written by Laurie Melrose-Doering, Osteopath
Is sitting the new smoking? This is a question many health experts, including osteopaths, have asked. It is a pertinent question because many people have desk-based jobs, and we are able to do more things on the internet, such as online shopping.
Physical symptoms of sitting too much
The convenience from this change in lifestyle comes at a cost, however. Studies suggest that excessive sitting is associated with a range of health issues, including back pain, neck pain, varicose veins, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and, according to the cdc, even cancer.
This is because evolution designed humans to stand and to move, with the cardiovascular, digestive, and respiratory systems functioning far more efficiently when we are upright. Furthermore, sitting implies keeping still, not moving.
This means that our calf muscles are not working as musculo-venous pumps to aid venous return, while the diaphragm is not working as efficiently to encourage lymphatic flow. Excessive sitting leads to local inflammation, reduced circulation, and in the case of the cervical and lumbar spine, pressure on the intervertebral discs.
How much sitting is too much?
The JustStand.org website has a useful tool that calculates the risk of developing ‘sitting disease’. Levels of risk range from ‘low’ at 4 hours of sitting a day, ‘medium’ at 4–8 hours, ‘high’ at 8–11 hours, to ‘very high’ at over 11 hours per day.
Of course, we cannot be standing and moving all the time. But we must not be sitting half as much as many of us do. After all, as many osteopaths say, ‘movement is life’. The opposite leads to congestion and stasis, impacting our health.
Here are several strategies that an osteopath may advise:
Take regular breaks. I tend to recommend patients to stand up every 45–60 minutes. For some people, this may not be practical. But I suggest you could get up to open and close the window for a few minutes or fetch a glass of water at least once an hour.
Have an ergonomic workplace assessment and ensure your desk, laptop, mouse, and chair are correctly set up. This could include lumbar support. You could even consider investing in a standing desk. However, because standing all day is not ideal, either, it is probably best to then alternate between sitting and standing every hour.
Exercise: evidence suggests we need 60–75 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day to combat the dangers of excessive sitting. This does not necessitate a long gym session or lung-bursting run, though. A brisk walk or a gentle bike ride are already very useful – this excellent article is worth a read.
To book an Osteopathy appointment in New Malden or in Marylebone, phone 020 8942 3148 or contact Aston Clinic London.
Aston Clinic London is a third-generation complementary health clinic based in New Malden and serves the local areas of Kingston, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, Surbiton, Chessington, Worcester Park, Sutton and other areas of southwest London and Surrey.
Aston Clinic London also offers Osteopathy and Herbal Medicine in Marylebone, Central London.
