Isn’t that crazy? The average 85-year-old American will have spent a whopping 280,000 hours of their lifetime sitting.1 That's the equivalent of 32.6 years!
Now, don't get me wrong, sitting is a perfectly normal and necessary activity in our daily lives. But when you think about it, 32.6 years is a long time to spend in one position. So, it's important to make sure that you are sitting well to avoid any negative effects on your health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that the average adult spends 7.7 hours per day sitting. That includes time spent at work, watching TV, and other sedentary activities. So, it's no surprise that by the time we reach 85 years old, we will have spent so much time sitting. That’s just the average, some athletes in the Esports space spend over 12 hours a day sitting.
But what are the negative effects of sitting for such a long time? Poor posture can lead to a variety of health problems such as back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches. It can also contribute to poor circulation, which can lead to a number of health issues, including varicose veins and blood clots. Additionally, poor posture can cause muscle imbalances, which can lead to injury and chronic pain in various areas of the body.
So, what can we do to avoid these negative effects? First, it's important to be mindful of our posture throughout the day, whether we're sitting, standing, or lying down. When sitting, make sure to keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Use a chair that provides good pelvis support to help support your spine in a neutral posture.
And yes, I said pelvis support and not lumbar! This is because the pelvis is the base or foundation of the spine. When the pelvis rotates, the spine has no choice but to follow. This is why it's critical to have support at the pelvis to not only achieve an upright posture, but also to maintain it.
If you have a desk job, try to take frequent breaks to stand up and stretch. Do your best to exercise regularly to undue the muscle imbalances that can occur from long-term sitting. And make sure your chair is supporting you at the pelvis.
So, there you have it! 32.6 years is a long time to spend sitting. But by being mindful of our posture, choosing an office chair with pelvis support, taking breaks, and exercising regularly, we can reduce the negative effects and make sure we're sitting well. And who knows, maybe one day we'll break the record for the longest sitting marathon! (Just kidding, please don't try that at home).
References
MATTHEWS, C. E., CARLSON, S. A., SAINT-MAURICE, P. F., PATEL, S., SALERNO, E. A., LOFTFIELD, E., TROIANO, R. P., FULTON, J. E., SAMPSON, J. N., TRIBBY, C., KEADLE, S. K., & BERRIGAN, D. (2021). Sedentary behavior in U.S. adults: Fall 2019. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 53(12), 2512–2519. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000002751
Falla, D., Jull, G., Russell, T., Vicenzino, B., & Hodges, P. (2007). Effect of Neck Exercise on Sitting Posture in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain. Physical Therapy, 87, 408 - 417. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20060009.
Phimphasak, C., Swangnetr, M., Puntumetakul, R., Chatchawan, U., & Boucaut, R. (2016). Effects of seated lumbar extension postures on spinal height and lumbar range of motion during prolonged sitting. Ergonomics, 59, 112 - 120. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2015.1052570.
Chaudhari, R. (2020). Understanding significance of sitting posture as a etiological factor causing low back pain. International Journal of Research, 4. https://doi.org/10.52482/AYURLINE.V4I06.486.
Shin, H., Kim, S., & Cho, H. (2021). Effect of Sensory Feedback Type on Correct Sitting Posture Learning on Healthy Adults. Journal of The Korean Society of Physical Medicine. https://doi.org/10.13066/kspm.2021.16.4.125.
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