We are finally beginning to understand the damaging effects of a sedentary lifestyle (link to blog – sitting is the new smoking) – our bodies are complex and complete and they are designed to move. And like a naughty child, when your body doesn’t get what it wants – it sulks! Tight hips, niggles in the neck and upper back, aches, pains and stiffness in the lower back (especially at the end of the day or first thing in the morning – do you find yourself crawling out of bed instead of springing?). These are all signs that your body is not moving functionally and that your muscles and joints are not functioning optimally (see here for post on optimal joint movement).
Back pain is one of the most common work-related injuries and is often blamed on ordinary work activities such as sitting in an office chair for extended periods of time. Poor body mechanics (even we slouch in a chair!) repetitive motions, and fatigue are major contributors to these annoying and often persistent niggles and aches.
If you’re stuck sitting at a desk all day, a ‘standing desk’ may seem like a novel solution to your back problems. I am all for NOT sitting all day – but am I for standing all day instead? No! The healthy body can only tolerate staying in one position for about 20 minutes. That is why sitting on an airplane, at a desk in an office chair becomes uncomfortable after a short time (even if it is an ergonomically designed chair!). Think about it for a moment – if your core muscles (abdominals, pelvic floor muscles, glutes, quads and hamstrings)(links to all of those muscles) are not strong enough to support you when sitting – can you imagine how much pressure they would be under if you decided to stand form 9-5?
Standing in one place, such as standing at an assembly line for extended periods of time tends to cause back pain also. Holding the same position (any position) slowly reduces elasticity in the soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the back). Then, stress builds up and causes discomfort.
The best way to combat the stress placed on your body by sitting at a desk? Get up from the desk, even just for 60 seconds. My favourite tip is to drink lots and lots of water. The benefits of this are numerous (link to blog on water benefits and how to drink more water) – not only will the hydration combat the effects of the office air conditioning on your skin and keep your mind sharper, but the more you drink, the more you need the loo (bye bye toxins!) and to use the loo you have to… MOVE!
Offer to make coffee for your colleagues (bonus points – your colleagues will love you!), make a rule that every time you use the phone, you stand up and walk around while you’re on the call (link to blog about improved cognitive function when moving around). How about you roll your shoulders before to release tension from the neck and shoulders and after every email you send, (link to blog on desk stretches) allowing you to focus more clearly.
The key is simple – use your muscles, and not your chair, to support your skeleton. Sit actively, engaging your core muscles and releasing any tension from the neck and shoulders (link to blog on how to do that). Most importantly, move. Even 60 seconds of gentle stretching every half an hour will pay off. Love your body. Move it.
