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The ups and downs of the WorkFit workstation for the iMac

More individuals and companies are realizing the health, comfort and productivity of “standing desks.” And there is a sit-stand desk solution specifically designed to work with iMacs (21.5-inch and 27-inch models): the WorkFit.

New research has coined “sitting disease” as the cause for numerous health issues. The 90-degree sitting position that many of us take on for hours on end during the work week is a cause for concern.

Eighteen research studies in which almost 800,000 men and women participated show that people who live a sedentary life, largely sitting at a desk for hours on end every day, have a significantly higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Enter Ergotron’s WorkFit-A Sit-Stand Workstation (which you can buy for around $500), which mounts an iMac on an height-adjustable arm and clamps to the back edge of an existing desk up to 31.5 inches (800 mm) deep; a grommet hole-mount base option is also included. 

It requires a bit of work, and an assistant, to install the workstation (you can read the manual here). Your iMac is mounted on a bracket attached to a protruding keyboard tray on an arm. The assembly is rigged to a durable beam housing a pulley system. This allows you to easily lift your whole workstation vertically up to 18 inches vertically. You will need to adjust the WorkFit after installation. Make sure all your equipment is properly installed on the product before attempting adjustments. 

The WorkFit attaches to most work surfaces and takes up surprisingly little desk space. Once you have it set up, you’ll see the benefits immediately. 

(Do note that the box that comes when you order the WorkFit is big and it’s heavy: about 40 pounds. If you have a bad back, don’t attempt to lug it into your office or home alone.)

The WorkFi has fluid, one-touch motion — with patented Constant Force technology — that works amazingly well. It moves smoothly through its entire range of motion. Plus, it has sit-stand height adjustment and a separate keyboard tray with tilt.

You can move from a sitting to standing position whenever you want. With the WorkFit, your mouse, keyboard and trackpad rise when you rise. This provides ergonomic benefits and can even help you lose weight. You’ll burn lots more calories per work day if you stand at least part of the time instead of sitting while you work. 

The WorkFit-A Sit-Stand Workstation isn’t inexpensive. However, it lets you move between sitting and standing easily, improves your health — and looks fantastic while doing it.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.