For several years we have been hearing, “Sitting is the new smoking.” But is sitting really that bad for you and your health? Smoking significantly increases your risk of stroke, heart disease, and cancer. As it relates to our health, how can something like smoking compare to excessive sitting? Let’s take a look at some of the negative effects of sitting along with things to do in order to be a “healthy sitter.”
Developing Chronic Health Conditions
When you exercise, your body is able to digest fats and sugars efficiently. When you sit and become inactive, the amount of calories burned is less than the amount accumulated. This results in increased fat storage and muscle atrophy. By becoming sedentary, you increase your risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome (increased blood pressure, high blood sugar and cholesterol, and excess body fat around the waist). There are many overlapping conditions you can develop from both smokings and sitting for long periods. Is it any wonder how sitting has been compared to smoking?
Muscle and Joint Pain
One of the most common ailments amongst those who sit for long hours is spinal joint and muscle pain. Your joints become tight and compressed when you are sedentary, which leads to these joints becoming restricted. This joint restriction will magnify your pain and tension. Our muscles abide by the “use-it-or-lose-it” principle. When they are not used, your muscles decrease in size, become weak, and are unable to withstand the everyday wear and tear placed on them. When our muscles are unable to keep up with the physical stresses, our joints and other important tissues (e.g., discs and ligaments) experience wear and tear as well. This can lead to injury and pain.
What Can You Do to Combat Sitting for Long Hours?
Move
The most obvious solution to the sitting problem is to get up and move more often. Research has shown that just 2 minutes of light activity each hour is an effective tool to offset the harmful effects of sitting. Light activity can be something as simple as walking around the office or outside for 2 minutes. If you are someone who struggles with taking breaks throughout the day, it may be beneficial to set a timer on your phone to remind you to get up and move each hour.
Chiropractic
One of the main goals of chiropractic is to make sure your spinal joints are aligned and moving properly. This will pressure off the already compressed joints, which will help decrease the spine’s muscular tension. The longer you wait to take care of these issues in your spine, the longer it will take to heal. Chiropractic can help improve your posture and decrease your pain. Call and schedule an appointment today or schedule your visit to our center in Midvale Utah to get your back and neck aligned and feeling better.
About Elite Chiropractic & Performance Center
Located just outside of Chiropractor Salt Lake City and in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley, Elite Chiropractic & Performance Center is the premier chiropractic office in Utah. Dr. Monte Layton, Chris Harbrecht, and Jordan Mousley specialize in providing care for many different conditions and injuries. Those in the community seek Elite’s care for low back pain, neck pain, shoulder, knee, elbow, wrist, hip, ankle, and foot pain. Call today to schedule your first appointment. 801-432-7511.