Our bodies were designed to move! However, if you’re like many Americans, you sit for a majority of your day.

Our daily lives have become increasingly more sedentary. Whether you’re at your computer, at dinner catching up with a colleague, or commuting to and from work, Americans spend an estimated 9-11 hours each day sitting. (1)

Findings from several studies suggest prolonged sitting is associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes. This includes:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer
  • Mortality

Even after adjusting for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (2, 3), prolonged sitting is also associated with low back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain (4, 5).

When Being Still is a Problem

Sitting in and of itself is not a horrible thing.

The problem arises from being in the same position for an extended period. Standing desks are becoming more popular in the workplace. While they’re a step in the right direction, changing from sitting all day to standing all day can also stress the body, just in different ways.

So if you are like many who work at desk or computer, you may wonder what you can do to avoid the potential negative consequences of remaining still all day.

Integrating Movement into Your Work Day

For some practical advice, I asked a colleague, Dr. Naomi Abrams, an ergonomic occupational therapist and author of Why is My Office a Pain in My…?. She said simply, “just wiggle.”

While a good set-up and ergonomic workstation are important, working pain-free shouldn’t require a big investment in time or money. For a more sustainable and easier way of addressing this issue, start by integrating physical activity into your work day.

Change positions and move around at least once an hour. Your body will usually let you know what it needs.

If you want some help getting started, here are a few suggestions:

  • If you have a standing desk, set an alarm to transition from sitting to standing and back every 30-60 minutes
  • When you sit down, perform sit-to-stand five times before settling into work.
  • Raise your arms overhead, take a deep breath in and try to make yourself as tall as possible. On the breath out, bring your elbows down and back. Repeat with three deep breaths.
  • Roll your shoulders backward ten times to help reverse leaning forward at the workstation.
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator for a quick burst of energy.
  • Alternate slouching and arching your back ten times. You can do this in sitting or standing.

Just Move!

Incorporating more movement throughout your work day is an excellent way to help stay healthy and strong.

If you’re experiencing pain at work, talk to your physical therapist to help determine the cause and solution. And the next time you find yourself stuck in the same position at work – just move! Your body will thank you.

Source:

  1. Chau JY, Grunseit AC, Chey T, Stamatakis E, Brown WJ, Mattews CE et al. (2013) Daily sitting time and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis
  2. Thorp AA, Owen N, Neuhaus M, Dunstan DW (2011) Sedentary behaviors and subsequent health outcomes in adults a systematic review of longitudinal studies, 1996–2011. Am J Prev Med 41: 207–215
  3. Church TS, Thomas DM, Tudor-Locke C, Katzmarzyk PT, Earnest CP, Rodarte RQ, et al. (2011) Trends over 5 decades in U.S. occupation-related physical activity and their associations with obesity.
  4. Nidhi Gupta, Caroline Stordal Christiansen, David M. Hallman, Mette Korshøj, Isabella Gomes Carneiro, Andreas Holtermann. Is Objectively Measured Sitting Time Associated with Low Back Pain? A Cross-Sectional Investigation in the NOMAD study.  PLoS One. 2015; 10(3): e0121159. Published online 2015 Mar 25.
  5. David M Hallman, Nidhi Gupta, Marina Heiden, Svend Erik Mathiassen, Mette Korshøj, Marie Birk Jørgensen, Andreas Holtermann. Is prolonged sitting at work associated with the time course of neck–shoulder pain? A prospective study in Danish blue-collar workers BMJ Open. 2016; 6(11): e012689. Published online 2016 Nov 10. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012689