Why You Should Avoid Sitting For Too Long

There almost certainly have been times in your life when you have experienced a hectic day, and have said to yourself: “I deserve to sit down and take a break.” This is understandable if you have been on the move seemingly nonstop, and when that scenario occurred you probably needed an opportunity to rest.

Sitting for an extended period of time is also a requirement for anyone who is employed in a desk job in order to fulfill their responsibilities in the workplace. This involves an enormous number of Americans, as the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) has stated that in excess of 150 million adults participate in the American labor force and that workers in the U.S. are located at their places of employment for an average of 7.6 hours each day.

There are other scenarios in which you might find yourself remaining stationary for prolonged periods of time. Traveling a long distance will require you to spend a considerable amount of time on the plane or in a car. Sometimes you might decide to engage in marathon viewing of your favorite television programs, while it can also be fulfilling to spend time with family and friends playing board games or card games.

In the situations that were mentioned, there were logical reasons why anyone might choose to remain stationary for a sustained period of time, but it is important to know that there is an alarming list of potential health concerns that can emerge for anyone who finds themselves sitting for hours without also engaging in a sufficient amount of consistent, physical activity on a daily basis.

The Risks Of Prolonged Sitting

Each potential health issue that can emerge from remaining stationary and the ramifications of continuing to place yourself at risk of having to contend with these problems should present you with massive incentive to make sure that you keep yourself are moving.

First, sitting excessively can damage your heart. It can also increase the possibility of experiencing a stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. If that does not provide enough reason for concern, excessive sitting also raises the prospects of contending with obesity, your anxiety levels might rise, and you can also be faced with back issues.

However, there are even more potential issues as remaining stationary for extended periods of time can also result in blood clots forming in the legs, which is referred to as deep vein thrombosis or DVTs. Any DVT that progresses into the lungs or heart can result in an extremely serious situation that can be fatal.

In addition to this collection of concerns, the potential of certain cancers will also increase due to prolonged inactivity, This includes colon, lung and endometrial cancer, while older women also face greater risk of experiencing breast cancer. 

An examination of multiple studies (13) concluded that individuals who were sitting for over eight hours each a day without participating in any physical activity would encounter a risk of death that was comparable to the potential of dying as the result of obesity and smoking.

However, further analysis within the same group of studies determined that 60 to 75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity on a daily basis can offset the numerous problems that might be incurred through continual sitting.

Reducing The Risk Of Health Issues

Fortunately, this underscores the most critical step that you can take to combat the possibility of encountering any of these serious health issues.

Individuals who maintain a reasonable level of physical activity on a daily basis usually live longer, and their mobility reduces the risk of the serious conditions that were mentioned previously.

Avoiding the inclination to sit for long periods of time will also help those who are already dealing with chronic diseases. According to the CDC, one out of every two adults is living with some form of chronic disease, while The CDC also states that only one-half of all adults are actually receiving the level of physical activity that they truly need in order to help decrease the risk of experiencing these chronic diseases.

The CDC has also stated that individuals who make sure that they receive enough physical activity each day can prevent one in every 10 premature deaths. This includes instances of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

There are also specific benefits of avoiding excessive sitting if you are an adult include reducing the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, weight gain, and symptoms of arthritis. Remaining physically active will also improve your physical fitness, your mental health, and your cognitive functions.

For older adults, physical activity also improves your sleep, along with your balance and your joint mobility, while also extending years to the active phase of your lives. Avoiding continual sitting also decreases the risk of falling, assists in the prevention of weak bones and muscles, and delays any onset of cognitive issues.

The CDC has provided recommendations concerning how much daily activity is beneficial, along with suggestions for the specific types of activities that are most effective for adults and older adults.

Decreasing the risk of having to contend with serious health problems can also involve the simple process of walking – which is certainly worth the massive dividends that you will receive.

By making a brisk walk part of your daily regimen, you can improve your chances as maintaining a healthy weight, burning calories, and fortifying the fitness of your heart and lungs. It will also bolster the strength of your bones and muscles, increase your coordination, and reduce the chances of dealing with heart disease, high blood pressure, type two diabetes and the other conditions that were already discussed.

A simple daily walk will also place you in a better frame of mind through the release of endorphins within your brain and nervous system., as this diminishes any stress that you might be experiencing.

At Orthopedic Associates, We Are Here To Help

At Orthopedic Associates, we want you to enjoy your daily activities. That includes sustaining good health during involvement with your jobs, or any type of sports or recreational activities that you prefer. If you encounter discomfort, illness, injury, or have a concern about anything that might keep you from being involved in physical activity, we are here to assist you. Our ultimate objective is always for you to experience pain-free participation in the activities and lifestyle that you enjoy.  

That is why Orthopedic Associates offers a full spectrum of musculoskeletal care, along with in-house physical sports therapy, and state-of-the-art-technology including our digital imaging and open MRI, and an on-site surgical center for more patient convenience.

Our board-certified doctors have been practicing medicine for a combined total of 183 years of experience. This includes expertise in sports medicine, through which our physicians provide personalized care for a broad range of sports-related injuries – big or small.

In addition to the services that we provide that are related to Sports Medicine and In-House Imaging, our physicians are always available to utilize their knowledge to help you should you require joint replacement, or arthroscopic surgery, while our specialists are also here to assist with physical therapy, rehabilitation, and orthopedic trauma.

We encourage you to visit one of our Orthopedic Associates two locations or request an appointment today to be on your way to feeling better.