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:
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.
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.
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.