Many of us are stuck in a daily routine of sitting. We struggle through rush hour traffic as we drive to and from work. At work, there may be an occasional bathroom or lunch break, but the greatest percentage of our days are spent sitting in a chair. After work, we sit in front of the television to “decompress” or “relax” after a long day.
The health concerns that are associated with this type of lifestyle can lead to weight gain, muscular atrophy, slumped posture, etc. Check out THIS ARTICLE from the New York Times for a wonderful explaination of some of the changes that happen in your body from prolonged sitting. Research has even shown that sitting for as little as 9 minutes can be enough to begin to deactivate the core muscles in your back and increase your risk for injury. Even WebMD has cites the drawbacks of excessive sitting.
If you suffer from pain of any sort, your sitting posture may be partly to blame. Ask your BCC Doc to evaluate your sitting posture and make some corrections and show you stretches/exercises to help reverse your current situation. Most importantly, do what your body was built to do, and use it. Get up frequently and sit less!