Negative Effects of Inactivity on Body Posture & Alignment

In the United States and worldwide, people tend to spend more and more time doing stuff with little to no physical activity. Many office jobs require long days of sitting at a desk. Even during your leisure time, you lounge about as you play video games or binge-watch Netflix shows. It is important to know frequent sitting for long periods can have various adverse effects on physical health, posture, and alignment.
 

Here’s how frequent inactivity can affect your body, posture, and alignment:
 

Back Pain and Mobility Issues

Sitting in the same position for long hours each day can cause lactic acid in your muscles to build up. This can cause pain in your muscles and joints and for them to become stiff. As you know, posture is essential in building the right muscles to give you optimal back support. Research shows that prolonged sitting can worsen posture over time. A published article on Harvard Health indicated that sitting for long periods also impacts your overall balance. To the extent that it may make walking more challenging and sometimes more painful. The study also suggested that people who sit more tend to be at risk of falling over and injuring themselves.
 

Stiff and Tight Muscles

When you set your muscle tissues in a particular position for too long, they can stay that way and develop knots. The lack of movement from sitting throughout the day will cause your muscles to stiffen and tighten eventually. Another problem with prolonged sitting is that you are likely rounding your back or tilting your head forward. These are unnatural positions for your muscles to remain in for hours on end. This can result in muscle weakening or tightening, particularly in your upper body. The combined effects of weakened and tightened muscles can result in poor posture and injury.
 

Increased Risk of Disease and Early Mortality

Frequently sitting for long periods has been linked to various adverse effects on health. A growing body of research shows that an inactive lifestyle can make people more vulnerable to diseases and shorten their life span. The correlation between long-term prolonged sitting and illness is not new. A study in the 1950s concluded that bus drivers were twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack compared to their standing conductor colleagues. Other health issues associated with sitting for long periods include weight gain, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. It has also been linked to digestive problems, metabolic syndrome, slow brain function, dementia, musculoskeletal symptoms, depression, and anxiety.
 

Standing upright helps your entire cardiovascular system function more effectively as your body is built that way and your bowel also works more efficiently in this position. It is relatively common for bedridden patients to suffer from problems with bowel movements, however, with regular physical activity, you get to boost your immune system and combat a host of health problems. Adding exercise to your routine also helps control weight, increase energy, improve mood, and promote better sleep.
 

Learn more about chiropractic care services to treat physical discomfort from inactivity, contact Integral Chiropractic in Foster City, CA at (650) 212-1414.