Thanks to new technology, people are spending more time at the desk working on their computers and less time outside working out their muscles. To counter the negative health effects of prolonged sitting, many people are opting for treadmill desks that allow them to walk at a leisurely pace while typing on their computers.

Recent research has shown that when previously sedentary office workers start using treadmill desks, they enjoyed better sleep and had lower blood pressure.

In the journal PLOS ONE, scientists at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, reported their findings on healthy young adults who worked at a desk with the treadmill set at a comfortable 1.5 miles per hour.

While they walked, they performed tests at the computer involving memory, thinking, and manual dexterity. Compared to a control group sitting at a desk, the walkers made more recall and concentration errors.

In addition, their typing was slower and had more mistakes. Although the volunteers initially used their cognitive reserve to stay balanced on the treadmill, the investigators speculated that if people gradually adjust to a treadmill desk, they can maintain pace, make fewer errors, and their cognitive performance will improve.

Even though the volunteers did make mistakes while walking and typing, the number of errors was still in the normal range on all the tests.