Treadmill desks allow you to work on your professional career while also helping you stay fit and avoiding the detrimental effects of sitting for too long. We’re all in love with an active lifestyle, and the latest fitness trends dictate that we should move as much as possible. The good news is that bringing your workouts to the office has never been easier.
Running and walking can be a suitable activity for the workplace as well. Having full control of your body allows you to have better control over your mind, so having a treadmill within your workstation is a happy, healthy way to improve your workday.
The Best Treadmill Desks
1. Dr. McBabe’s Treadmill Desk
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Dr. McBabe’s Treadmill Desk is a very functional treadmill desk. Coming in with a sleek plastic design, this is the ideal choice to transform any treadmill into a functional workspace. It comes with high-quality design straps that work to minimize vibrations. Vibrations cause quite a lot of problems when you’re working on your treadmill.
Dr. McBabe’s Treadmill Desk supports over 20 lbs of weight, which is quite impressive for a strap-on desk. This capability will allow even the oldest and most cumbersome laptops to fit without any risk of damage occurring. The strap-on desk is rubberized, allowing for a no-slip grip on your workstation. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better treadmill desk at a better price.
2. VARIDESK – Height-Adjustable Standing Desk
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The VARIDESK is a premium product and one of the best standing treadmill desks around. It comes with a high-quality design that is functional and sturdy. It will withstand any weight you put on it, owing to its tight arm grip sides. It has two separate tiers, which makes it ideal for larger workstations. It can support two full-sized laptops, screens, and any other office supplies you might require.
Unlike other fixed treadmill desks, this one comes with 11 different height adjustment capabilities. This height adjustment allows every user to adjust the table to suit their personal needs perfectly. The height adjustment system is also spring-assisted, allowing for easy setup, and worry-free use.
It comes in 3 different gorgeous color pallets and designs, which fit any style of treadmill you might own. While styling might not be the most important thing to worry about when you’re working with your treadmill desk, it sure is a beautiful detail.
Another useful aspect of this treadmill desk is its easy removal. When you’re done on the treadmill and want to take a break, you can easily detach the arms and move your whole workstation on to a regular desk. This detachability will give you a standing desk in no time, giving you another healthy alternative to sit-down work stations.
3. RAD Cycle Adjustable Fitness Desk
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The RAD cycle adjustable fitness desk isn’t a desk that attaches to your treadmill. Instead, it’s a desk which you can roll up to your treadmill, instantly turning it into a workstation. Unlike other treadmill desks that fix themselves onto your treadmill, this one is entirely standalone.
This feature gives the RAD cycle fitness desk a lot of functionality in the workstation. Its sheer versatility allows you to stroll and work, use it as a standing desk, and even cycle while working. If you’re a freelancer and you’re looking to combine your gym time and work hours, this is the ideal choice for you.
It comes with a wide range of height settings, allowing you to adjust the height of the standing desk from 33.5″ to 47″. When you have found the perfect height for this desk, you can clamp it for a tight height grip, assuring no vibrations and further movement.
The desk itself is also rubberized, making sure all your stuff stays firmly stuck to the surface.
4. Walk with Me Detachable Treadmill Desk
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This sturdy treadmill desk is going to turn any treadmill into a workstation in no time. It’s easily attachable to any treadmill with its sturdy handlebar grip clamps. The Walk With Me Detachable Treadmill desk comes with a rubberized surface, which secures your items, eliminating any possible slipping.
The treadmill desk itself fits treadmills from 24” to 34” in width, but you can order a wider version if your treadmill is a bit big. It is the ideal way to start a healthy habit while you’re working on your projects.
Its foam support allows the treadmill desk to stay still, eliminating vibrations. It comes with a laptop stand a cable management options. If you prefer the old pen and paper approach, you’re going to be very satisfied with the two pen slots.
The product is also detachable and foldable, making it easy to put in your gym bag and carry around with you. It also comes in a variety of different color schemes, allowing you to individualize your workstation.
5. Mount-It MI-4352LT Laptop Stand Mount
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The Mount-It Desk mount is the ideal choice for any home gym workstation or your office space. It’s a little bit different than your everyday treadmill desk, as it doesn’t attach to the treadmill at all. It connects to a flat surface like a desk in a tray like a manner.
This attachment feature allows you to get all of your work done while you’re walking at your own pace. Because it doesn’t attach to the treadmill itself, all the possible vibrations become instantly eliminated. The polearm which holds the tray for your laptop is fully operational. It allows you to thoroughly swirl, sway, and adjust the tray to the smallest angle.
It comes with a super-strong C clamp, which allows you to mount it on any flat surface. The clamp is also rubberized, allowing for a tight titan-like grip. The whole thing is made out of stainless steel, ensuring durability, and quality. Impressing everyone with a treadmill workstation is nothing compared to impressing everyone with a slick, matte black treadmill laptop mount!
6. Sunny Health & Fitness Asuna Elevated Performance Treadmill Workstation
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The Sunny Health Treadmill workstation is not an adjustable and attachable desk; it’s a full-sized treadmill. If you’re looking to purchase a new fitness equipment piece, while also looking at treadmill desks, look no further.
This treadmill is not only a powerful workout machine, but it’s also a fully optimized workstation. It comes with a desk already attached to it, and its ergonomic design provides for one comfortable machine. The office itself comes with USB charging, device holders, and integrated tablet mount.
The machine portion of this treadmill comes with either walking, running, or climbing capabilities. The whole thing is made out of stainless steel and is known for being very durable. It doesn’t vibrate, therefore protecting all your valuable work equipment while you’re getting your sweat on.
7. Akway Computer Desk
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The Akway computer desk is a standing desk that is perfect for any treadmill or running pad. This dashing combination allows you to work on your project while you work on yourself, through its ergonomic design.
The construction comes with a whopping 100 lbs weight capacity and an optional desktop mount, allowing you to mount even the heaviest CRT monitor on it without any trouble.
Ti comes with height adjustment capabilities, allowing you to fix it up according to your personal needs. It is also full width, measuring at 24”. This width will enable you to use it with any treadmill. The desk also comes on high-quality wheels, allowing you to move from your treadmill to a standing position for resting.
8. SDADI Stand Up Desk
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The SDADI stand up desk is a slick standing desk that you can use with your treadmill. SDADI is a reputable deck manufacturer with many well-rated desks within its catalog.
It comes with a straightforward and blunt design, minimizing any errors that regular treadmill desks bring. It doesn’t shake; it doesn’t vibrate; it stays still, enabling for optimal workflow.
It comes with height adjustment capabilities, allowing you to fit it to your personal height needs. Rustproof stainless steel and excellent ABS plastics make up the material portion of this desk. It features maximum workflow with minimal installation, allowing you to step into the action as soon as possible.
9. SDADI Crank Adjustable Desk
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The second addition to our list from SDADI, the adjustable crank desk is too good to pass up on. The adjustable crank desk is the ideal solution to your work habits. Its high quality and simplicity are what make it the workstation of dreams.
You can use it as a standing desk, a treadmill desk, and a sitting desk, all with the simple crank of the knob. A spring-assisted crank knob complements the high-quality steel construction. This crank allows you to adjust the height from 28.7” to a whopping 47”.
The height adjustment capabilities make this desk shine but aren’t overshadowing the high-quality material composition of the desk. It comes with a solid wooden tray, which adds sturdiness. The workspace is also significant, allowing you to fit numerous monitors and office supplies on it without much hassle.
10. LifeSpan TR1200-DT7 Treadmill Desk
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LifeSpan is a reputable manufacturer, well aware of how damaging sitting all day is. This reason is exactly why LifeSpan has pioneered the treadmill desk technology through its assortment of products. The TR1200 is a fully adjustable treadmill desk, designed for LifeSpan’s walk pad.
Setting the whole contraption up is a breeze, as the product comes with a manual. The height is electronically adjustable, removing any hard work from the equation.
The work potential isn’t the only remarkable thing about this treadmill desk combination, as the walk pad is fully synced with any Android or IOS device through BlueTooth. This feature allows you to track not only your work, but your fitness progress as well.
How We Rank
One of the first things we considered when looking for treadmill desks was durability. This is where SDADI’s two additions to this list come in, as they’re sturdy, well-built, and highly functional. But SDADI was a little simplistic in their design, so we continued our search with a bit of complexity in mind. The Sunny Health & Fitness Asuna Elevated Performance Treadmill Workstation was the ideal solution when we were looking for a professional, fitness-workout machine.
Products that didn’t meet our requirements weren’t mentioned in this list. Unlike others, we’ve focused our list exclusively on treadmill or treadmill compatible desks for your workstations. This means that all the products on this list support a set amount of weight and office space – no one works from their tablets or phones all the time.
We also considered price, since we recognize some people can’t afford the top of the line, highly priced products. This is where the products like Dr. McBabe’s Treadmill Desk and Walk with Me Detachable Treadmill Desk come in. They shine not only in their simplicity and efficiency, but with their low price tags as well.
After all this, we determined the top 10 best treadmill desks on the market.
Benefits
A treadmill desk will lead to a less sedentary lifestyle. The sedentary lifestyle is not only ruining our society, but our physical health and mental state as well. Sitting is causing an alarming rate of all-cause mortality (1).
Utilizing a treadmill desk within the workplace will massively decrease your sedentary (zero activity) time in general, as it inspires you to work harder.
While you’re not only going to excess in the workplace, you’re going to find yourself refreshed and full of energy, as well.
A treadmill desk can provide the same benefits as walking. No one expects you to run in your workplace, but simply walking is far healthier than standing, let alone sitting. Walking can help you stay fit while you focus on your work.
Numerous studies have been conducted over the years and have shown the impact walking has on our health (2)
Treadmill desks help you stay fit. Any shape or form of physical activity is bound to help you stay fit, especially when it’s in the workplace. You can combine your walking and your working to cut down on some calories while you’re performing exceptionally at your work.
While you might not think that simply walking can help you significantly increase your calorie output during the day, studies show that the average person burns 65 calories per mile. Combine that with your walking speed, weight, and total distance, and you’re going to be shocked at the number of calories you burn.
Treadmill desks improve joint health. Joints are bones that when developed, don’t tend to heal so well. When you’re overstimulating your joints or leaving them without regular use, they will begin to degrade. This is the main cause of back pain and joint pain, and it’s been on a steady rise for quite a while.
Simply walking for a while during your workday, or any other time will help keep your joints healthy (3)
While walking during your workday will not make up for an improper diet or a sedentary lifestyle, it’s a good addition to any fitness regimen.
Treadmill desks will improve your productivity. Studies show that walking on your treadmill will improve your productivity in the workplace (4).
Improving your productivity is key in increasing your work output, which is sure to impress not only your colleagues and superiors but yourself. You can never know your full potential until you’ve attempted to reach it, and treadmill desks are an essential tool in that achievement.
Treadmill desks reduce slouching and back pain. Slouching is the number one cause of back pain, which seems to be more prevalent now than ever before. We’re sitting more and more often, and it’s ruining our health (5).
When we’re slouching, we’re putting a strain on our iliolumbar ligament, which is the biggest cause of acute low back pain.
While not all desks come with height adjustment, most treadmill desks do. This allows you to maintain proper back posture, minimizing the damage you’re doing to it.
Treadmill desks can help you sleep better. One of the biggest killers is tiredness. We’ve all suffered from one form of sleeping disorder, and it seems that more and more people are dissatisfied with the quality of their sleep.
Walking and working out, in general, has been proven to drastically improve your sleep quality, and also work to reduce daytime tiredness (6).
Decreasing tiredness will not only improve the quality of your life, but it will also give quite a lot of health benefits. Another great aspect of good sleep and less tiredness is increased productivity and creativity.
Treadmill desks will can help improve your workflow. Walking has been linked to mental health for quite a long time now, and physical activity has been proven to improve your mental capabilities (7).
By simply remaining active in your workplace, you’re going to develop a whole new relationship with both fitness and your work. This will combine the two worlds in one, saving you time and giving you a healthy new habit all at once.
Side Effects
Treadmill desks have an adjustment period. Whenever you decide to make a change in your habits, you’ll need to adjust to your new environment. Walking on the treadmill is one thing, and working is another. Combining the two might be trickier than you have anticipated.
Start small. You don’t have to spend your whole workday on the treadmill. Work to combine your new treadmill workstation with your regular workstation and reap the benefits of both. While you’ll need to adjust some of your habits, moderation is the key to success.
Treadmill desks can cause perspiration issues, which can interfere with work. This might not be the first thing that comes into mind when you’re thinking about running in the workplace, but it doesn’t make it any less real. Perspiration is important, and you most likely don’t have the option to shower at work.
Even if you’re running or walking at a modest pace, there’s going to be some sweating involved. You can count on this, and you can prepare accordingly. If you want to avoid any perspiration issues when walking on the job, you need to bring some toiletries with yourself wherever you go.
Treadmill desks can cause tiredness and exhaustion. Like any new thing in your life, you’re most likely going to be very excited about your brand new treadmill desk. People tend to overdo things when they’re overly excited about something, and this can lead to tiredness and exhaustion.
Now, while tiredness is absolutely okay in the gym, it’s even advised, it’s not the best state to find yourself in when you’re working. If you take the physical activity a little too far, you can expect to get worn out pretty quickly.
This will not only negatively impact your workflow but can also tarnish both your and the treadmill desk’s reputation. This might prompt the removal of your new active-work cycle, which isn’t going to benefit anyone. Remember, walking – not running.
Treadmill desks can cause excessive noise and be distracting. Keeping yourself fit within the workplace might be fun and all, but until you get used to your new workstation, you’re going to be making quite a lot of ruckus. This can distract your co-workers and provide for one bad work environment.
You need to take care of your co-workers as well. If your new healthy lifestyle is impacting you positively, it might be impacting them in a negative way.
Be sure to discuss your new treadmill desk with your coworkers. Try your best to keep the noise to an absolute minimum, so that everyone can enjoy their workday.
Recommended Dosage
There is a recommended dose for everything, and workouts are especially tricky. You really don’t want to overdo them for a myriad of different reasons.
Don’t push yourself too hard at your new treadmill desk. While the treadmill might be a fun way to stay in shape, too much of anything is bad for you.
If you overwork yourself on the treadmill, you’re going to have a negative effect on your work. The treadmill desk is placed there so you can enhance your professional growth, not stunt it.
You should never spend your whole workday on the treadmill desk. This is going to tire you out quicker than you think. Even if you’re not running, walking for eight hours straight is not healthy.
Opt to stand more. Standing breaks are going to give you the desired rest time while still being far healthier compared to sitting all day.
You shouldn’t stand all day either. Sit from time to time. You need to watch your exercise and make sure it does not interfere with your work.
To put it bluntly, while walking on the treadmill might improve your workflow – remember to do it in moderation.
FAQ
How do I get my superiors to allow this? For one, not everyone is going to be accepting of the fact that you are working on your fitness while you work on your projects. Like any open-minded new method, there are going to be several different critics that might try to prevent you from doing this.
The best way to convince your superiors to allow you to include a treadmill and treadmill desk into your workspace is by only having a sit down with them. We don’t advise going for a treadmill or a treadmill desk at your workplace without getting prior approval.
How do I install a treadmill desk? One of the biggest appeals when it comes to treadmill desks is their simplicity. Treadmill desks are universally easy to install onto your treadmill, but different treadmill desks have various installation procedures.
We advise you to refer to the manual that came with your treadmill desk. If you’re not sure how to do it after reading the manual, consider asking someone to do it for you. Many treadmill retailers have their on-field workers who will gladly assist you in setting up your brand new workspace.
Do treadmill desks void my treadmill warranty? This is a touchy topic to get into, as many factors are at play. It all boils down to the treadmill manufacturer, the warranty itself, and the treadmill desk installation.
If you’ve picked a cheaper treadmill desk that doesn’t grip onto the treadmill but requires drilling to install, you’re most likely going to void your warranty. On the other hand, if your treadmill desk doesn’t damage your treadmill in any way, you’re most likely fine.
The warranty can be voided by merely installing a treadmill desk, non-related to any damage, and drilling. The added weight of your work computer and the treadmill desk itself can burden your treadmill.
The best advice we can give on this topic is by contacting your treadmill manufacturer and customer support. They will surely give you a definitive answer about whether a treadmill desk will void your warranty.
Are treadmill desks any good? Treadmill desks are the latest trend in the combination of fitness and work. They have some proven benefits. Running on the treadmill can not only give you some significant health and cardiovascular benefits but can improve your mental state.
If you’re feeling better, more energized, and overall active, you’re bound to improve in the workplace as well. Proper maintenance of your body reflects quite a lot on your work, so you’re sure to leave a good impression when using a treadmill desk.
Simply walking during your work is going to massively increase your daily calorie expenditure, which will keep you fit, active, and full of energy.
Where can I find the best treadmill desk? There are some fantastic treadmill desks on this list, handpicked just for you. We do encourage you to look even further from our list and find the one that suits your needs. You can find a treadmill desk on an abundance of websites, and by contacting your treadmill manufacturer.
What should I look for in a treadmill desk? When you are looking to purchase a treadmill desk, some requirements should be met. Your brand new treadmill desk should fulfill the following: provide durable materials, provide a lot of free space, have a non-shaky design, provide proper cable management, provide height adjustment, non-invasive installment, and noise reduction features.
How can I take a break from walking on my treadmill? You’re not in for a workout; you’re in your office. It would be best if you took breaks, and the best way to take good brakes from the treadmill is merely standing. Standing is still far healthier than sitting in front of the PC all day.
What speed should I use when working? Speed is not of the biggest concern when you’re working. You shouldn’t expect to run, or you’re going to get tired pretty quickly. It would be best if you walked at a slow pace on your treadmill to keep yourself fresh and alert, while also minimizing tiredness.
Can I put a chair on my treadmill in order to rest? While this sounds like the ideal solution to a common problem, it’s much better in theory than in practice. Putting a chair on your treadmill can not only damage it, but it can also give you an unhealthy habit of sitting on your treadmill.
Instead of putting a chair on your treadmill, you should put a separate sitting workstation next to your dynamic one and alternate between the two. Numerous people do this, and it’s the best combination. No one is expecting you to walk for 8 hours straight, so there is no reason to worry.
How often should I rest? Activity in your workplace might be useful, but too much physical activity can wear you out pretty quickly. Take quick breaks frequently, to make sure you’re maximizing on your work potential while getting a healthy dose of exercise.
Can you lose weight with a treadmill desk? Unfortunately there are limited studies showing that treadmill desks cause weight loss. However given that you would burn more calories, versus sitting, its probably a safe bet to say that you would lose weight. A small study of 15 obese office workers had them walk and work at a vertical computer workstation on a treadmill at the slow pace of 1 mile per hour. The subjects who were obese lost an average of 3.4 kilograms (7.5 pounds).
Can you run with a treadmill desk? Yes, you can run with a treadmill desk. However, your productivity might decrease.
Do treadmill desks increase productivity? Yes, studies show that treadmill desks can actually improve productivity.
Should you use a treadmill everyday? Depending on how hard your exercise is and what your goals are, using a treadmill everyday is certainly possible, and in some cases recommended.
Are treadmills bad for your body? No, treadmills are not bad for your body when used properly. Using them improperly can lead to injury.
Are treadmill desks expensive? Treadmill desks can be expensive, depending on the make and model you get. They can range anywhere form a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars or more.
Is sitting bad for you? Sitting behind your desk all day is bad for your health and experts have long been advising people to stand at their workstations for about 15 minutes an hour. But a University of Waterloo professor says his research shows that people should be standing for at least 30 minutes per hour to get health benefits.
Will a standing desk help me lose weight? Possibly, but it’s unlikely. Researchers have found that an average day of standing will burn about 100 more calories versus sitting, which isn’t that much in the long run.
Are treadmills bad for your knees? Treadmills can be bad for your knees, especially when compared to an elliptical machine. However they tend to be safer than running on pavement or outside. That being said, it really depends on how often you are using it, your running form and how much you weigh.
Recap
Treadmills have been a staple of the fitness industry for ages now. They have been a popular exercise choice ever since their introduction, and have proven themselves time and time again. Including them in your workplace can yield some phenomenal fitness results and improve your workflow.
Your superiors are going to be amazed at the amount of energy you’re going to bring to the workplace. The commitment you have to both your fitness and yourself is going to impress everyone around you, all while helping you remain fit, active, and productive!
There is nothing better in the world than being a big achiever. New heights and achievements in the workplace are just one treadmill desk away.
Although treadmill desks are a fun new addition to the workplace, we’re not sure if they’re ready to replace traditional work stations quite yet. While an active lifestyle is always superior to a sedentary one – remember to take everything in moderation, even your workout routine.
When you find that perfect balance, there will be no stopping you, quite literally!