People spend quite a lot of time nowadays sitting at their desks, being behind the wheel of their cars or watching television. Despite the fact that it looks quite comfortable, this position is not very good for your spine.
Moreover, you should know that your family chiropractor will give you some pieces of advice concerning your spine health. At Blooming Chiropractic, you can learn various ways to take care of your spine by moving and sitting properly.
- Can Add Extra Pressure on Your Spine
The spine is designed to bear weight, but still allow movement and flexibility in the body. But when someone sits for long periods, it changes how weight is supported in the back.
When you sit, especially with improper posture, your spine gets extra pressure compared to the standing position and moving. When slouching, you put additional pressure on your spine because of rounded shoulders and wrong posture of your back.
It’s not just the act of sitting that causes problems; rather, it is sitting for extended periods without moving around. Even an ergonomic chair will not prevent the negative effects of staying in one place for hours.
You could see your family chiropractor and learn how your positioning and daily habits could be causing problems for your spine and how to stay better positioned throughout the day.
- Can Reduce Muscle Strength
Your abdominal muscles, back muscles, hip and leg muscles all help in stabilizing your body. When you spend most of your time sitting down, many of your muscles will not have to work at full capacity.
In the long run, a sedentary lifestyle can result in muscle weakening and poor muscle endurance. This can cause a vicious circle where it will become easier for you to sit in poor positioning because of weak supporting muscles.
Physical activity can prevent this issue from happening. Some examples of activities that you can do include walking, standing up, stretching and moving from one position to another.
You don’t necessarily need a complex exercise program to add some activity to your daily routine. For instance, you could stand up when talking over the phone, take a walk during your break, or stretch in between different activities to make your sitting periods non-continuous.
- May Lead to Bad Posture
Another important issue associated with excessive sitting is posture. Since people spend many hours at a desk, their posture becomes another critical problem. While working at a computer, you may be prone to bending forward, rounding your shoulders, and tilting your head.
The head is rather heavy, and moving it forward from its natural position requires additional work from the muscles of the neck and upper back. Spending long hours in this position might be one of the causes of muscle strain.
Even the arrangement of your work environment can play a role. A monitor that is too low, a poorly supported chair, or a keyboard that is too far away from where it should be can all lead to poor positioning.
A family chiropractor can provide general information about proper posture and ergonomics along with help in identifying any bad habits that could be causing you discomfort.
- Decreases Overall Physical Activity
One of the main problems associated with prolonged sitting is that it may substitute other kinds of physical activity. People who sit for eight hours at work often continue sitting when commuting to work or home, having lunch, and in their free time.
This leads to a situation where people do not move much during the day. It is good for the spine to be actively involved in various activities. Walking, bending, stretching, and other actions performed every day stimulate the joints and muscles.
Instead of just concentrating on working out daily, try incorporating small amounts of exercise into your everyday life. Some examples might include taking the stairs instead of the elevator, moving around when on your break, standing up when on the phone, and even taking a walk after having a meal.
- Hips and Lower Back May Become Stiff
The fact that you will remain seated will mean that your hips will be kept bent over a certain period of time, and this will result in you feeling tension and lack of freedom of movement. This is because your hips, pelvis, and lower back work in conjunction and when one becomes stiff, it will affect the other.
This is why standing up after spending all your working hours or having a long car journey seated can be challenging and result in stiffness in your movements. The reason for this is that you have been keeping yourself in one position for too long.
In case your state does not improve after the adjustments in your life-style, it would be beneficial for you to consider visiting an appropriate specialist. It would also be helpful for you to consult your family chiropractor who can assess your movements.
- Can Cause Pain in Neck and Shoulders
The act of sitting for an extended period of time at a desk usually requires that one use a computer or some type of mobile device. Under these conditions, individuals will often take up a posture where they bend their head down.
If your neck and shoulders spend a lot of time in one position for several hours, then the muscles in the area become strained and tired. You may feel some stiffness when you rotate your head or feel some tension in your shoulders, especially at the end of the working day.
The arrangement of the computer screen can have an impact on your comfort. It would be best if your computer screen was placed so that you could watch it without having to bend your neck constantly downwards. The chair needs to provide you with comfortable sitting positions.
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Conclusion
Sedentary behavior is quite frequent in today’s world. However, sitting for a long time can influence a person’s posture, muscle activity, mobility, and even comfort. However, the great news is that minor adjustments can be of significant help. Make sure to stand up from time to time, walk around, change your desk, keep exercising, and mind your pain.
