Get Up, Stand Up - Counteract Effects of Prolonged Sitting
People are often complaining of some form of pain related to sitting at their desk job. Whether it's wrist pain from working on a computer, or low back pain, many people feel as though their desk job is hurting them.
We've known for years that prolonged sitting puts more pressure on the low back by significantly increasing the weight on the intervertebral disc. It also causes certain muscles in your hips to physically shorten and inactivates the gluteus muscles which are essential for lower back stability.
Recent studies indicate that prolonged sitting goes way beyond the toll it takes on our musculoskeletal systems. These studies point to the connection between prolonged sitting and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and even mortality. So what does this mean for the majority of office workers out there? It's time to make some significant changes in your work routine. That does not mean people should quit their jobs, but here is some good information for you that will help to counteract all that sitting, and to keep you healthier.
Don't Sit
This is probably the most obvious. If your employer is open to it, purchase a standing desk. Ideally you want to alternate between sitting (for short periods) and standing (most of the time), so you would want one that adjusts its height. Most standing desks should be about elbow height or an inch below. One woman didn't want to spend the money on an adjustable desk, so she got a cardboard box reinforced it and put a nice fabric over it. She put the box on top of her existing desk and placed her laptop on the box. This is a great inexpensive way to get the benefits of a stand-up desk.
Treadmill desks set at one mile per hour have been found to increase productivity and are great if they are an option. Most of us in New York City don't have the space for this, but it is something to consider if at all possible. If someone has kidney issues or edema, standing for long periods is not recommended, so they would want to sit a bit more. Obviously, if standing causes your knees, ankles or other parts of your body to be unhappy this may not be the best option either.
Get Up, Stand Up
Every 45 minutes set an alarm that tells you to move it. Walk across the room or even better do hip rotations, as instructed below:
Stand with your legs hip distance apart and your feet slightly turned in (slightly pigeon toed). Put your hands (palms down) on your low back. Start by pushing your hips forward, and do a full circle or rotation in one direction at a nice slow pace. Do this 12 times, and then reverse direction. Think Hula hoop but focus on moving from the hips, not the upper body. This motion gets the cerebrospinal fluid moving and engages the muscles in your hips. It is a great exercise to keep your hips and low back fluid. Movement actually will increase your energy, the more you are sitting for extended periods of time, the more tired you will be.
Change Your Chair
If you can't use a stand-up desk then lose the traditional chair and look into purchasing an exercise ball chair. The exercise ball engages your core muscles and requires certain muscles to activate to keep you steady on the ball. If you have to stick with the chair you have, then use a lumbar support or get a bolster and put it vertically along the length of your spine. This takes pressure off of the lumbar discs and helps to balance the weight distribution of your upper torso.
More Exercises to Combat Prolonged Sitting
If you have floor space and don't mind being gawked at, get on your office floor and perform these movements at least once during your workday.
No time in history have the majority of workers sat for such extended periods of time. We are in one giant experiment that has shown to be detrimental to our bodies. We must incorporate more movement into our workdays in order to stay healthy. On a bright note, workplace culture is changing, and hopefully sitting for prolonged periods of time will be a thing of the past as awareness continues to grow about the need for movement to be integrated into office culture.
Dr. Louis Granirer is a leading Holistic Chiropractor in NY specializing in holistic remedies for good health maintenance and prevention of disease. Visit his website at www.HolisticChiropracticCenter.com to learn more.
We've known for years that prolonged sitting puts more pressure on the low back by significantly increasing the weight on the intervertebral disc. It also causes certain muscles in your hips to physically shorten and inactivates the gluteus muscles which are essential for lower back stability.
Recent studies indicate that prolonged sitting goes way beyond the toll it takes on our musculoskeletal systems. These studies point to the connection between prolonged sitting and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and even mortality. So what does this mean for the majority of office workers out there? It's time to make some significant changes in your work routine. That does not mean people should quit their jobs, but here is some good information for you that will help to counteract all that sitting, and to keep you healthier.
Don't Sit
This is probably the most obvious. If your employer is open to it, purchase a standing desk. Ideally you want to alternate between sitting (for short periods) and standing (most of the time), so you would want one that adjusts its height. Most standing desks should be about elbow height or an inch below. One woman didn't want to spend the money on an adjustable desk, so she got a cardboard box reinforced it and put a nice fabric over it. She put the box on top of her existing desk and placed her laptop on the box. This is a great inexpensive way to get the benefits of a stand-up desk.
Treadmill desks set at one mile per hour have been found to increase productivity and are great if they are an option. Most of us in New York City don't have the space for this, but it is something to consider if at all possible. If someone has kidney issues or edema, standing for long periods is not recommended, so they would want to sit a bit more. Obviously, if standing causes your knees, ankles or other parts of your body to be unhappy this may not be the best option either.
Get Up, Stand Up
Every 45 minutes set an alarm that tells you to move it. Walk across the room or even better do hip rotations, as instructed below:
Stand with your legs hip distance apart and your feet slightly turned in (slightly pigeon toed). Put your hands (palms down) on your low back. Start by pushing your hips forward, and do a full circle or rotation in one direction at a nice slow pace. Do this 12 times, and then reverse direction. Think Hula hoop but focus on moving from the hips, not the upper body. This motion gets the cerebrospinal fluid moving and engages the muscles in your hips. It is a great exercise to keep your hips and low back fluid. Movement actually will increase your energy, the more you are sitting for extended periods of time, the more tired you will be.
Change Your Chair
If you can't use a stand-up desk then lose the traditional chair and look into purchasing an exercise ball chair. The exercise ball engages your core muscles and requires certain muscles to activate to keep you steady on the ball. If you have to stick with the chair you have, then use a lumbar support or get a bolster and put it vertically along the length of your spine. This takes pressure off of the lumbar discs and helps to balance the weight distribution of your upper torso.
More Exercises to Combat Prolonged Sitting
If you have floor space and don't mind being gawked at, get on your office floor and perform these movements at least once during your workday.
- BRIDGE POSE. This helps to activate your gluteus muscles. Do 3 sets and hold for one minute each. You are on your back with your knees bent, lift up from the pelvis raising your hips to just about the height of your knees, and bring your hands underneath you with your arms extended and your hands clasped underneath you
- LEG SWINGS. Like a pendulum, swing one leg at a time vertically and then horizontally
- FIRE HYDRANTS. Go on all fours and lift one leg with knee bent up, so your bent leg and knee are parallel to the floor (how a dog lifts his leg to pee). Then rotate at the hip joint 10 times in one direction, and 10 times in the opposite direction.
- CHAIR SPINAL TWISTS. In your office chair, do a spinal twist by grabbing the opposite side of your office chair, twisting and holding for about one minute. Repeat this 3 times for each side. One can also do a lunge stretch by placing one knee on your chair and lunging forward with the other foot on the ground. Hold each stretch for about a minute
- STANDING LEG BALANCES. Stand on one leg and circle the non-standing ankle in one direction and then the opposite direction. Try to balance for at least 30 seconds to one minute on each leg. Balancing is brain food.
No time in history have the majority of workers sat for such extended periods of time. We are in one giant experiment that has shown to be detrimental to our bodies. We must incorporate more movement into our workdays in order to stay healthy. On a bright note, workplace culture is changing, and hopefully sitting for prolonged periods of time will be a thing of the past as awareness continues to grow about the need for movement to be integrated into office culture.
Dr. Louis Granirer is a leading Holistic Chiropractor in NY specializing in holistic remedies for good health maintenance and prevention of disease. Visit his website at www.HolisticChiropracticCenter.com to learn more.
Comments
Post a Comment