Prolonged Sitting: What you need to know
Did you know that the average person spends more than half of their day sitting down?
Whether it’s at work, commuting, or watching TV, prolonged sitting is a major health hazard.
In this blog, we’ll explore the effects of prolonged sitting and what you can do to mitigate them.
Why are we sitting so much?
Most of us are sitting more than ever before. We sit in our cars on the way to work, at our desks all day, and then we come home and sit down on the couch to watch TV. We even eat meals in front of the computer or while driving. This sedentary lifestyle has become the norm, but it takes a toll on our health.
Sitting for long periods of time can lead to problems such as weight gain, heart disease, back pain, and even early death.
So why are we doing it? For many of us, it’s simply a matter of convenience. We don’t make time for physical activity because it seems like a waste when we could be using that time to get ahead at work or cross things off our to-do lists.
But if we want to stay healthy and avoid chronic health problems, we need to find ways to move more throughout the day, even small changes can make a big difference. Taking a few minutes to walk around every hour, standing while talking on the phone, or doing some desk exercises are all easy ways to incorporate movement into your day.
What are the effects of prolonged sitting?
When you sit, your muscles are inactive and your metabolism slows down. This can lead to a host of health problems over time, including:
Weight gain - When you sit, you burn fewer calories than when you stand or move around. This can lead to weight gain, especially if you’re not getting enough exercise.
Heart disease - Prolonged sitting can increase your risk of heart disease. When you sit, your blood flow slows down and your body’s ability to process fats and sugars decreases. This can lead to a buildup of plaque in your arteries, which can cause heart disease.
Back pain - Sitting for long periods of time can put a strain on your back and neck muscles, which can lead to pain.
Poor posture - When you sit, your spine is in a fixed position, which can cause the muscles and ligaments to become shortened and tight.
Early death - Studies have shown that prolonged sitting can lead to an early death. In one study, people who sat for more than 11 hours a day had a 40% increased risk of dying prematurely.
Why stretching is important?
Prolonged sitting is becoming more and more common due to working from home culture. It’s important to be aware of the effects it can have on your health and take steps to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting. Prolonged sitting can cause the muscles and ligaments to become tight and shortened. This can lead to poor posture and pain.
Stretching is important because it helps to lengthen the muscles and improve flexibility.
If you sit all day, try to take a few minutes every hour to stretch your neck, back, and legs. This will help to relieve tension and improve your posture.
If you have chronic back pain, there are a number of different treatments that can help.
Chiropractic care, massage therapy, and stretching are all effective options that can help to
improve your symptoms.
Chiropractic care: what is it and how can it help you?
Chiropractic is a branch of health care that focuses on treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractors use a variety of techniques to realign the spine and joints. They can also provide stretches and exercises that can help to improve flexibility and reduce pain.
Chiropractic care is a safe and effective treatment for many different conditions, including back pain, neck pain, headaches, and more. If you are suffering from pain, Chiropractic care may be able to help.
Where can I get assessment and treatment?
At The Myeline Clinic, our chiropractors can assess and treat issues caused by prolonged sitting by aligning the spine, treating surrounding muscles and ligaments, and give you rehabilitative exercises to re-train the abdominal and postural muscles. At your appointment the treatment will be tailored to you and your physical presentation.
To find out more information or to make an appointment you can call our clinic on 1300 038 863 or click here to make an appointment online.
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