need to stretch your desk up to the very end, be careful how much weight you add to the tabletop, and consider using a 72″ versus 84″ top in a sit-to-walk configuration. With 48″ or 60″ tops the wiggle at maximum height extension is much less perceptible. Again, check out our primer on “Why Some Standing Desks Shake More Than Others” for tips on what to look for when shopping for a stable standing desk, and tips on how to minimize shakiness.

The plight of the vertically-endowed is a real one but there are solutions, from leg extensions to tall monitor arms and keyboard trays that reach above the desktop. Another simple hack is to add caster wheels to your standing desk, which will typically buy you another 2.5″ of height.

Head over to comprehensive lab-tested product reviews to find the best in standing desks and keyboard trays. Also check our Ergonomics 101 section, where we provide tips on getting the most ergonomic benefit out of your new workspace – a must-read for anyone thinking of making the switch. We even have helpful tips for maximizing the benefit from your active workstation, such as the Top 9 Desk Stretches to Do at Your Standing Desk or Treadmill Desk.

If you want to make sure a treadmill will work for you, you should read our article on guidance to see how you can test one out for yourself.

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