Standing for extended periods can be challenging for several reasons, including muscle fatigue, poor posture and lack of support (from shoes), explains personal trainer Aimee Victoria Long.

However, despite its ability to leave you feeling exhausted, Long wouldn’t class standing up for hours at a time as a workout because it lacks several key characteristics of a structured exercise routine, such as intensity, repetition and range of motion.

“Workouts are typically intentional physical activities designed to improve fitness, strength, flexibility or cardiovascular health,” Long tells Strong Women.

She continues: “Standing alone doesn’t provide the level of physical intensity or resistance needed to effectively stimulate muscle growth or cardiovascular fitness that most workouts aim for.”

Can standing up for long periods of time really count as exercise? We ask a fitness expert