Introduction
In todays’ occupation and job market, sitting all day is a very frequent praxis. Many have researched and explored the damaging health aspects of sitting. Alternatives to the organization of office spaces have been proposed, tested, and disputed. In this post, we will be offering a detailed summary of the safety issues linked with sitting. And how you can avoid future problems and enjoy your time at the desk and away from it without strain or pain.
Side effects of a sedentary lifestyle and sitting
As stated in earlier studies, sitting and long-term health risks have been highly related [1], [2]. The most common issues related to sitting are the following:
- obesity,
- cardiovascular disease – CVD,
- diabetes,
- back and neck pain,
- weak bones,
- depression and
- even cancer, amongst others.
Some research claim, that no matter how much you exercise, the negative effects of seating will still persist [3].
Lifestyle changes one needs to adapt first - Your Diet
We can see that most of these side effects (obesity, CVD, diabetes, and cancer) are connected. They are all connected with a sedentary individual’s dietary composition [4]. This, however, can be changed and improved. We know specific snacks are more harmful than others. Our simple guideline in this regard is to limit sugar and carbohydrate intake. For starters, cut soft drinks and replace snacks with fruit or nuts. These will decrease the negative side effects which are related to a damaged energy metabolism and waste product creation. Eventually, an improved diet will raise your energy and enhance your body composition [5]. Talk about a double whammy.
The culprit of discomfort and pain
After we resolve the diet-related issues, we need to sort out issues with our posture. While sitting per se is not problematic, being placed in the same posture over a long period can be. Pain, fatigue, spasms, and posture distortion might occur if we are in the same position for a long time. The most frequent positions we endure are sitting, standing, kneeling, and the likes. The side effects usually follow one after another, and are explained in the following manner:
- Maintaining a healthy posture for a given period can not be challenging.
- This is due to weak muscles responsible for maintaining the posture [6].
- Discomfort and pain create improper posture (the primary muscles relax due to tiredness).
- This increases the strain on the stabilizer muscles.
- The stabilizer muscles are not intended for load-bearing.
- Putting a heavy load on the stabilizers can produce spasms and can lead to nerve impingement around the spine.
- The tired primary muscles become tight, while the opposing (agonist) muscles become stretched.
- This change can result in sustaining an improper posture for too long.
- Being “stuck” in such a posture can cause more pain, strain the stabilizer muscles even further, and cause disk misalignment.
- The total fatigue and misalignment has the potential to cause bulging disks and further nerve impingement.
Focus on strength training
A lack of strength is an essential factor of pain and discomfort that is linked to a sedentary lifestyle[7], [8]. The issue is, that our muscles are too weak to maintain static postures for a long time. The solution is obvious. We need to make our muscles stronger. For this, strength training is the right recipe. When talking about strength training, we do not need to spend much time. Among the most critical principles of solid strength training is that it keeps injuries at bay. It also needs to create adequate fatigue on the targeted muscles. Following these two tenants, a good strength training routine requires 20 – 40 minutes per week. The best exercises to involve in a strength training routine are those that involve the core movement patterns:
- Squat or leg press
- Row or pulldown
- Horizontal or vertical press
- Hinge i.e. deadlift or leg curl movement
Introduce regular stretching
The other issue with prolonged static posture is the gradual tightness of the used muscles [9], [10]. To reduce this, we recommend daily stretching for 10 – 15 minutes. A stretching routine will help you back relax tight muscles and realign you back in the healthy neutral position concerning your whole body posture and joints [6]. If you are sitting a lot, you should stretch the following muscles:
- Hip flexors
- Chest
- Hamstrings
- Upper back
- Neck
- Possibly wrists
We would recommend you do this first thing in the morning. But more than that, it is essential to establish this as a daily routine. We recommend trying the poses depicted below to stretch the most critical areas. Ease into each position gradually until you feel a manageable stretching position. Hold it for at least 30 seconds. You can go deeper into the stretch through this phase if it deems appropriate.
Don't neglect relaxation and sporadic movement
The last important thing to remember is to relax the used muscles. Especially in the beginning, when we are still lacking strength or are recovering from injuries. In that state, keeping a proper posture for a longer duration can be quite challenging. Taking frequent breaks and being less static during the day helps greatly. Also, changing your posture (from seating to standing) and walking around helps to de-stress the muscles overused. If you sit a lot, we recommend setting up a timer for every 25 minutes and doing some mini dynamic activities, such as:
- A short walk around the office;
- Walk to your office and back by intentionally parking further;
- Drink more water to increase the need for going to the toilet;
- Chat with coworkers, etc.
Eventually, your strength (and corresponding) endurance will increase. You won’t need to take a sitting break every half an hour. It however doesn’t hurt to keep these practices. While they might not help directly with improving your health[11], they can make your workdays more dynamic, fun and help you maintain focus on your work.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we have dived into the the negative consequences of a sedentary. More importantly, we have listed how particular habits are responsible for all the negative claims a sedentary lifestyle have.
First, we argued that bad diet is responsible for most of the negative health outcomes associated with seating. In that regard, focus on whole foods and replacing sugary snacks and soft drinks is essential.
Secondly, we’ve also argued how muscle strength is the best therapy for reducing pain and fatigue. And to gain muscle strength, we should do correct Exercise.
Additionaly, we have noted, how adding a daily stretching routine is also very important. It relaxes your muscles and prevents stiffness.
Finally, investing in things that will aid in shifting stress from your tired muscles to others is also important. For example, relaxing, switching postures, taking breaks to walk, and so forth. This is especially important, at the beginning, where our muscles lack the needed strength to comfortably endure static postures for a longer duration.
