Challenges of Prolonged Sitting and How to Mitigate Adverse Effects
Problems with Sitting
Sitting for long periods of time can cause a variety of problems. Most people are aware of the negative repercussions of sitting, but due to many using screens more often, the sitting epidemic has also reached an all-time high. People sit at their computers for 8 hours and then they sit watching Netflix for maybe another 12 hours. That’s too much time idling in a compromised position! Moreover, many of the injuries that I see in clinic result from people sitting for too long and then participating in intense physical activity over the weekends. There are certain key muscles and joints that stagnate from prolonged sitting. Below are some of the main ways the body can be affected:
Forward Head and Thoracic Kyphosis
Sitting for too long encourages an excessive forward head posture and thoracic kyphosis. Both of which contribute to a “slumped” look. A slumped posture contributes to a lack of range of motion in your neck, shoulders, middle back, and lower back. That’s almost every joint above the waist! To ensure that you are sitting with your back straight and your head in the correct position, make sure that your computer screen is at eye level and straight in front of you. The top of the screen should be slightly at or below eye level. I strongly advise you watch our video on proper home office ergonomics for more details (see link below).
Hip Flexors and Glutes
Sitting for long periods causes an imbalance in the hip muscles. The hip flexors on the front side of the hip become much too tight. In turn, the hip extensors (glutes) on the back side of the body, become inactive because they are not being used. The hip muscle imbalance becomes more of a problem when a person goes from sitting for a long period of time to engaging in high impact athletic activity. The hip muscles are crucial for athletic activity. Thus, if there is some sort of an imbalance present, the high forces from athletic activity can exacerbate the disparity and lead to muscle strains.
Other Health Concerns
Lack of movement from sitting does not only cause problems with the muscles and joints. It can contribute to adverse stress in other body systems as well. Dr. Laskowski, a physician from the Mayo Clinic states that research has revealed that sitting contributes to obesity, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Staying active throughout the day helps prevent negative side effects.
Recommendations
Every 20 or 30 minutes you should stand up, stretch, and make an effort to move around. However, some people tend to over-compensate with this suggestion and will stand on their feet all day. That is also not the greatest idea. The best solution is to find a mix between the two. In addition, procuring a standing desk, or converting your workspace at home to allow standing, is a very good idea. Standing desks can be expensive. If you do not want to pay for one for your home office, using an ironing board, or a stack of textbooks, works very well.
Spine and Sports YouTube Video
Check out how to make your home office more ergonomic with our step-by-step YouTube video. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more tips and exercises.
References:
Laskowski, E. R. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005
