Being sedentary or sitting for prolonged periods of time (examples: time spent sitting at a desk doing work or sitting/laying on a couch watching TV), is a growing behavior in our society that can lead to adverse health effects. Researchers found that similarly to obesity and smoking, sitting for more than eight hours a day, without any physical activity, leads to a greater risk of dying.¹

According to the Mayo Clinic, prolonged sitting can cause health risks such as:

• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Decreased Hip Mobility

Additional health risks include obesity and back pain.

Ways to avoid sitting for long periods of time

• Setting a timer every hour to stand up and walk around for a few minutes.
• Consider or talk to your employer about getting a sit to stand desk. This will allow you to stand periodically throughout your day, to spend fewer waking hours sitting.
• Along with using a sit to stand desk, consider having a walking pad or a stair stepper machine to exercise while working.
• Try watching tv, gaming, reading, or however you like to spend your time relaxing, while performing an activity on the treadmill, a walking pad, or stationary bike.

The right way to sit:
If you have to sit often, try to follow these steps to sitting ergonomically:

•  Make sure to sit up straight and keep your back supported by the chair.
• Relax your shoulders and keep your arms close to your sides, parallel to the floor, with your elbows bent 90 degrees.
• The chair you are sitting in should fully support your thighs and be tall enough for your legs to be bent 90-110 degrees with your feet flat on the floor.
• The computer screen should be arm’s length away from your face with the top of the screen level with your eyes.
• Keep the objects you use frequently (examples: phone, pen and paper, mouse, etc.) close to you to avoid reaching far for items.

If you are experiencing back pain, carpal tunnel, trigger finger, hip pain, or any other pain that may be caused by sitting or working at a desk for prolonged periods of time, schedule an appointment with one of our physicians.

Sources
Ali, Y. S. (2023, July 22). Ways to Fix a Sedentary Lifestyle. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-beat-a-sedentary-lifestyle-2509611#citation-12

Barrell, A. (2023, June 9). Sitting down all day: Consequences, treatment, and prevention. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sitting-down-all-day#prevention

¹Edward R. Laskowski, M. D. (2022, July 13). Sitting risks: How harmful is too much sitting?. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005

Graff-Radford, M. (2020, February 11). Sitting is the New Smoking. Mayo Clinic. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/living-with-mild-cognitive-impairment-mci/newsfeed-post/sitting-is-the-new-smoking/

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, May 25). Office ergonomics: Your how-to guide. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/office-ergonomics/art-20046169

Park, J. H., Moon, J. H., Kim, H. J., Kong, M. H., & Oh, Y. H. (2020, November 19). Sedentary lifestyle: Overview of updated evidence of potential health risks. PubMed Central. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7700832/