Not just Low backs & Necks that suffer 

Our spines were not made to be sitting down hours on end, day after day, et most of us are guilty of spending 6 hours or more a day sitting. at the desk. In this blog we share with you the areas other than low back stiffness that can be attributed to prolonged sitting.

Do you find yourself sitting:

  • At the desk studying, working on a lap top?
  • Scrolling social media for hours
  • Sitting in awkward neutral posture, either on the couch or bed
  • Driving long hours driving and leaning to the left or right?

Low backs and necks do suffer

Sitting all day doesn’t just affect your lower back and neck, it can affect you from your head to your toes. Prolonged sitting can distort our entire posture, often leaving our lower back working extra hard to support and protect our spine.

How prolonged sitting can affect the body

Our bodies were designed to move, however prolonged sitting de-conditions our bodies and makes them more vulnerable to stiffness, pain, and injuries, possible resulting in:

  • Neck can become stiff and tense
  • Upper trapezius muscle can become tight and painful
  • Adds extra pressure and strain on the discs in the lower back
  • Muscles in the lower back lock up
  • Hips become weak and unstable
  • Knee pain develops
  • Feet become flatter

How sitting affects neck and back areas

The most common area of stiffness associated with prolonged sitting are our necks, shoulders, and our lower back. The longer you’re sitting for, the more likely it is that your posture will suffer. There is a cascade of events….

  • hunching forward, look down at screens, and jut our neck out
  • if held for a prolonged period can affect the muscles in the neck and back, cause them to weaken and fatigue, as well as add extra load on the discs in neck and low back
  • over time this extra strain will result tissue fatigue and result in tenderness, pain, and stiffness

What about our hips…

Sitting down all day also means we are not engaging the powerful muscles in our hips and legs. Our hips are crucial for stabilising our pelvis and holding our legs and torso in proper alignment. When our hips are weak and dysfunctional our lower back will attempt to stabilise and take on the extra strain and load, adding to the already increased stress and strain from our poor sitting posture. 

Lisa Smycz, chiropractor 

If you would like to know more about what ideal posture looks like, then CLICK HERE.  

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Categories Posture
 
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