Sitting is a natural part of life, however, prolonged periods of sitting can potentially cause health problems. Various joints and muscles may suffer premature wear and tear, causing physical pain. Different factors affect different groups of people, such as women or office employees, who may not be aware of this potential health issue.
Continue reading to learn more about the dangers of prolonged sitting.
Possible Affected Groups
Cultural norms, income, or work environments could cause prolonged sitting, targeting different groups. Lancet Global Health suggests that “wealthier countries, more sedentary occupations, and personal motorized transportation might factor into higher levels of inactivity.”. A Yale Medicine physiatrist reiterates similar findings by saying that social integrations such as cars, travel, and desks may result in poor health.
Office or desk jobs often demand employees to sit at a desk with little to no physical activity for several hours a day. A study in The National Library of Medicine found that long sitting times could be associated with exhaustion during the working day, decreased job satisfaction, hypertension, and musculoskeletal disorder symptoms. Routine jobs and daily life can cause prolonged sitting. Additional potential health issues include back pain, spinal tear, and various others.
Health Problems
Extended sitting can be a harmful activity since it can result in long-term physical health problems. One of the possible effects is strain or premature degeneration in the lower spine discs and pelvic muscle joints. Yale Medicine insists that muscle fatigue, weakened core stabilizers, and tightening of the hip flexors could increase lower back stress and reduce spine flexibility. (YALE) Poor posture and prolonged sitting can target the lower back which can be the most affected area of the body. Besides lower back pain, prolonged sitting can cause other health issues.
Particularly, diabetes could result from the constant relaxation of muscles. Harvard Health Publishing suggests that relaxed muscles can take up little glucose from the blood, raising one’s risk of type 2 diabetes. These health risks can be largely overlooked since it may feel as if one’s body is not in immediate danger. Being idle could open up many problems that require future or immediate medical help which can become its own set of problems. Fortunately, there are convenient preventions to this potential health problem.
Solutions & Preventions
Many studies and health organizations encourage any sort of physical or standing activity to counter the dangers of prolonged sitting. For instance, pelvic muscle joints can be irritated from being condensed for too long. Keeping the body, especially the lower body, active can prevent aforementioned health issues. The core of the body can become weaker since there is no mobility or activity. Activities such as walking or stretching breaks could also greatly help keep the body flexible and mobile.
In Conclusion
Prolonged sitting has become a part of many people’s daily lives, of which, may develop health risks . Although prolonged sitting may appear difficult to change, activities such as walking and stretching can be a convenient solution. Sitting for long periods of time can be a looming health risk that many should be aware of and know how to prevent consequences.
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