Something you could be doing right now could be impacting you in ways you never imagined. Do you know what it is?
If you guessed sitting, you are correct.
Prolonged periods of sitting have an immense impact on your musculoskeletal system, heart, lungs and body composition. Couple that with poor posture or improper workstation ergonomics, and you have a recipe for pain. Check out the graphic below to better understand how your body is affected if the proper precautions are not taken.
These adverse effects are scary, but there are plenty of things you can proactively do to prevent them. Below are four secrets to success (and avoiding pain).
1.Reduce Optional Sitting as Much as Possible
There are many instances when you have the choice to sit or stand: while on public transportation, when eating, when watching TV, when on the phone, etc. If you have the opportunity to walk to your destination safely, take it. If you have the choice to sit or stand, choose wisely.
- Think about habits you can change to reduce optional sitting and increase your overall daily movement. Aim to get a cumulative 1-2 hours of non-exercise movement per day
- With your family
- At work
- Day to day
2. Take Frequent Movement Breaks
Movement throughout the day is vital for physical and mental health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you take at least 250 steps minimum per hour, which equates to about 2-3 minutes of movement. Not only does this give your body a break and help circulate blood flow, it also brings more oxygen to your brain and improves concentration, energy and work efficiency.
- For every 30 minutes you spend sitting (especially deskbound), get up and move for 2 minutes.
- Stretch: Try the Move More stretches,or get a group of teammates together to do a daily stretch
- Move: Take a lap around your home or the office; use this time to fill up your water
- Stand up: Even just standing up for a minute or two will give you the break you need
3. Prioritize Proper Ergonomics
Prioritizing workstation ergonomics is essential, especially because this is an instance that sitting is not necessarily optional. Proper ergonomics can help you maintain better posture and avoid things like forward head. Check out the Computer Workstation Ergonomics Checklist from the National Institutes of Health, and immediately adjust your workstation as needed.
- If you don’t have what you need (a desk, a proper chair, etc.), think about ways you can fix that
- Can you switch out your chair for something better?
- Can you purchase a folding table or a desk to work at temporarily?
- Be conscious of your posture at all times
4. Prehab Daily
Prehab is preventing the problem before it happens or before it gets worse. Spending 10-15 minutes of daily maintenance on your body can go a long way to alleviating, reversing or preventing the pain and imbalances associated with sitting.
- Stretch daily: focusing on alleviating the tight muscles from sitting (chest, shoulders, hip flexors, hamstrings, etc.)
- Strength train regularly: focusing on strengthening the muscles that get weak/inactive from sitting (neck, upper back, shoulders, glutes)
- Yoga: Try one of our on-demand yoga videos or Movement Flow with Joe
- Foam rolling/Myofascial release: Invest in tools such as foam rollers, trigger point balls and massage guns to stimulate blood flow, break up knots and restore areas of tightness or tension
Don’t wait until it’s too late to start addressing these issues. By being proactive about your health, following the above tips and getting your body moving, you can improve your quality of life.