The Impact of Sitting All Day – Part 2
In part 1, I looked at the impact of sitting on your muscles, but what happens in the rest of your body?
Leg Disorders
We are all familiar with the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) if we take long flights. This is because sitting for long periods of time slows blood circulation, which causes fluid to pool in legs. This creates problems ranging from swollen ankles, varicose beings to dangerous blood clots.
Soft Bones
Osteoporosis is a disease marked by reduced bone strength leading to an increased risk of fractures, or broken bones. Bone strength has two main features: bone mass (amount of bone) and bone quality. Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because it usually progresses without any symptoms until a fracture occurs or one or more vertebrae (bones in the spine) collapse. Weight-bearing activities such as walking and running stimulate hip and lower-body bones to grow thicker, denser and stronger. Medical researchers partially attribute the recent surge in cases of osteoporosis to lack of activity.
Garrett, Brasure et al, 2004, Physical Inactivity Direct Cost To A Health Plan, American Journal of Preventative Medicine; Vol 27 No 4, Pages 304–309 See http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797%2804%2900191-6/abstract?cc=y
Weight Gain
As the body slows down while in a resting and seated positions, the metabolism naturally slows down. Calories are burned at a far lower rate, when you sit, you burn only about one calorie a minute!. For some people this can lead to weight gain becoming an issues. Being overweight is a known risk factor for many common chronic conditions including
- diabetes
- gallstones
- hypertension
- heart disease
- stroke
Field, Coakley et al, 2001 Impact of Overweight on the Risk of Developing Common Chronic Diseases During a 10 Year Period, JAMA Internal Medicine; Vol 161 No13, Pages 1581-1586. See http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=648604
Related Posts
Can acupuncture cut hot flushes by half?
Hot flushes are temporary but recurring feeling of warmth that spreads over the body which often begins in the head and neck region and can be very troublesome. Hot flushes often occur during sleep, producing perspiration known as night sweats. As a result, hot flushes can have a big impact on your quality of life. Hot flushes are one of the most common symptoms women have when they go through the menopause. About 3 out of 4 women going through the menopause (75%) will have hot flushes. If you've had one, there's no mistaking it: the sudden, intense, hot feeling on your face and upper body, perhaps preceded or accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, headache, weakness, or a feeling of suffocation. Researches recruited 209 women who experienced at least four hot flushes or night sweats every day. All the patients received up to 20 acupuncture treatments within 6 months. Nearly half the women saw a 47% reduction in hot flushes or night sweats, while almost 12% reported that their symptoms had stopped almost completely although 4% actually saw an increase in their problems. What is interesting is that most of the women how saw their hot flushes and night sweats decrease started seeing improvements after three sessions. Research http://www.wakehealth.edu/News-Releases/2016/Acupuncture_Reduces_Hot_Flashes_for_Half_of_Women,_Study_Finds.htm
What is good standing posture?
We all know we need to maintain good posture, but what exactly is good standing posture? Good standing posture When standing, keep these tips in mind:
- Keep your shoulders back and relaxed.
- Pull in your abdomen.
- Keep your feet about hip distance apart.
- Balance your weight evenly on both feet.
- Let your hands hang naturally at your sides.
Take the wall test
To test your standing posture, take the wall test. Stand with your head, shoulder blades and buttocks touching a wall, and have your heels about 2 to 4 inches (about 5 to 10 centimeters) away from the wall. Reach back and slide your hand behind the curve in your lower back, with your palm flat against the wall. Ideally, you'll feel about one hand's thickness of space between your back and the wall. If there's too much space, tighten your abdominal muscles to flatten the curve in your back. If there's too little space, arch your back so that your hand fits comfortably behind you. Walk away from the wall while maintaining this posture. Keep it up throughout your daily activities.Check out your reflection
To see if you're keeping your shoulders straight, stand in front of a mirror. Aim to keep your shoulders square and relaxed.It all adds up
Although good posture should be natural, you might feel wooden or stiff at first if you've forgotten the sensation of standing up straight. The key is to practice good posture all the time. Remember its never to late to start practicing good posture.
