The New Silent Killer

I hinted at the benefit of sitting less in the last post and briefly touched on the potential negative effects. I decided this was a good opportunity to expand on the negative effects of prolonged sitting.

Let me start be saying sitting is inevitable.

I’m not trying to scare you into thinking you can never sit down at work or go sit for a 2 hour movie. Sitting is not actively killing you. There is, however, a link between mortality and sedentary lifestyles. Think about it. If you lie in bed all day, never exercise and overeat then, of course, you’re going to run into some major health issues.

The main issue is not that you sit, but how you sit.

People, in general, sit far too long with poor posture. This can lead to pain and immobility, perpetuating a sedentary lifestyle.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the whole ‘good posture’ spiel when you were younger.

“Don’t slouch!”, “Sit up straight!” – sound familiar?

It probably went in one ear and out the other, but I’m here to tell you posture IS important. There ARE negative effects to consider.

Let me give you an illustration that may help you see the importance of posture in a new light.

Imagine holding a 1 pound weight down by your side. Most people could probably hold that small load for hours with no problem.

Now, imagine holding your arm straight out in front of you with that same 1 pound weight in your hand. You’d probably be able to hold the weight for a few minutes without any issues. After several minutes your shoulder will start to burn. 15 minutes in, if you even make it that long, your whole arm and shoulder would be on fire!

Bearing a load is much easier when it’s in line with your body. Loads that are misaligned are more difficult and require more muscle recruitment.

Breakdown in posture is often exposed when we sit. You may notice people begin to misalign their body when they sit for too long.

Watch someone sit at the computer the next time you’re at work. You may notice the spine flexing and compressing, the hips dumped backwards and the shoulders rolled forward… Not an optimal position for anyone.

Prolonged sitting can lead to all of the following:

-stiff shoulders

-lower back pain

-tight hips

-knee pain

Lower back pain is probably the most noticeable because the lower spine is bearing the entire misaligned load. Breakdown in posture leads to further shearing and compression of the lumbar spine. Ouch!

This repeated insult to your spine will lead to lower back pain sooner or later.

But there is hope.

Here are a few ways to counteract the negative effects of sitting:

1. Sit Less

Long periods of uninterrupted sitting are unnatural. Take breaks every now and then to stand, walk or stretch.

2. Stay Active

Move around, take a walk, lift weights, but also do specific exercises that engage your trunk (shoulders, lats, abs, glutes). A stronger, more stable trunk will improve posture and help decrease pain and stiffness.

I’ll be posting some specific exercises that I’ve used to improve stability and decrease back pain, so stay tuned.

3. Bracing Technique

You may have heard this term before, especially if you’re familiar with any of Kelly Starrett’s work. The bracing technique is just a way to organize the spine. You can actually use this technique to retrain your body to sit better.

While seated, practice this bracing sequence:

Step 1: With both feet firmly on the ground, squeeze your glutes

Step 2: Poke your stomach out

Step 3: Flex your abs, pulling your ribcage down

Step 4: Pull shoulders back and down

Step 5: Make sure your ears are in line with your shoulders

Your spine is now in a much better position and your core is helping support the load. The goal is to maintain a neutral spine. This will take some time and a lot of conscious effort at first, but eventually this bracing sequence will become second nature.

We can’t escape sitting. Sitting is a necessary part of life and rest is important. We can, however, decrease and even eliminate the negative effects of sitting by sitting better, standing more and improving body mechanics in and out of the gym.

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Disclaimer: I am not a Doctor or Physical Therapist. This information is not medical advice and is used for educational purposes only. Any chronic pain or other health related issue should be addressed by your physician or other licensed professional.