The Impact of Sitting All Day – Part 5
In this series of articles on the impact of sitting all day I have looked at
- the impact on muscles (in part 1)
- the general impact on the body (in part 2)
- the impact on your heart and the increase risk of cardiovascular disease (in part 3)
- the increased risk of certain cancers (in part 4)
I now want to look to focus on what you can do to counteract the impact of sitting all day i.e.
- Sitting up straight (see part 1)
- Taking a Break
Here are the Top 5 most common excuses for taking a break from sitting at your desk
- Going to the bathroom
- Getting a drink
- Stretching
- Going to the printer
- Getting food
Here is the number 1 excuse why people don’t take a break.
I am too busy!
We all know we should take regular breaks, but how many of us do, not many, the reason is that we assume it is too time consuming. If you are one of those people read on, because I am about to shock you.
In 2008 researches demonstrated that those who took
regular breaks of 4.5 minutes
had narrower waist, lower body mass indexes and more importantly reduced the negative health impacts of sitting. That is under 5 minutes of standing or walking rather than sitting!
Healy et al, 2008, Breaks in Sedentary Time – Beneficial associations with metabolic risk, Diabetes Care, Volume 31, No4 pages 661 – 666 see http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/4/661.full#T1
While pinpointing just exactly how long or frequent these breaks need to be is still up for investigation, most people can manage under 5 minutes of walking or standing rather than sitting.
More recent research show signs of improved glucose metabolism with one minute and 40 seconds of walking every 30 minutes for a nine-hour sitting period, this is certainly very good news for anyone struggling with weight issues. I certainly believe one minute and 40 seconds of walking every 30 minutes is a realistic target for everyone including those with the most demanding jobs!
Peddie et al, 2013, Breaking prolonged sitting reduces postprandial glyecmia in healthy, normal-weight adults: a randomized crossover trial, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 98, No 2 pages 358 – 366 see http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/98/2/358.abstract
Dunstan et al, 2012, Breaking up prolonged sitting reduces postprandial glucose and insulin responses, Diabetes Care, Volume 35, No 5, pages 976 – 983 see http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/5/976.full
In summary, getting up and walking for under 5 minutes around at least twice an hour can keep your skeletal muscles turned on and lower the risk of a wide range of chronic diseases.
Related Posts
Introduction to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) also called muscle fever, is the pain and stiffness everyone is familiar with after strenuous exercises. It is noticeable worse 24 to 72 hours after exercise and it can occur anywhere in the body. However it is more memorable when it affects the lower body i.e. the legs, due to it being so inhibiting. For a long time the cause of DOMS was thought to be the build up of lactic acid and toxic metabolic waste in the muscles. However this theory has now been thoroughly rejected. While the cause of DOMS is not well understood, the current consensus is that DOMS is a result of inflammation triggered by microscopic tears in connective tissues that sensitise nociceptors and heighten pain. The pain of DOMS and the sever soreness may decrease capacity to perform in subsequent workouts. In addition to physical symptoms for some people it can decrease motivation to exercise. So is the pain worth the gain? The short answer is no. DOMS doesn't mean you will build more muscle although it may enhance it a little. References Brad J Schoenfeld, 2010, The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy & their application to resistance training, Journal of Strengthening & Conditioning Research, vol 24, (10)
Myofascia – part 1
What is Myofasci? Fascia is the main connective tissue of the body. Fascia surrounds every cell, muscle, bone, nerve, blood Bessel in the body, creating a three-dimensional web. This is one continuous network from head to toe. Myofascia is the fascia that surrounds all the muscle. Why it is important? In its normal state fascia is fluid and pliable, allowing full, pain-free movement. However, fascia is vulnerable to trauma from
- Accident
- Infection
- Injury
- Surgery
- Repetitive Movement
- Habitual Poor Posture
- Poor biomechanics
- Altered structural alignment
- Compromised blood supply
- Pain
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Heel Pain – Part 2 – Grumbling Achilles Tendon
Last week I discussed Plantar Fasciitis one of the major causes of heel pain, this week I am going to discuss a grumbling achilles tendon, or to be technically correct, non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy, he other major cause of heel pain. Although a rupture of the Achilles is well known, it is actually more common to have what is known as a grumbling Achilles. The pain is felt at the back of the heel above where the Achilles tendon joins the bone. It feels stiff and swollen, particularly in the morning and can prevent the sufferer from taking part in sport. Sometimes the pain is lower down where the tendon joins the bone. How can I tell if my heel pain is a grumbling achilles tendon? You may have swelling over or either side of your achilles tendon which runs from your heel to your calf muscles. The skin over the achilles tendon may be red and/or hot. If you sit down with your feet on the floor and raise your foot, as you use your achilles tendon you may hear a crackling sensation. What causes a grumbling achilles tendon?
- The tab on your shoe rubbing against your achilles tendon.
- Failing to warm up properly before playing sports.
- Over use of the tendon from intensive training, e.g. running
- Scar tissue from a previous injury.
- High impact on hard surfaces e.g. any sport where you jump or tennis.
