Walk while you work: are the extra steps on an under desk treadmill worth the cost?
The following blog article was original published in The Conversation on 02/01/2026, Phynart Studio/Getty Images Christian Brakenridge, Swinburne University of Technology Recent surveys estimate more than 6.7 million Australians – almost half of all workers, and the majority in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra – work from home at least some of the time in paid or unpaid roles. With that increase in working from home, it’s easy to spend too long sitting – which is now recognised as bad for our health. Many of us now know what it feels like to sit at a computer all day, then once finished with work, simply transfer across to the living room couch. When we have to physically go into our workplace, it’s easier to get incidental activity: from leaving the house, to walking and standing in an active commute, walking to talk to a colleague, go out to get lunch and more. With many Australians not reaching physical activity guidelines, could we be strategically using an under desk treadmill or walking pad to walk while we work? How much – and how often – do you really need to walk? The benefits of walking are now widely substantiated. For instance,…
