By: Rhys Dale – Chiropractor & Director of Cleveland Chiropractic
The human body is designed specifically for constant movement, so let’s have a chat about the negative health effects of prolonged sitting. We have over 360 joints and around 700 skeletal muscles throughout the body. These structures function to keep our frame as mobile and fluid as possible. The veins returning blood to our heart require movement to pump effectively and importantly, our nervous system requires motor activation to maintain the health of the brain.
When we sit for periods longer than an hour, we decrease the air through the lungs and the blood pumping to our skeletal muscles. Brain function dips due to the decrease in oxygenation and the limbs feel dull and heavy. Posture rounds, causing wear and tear through the small muscles, joints and discs that support body weight and over time we will feel aches through the spinal column.
Long periods of inactivity and sitting (4 hours or more) has been linked to heart disease, cancers, kidney failure, type-2 diabetes and some premature mortality is also linked to inactivity. The good news is you do not have to be a triathlete to avoid these negative health effects. Set aside 5-minutes every hour to stand up and get your body moving.
If you are looking for assistance, the Chiropractic Association of Australia (ACA) has developed apps that can help to make it easier to incorporate good habits into your lifestyle. A 3-minute exercise program in the Straighten Up app can be undertaken by Australians of all ages with a special program tailored for children.
Go to ‘Google play’ or ‘Apple App Store’ and download: Straighten Up and Just Start Walking.
It’s hoped that over time all Australians will make activity and spinal health a priority in their daily lives, just as they do for their dental health.
