“Sitting Disease” is a term that many in the scientific community use to refer to the rise of sedentary lifestyles. Technological advances have brought our world many wonders, but there are also some downsides. Think about the last time you watched television for a few hours, or the last time you browsed funny videos on your phone. Oftentimes people are not sitting in a proper position which puts strain on the neck, shoulders, and back.
How Bad is Sitting All Day For Your Spine?
Consider the last time you found yourself in an extended seated session – a scenario that might sound familiar if you’re engaged in desk-bound or office work. These prolonged periods of sitting can take a toll on your body, impacting both your posture and spine health. It’s not uncommon for folks to unconsciously slouch and contort their necks into awkward positions just to catch a glimpse of their screens. Over time, this can result in a hunched shoulder posture, a consequence of hours spent typing away at a computer, which pushes the head forward and rounds the shoulders. The unfortunate outcome? Persistent neck and shoulder discomfort.
But here’s the kicker: Did you realize that leading a sedentary lifestyle can hike up your chances of developing cardiovascular issues and even type 2 diabetes as an adult? Additionally, it can be a breeding ground for persistent, seemingly never-ending pain. Many individuals embracing a sedentary way of life may find themselves perpetually fatigued due to their prolonged sitting habits. In essence, spending a multitude of days ensconced in a chair for hours on end accelerates the wear and tear on your spinal discs, ushering in a host of discomforts.
Prolonged Sitting, Back Muscle Fatigue, and Mobile Devices
Sitting for long periods of time can be detrimental to both healthy people and those with lower back pain. In a recent study in 2021, researchers found that both types of people eventually succumbed to a slumped sitting position. The slumped position and pressure on the glutes causes muscle fatigue over time which weakens the back muscles. Your back muscles are vital for keeping an upright posture. As your muscles become weaker and more fatigued, it can put more strain on your spine and your neck due to the slumped sitting position.
Mobile devices have given people more opportunities to adopt poor posture, which has given rise to the syndrome referred to as “text neck“. The majority of our time spent on our mobile devices also happens to be in a sitting position, and when we are looking at mobile devices our heads are usually tilted forward. With back muscles becoming fatigued and a head tilt increasing pressure on your spine, it’s no surprise that back and neck pain has become so much worse in our society.
Everyday Changes and Chiropractic Care
Good chiropractic care is much more than simply going into your Southlake chiropractor’s office. It’s also about making changes to your daily routine and lifestyle while utilizing chiropractic care to fix and maintain your body. One smart, easy change you can make if you have a sedentary lifestyle is to set a timer. This timer can be for every 30 minutes or for one hour, but no longer than an hour apart. When that timer goes off, get up from your chair and move around a little. Do some light stretching, short exercises, or even just walk over to the break room.
Have you ever set up a “posture check” reminder? If you have bad posture, this may be a good idea for you. In addition to a timer to let you know to stand up and move around, you can also set up a timer to alert you about every 15 minutes to correct your posture. When that timer goes off, check yourself. Are you sitting up straight? Is your monitor or screen at eye level with you? Are your shoulders straight and pulled back? If you answered no to any of those, correct your posture and then keep working. You may be surprised at how quickly your posture reverts to a relaxed but bad position as you work. Becoming more consciously aware of your posture will help correct bad posture.
Having a mixture of sitting, standing, and moving around throughout your day provides tremendous relief to your spine. When you are sitting, your spine is compressed by up to 30% more than when you are standing. This daily, continuous compression of the spine can lead to a higher risk for herniated or slipped discs, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, and back pain. Getting great chiropractic care in Southlake will put you on the path back to pain-free.
Add Meyer Chiropractic to Your Wellness Plan
If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of chronic pain, stiffness in your back, shoulder and neck pain, muscle fatigue, or even headaches, contact us at Meyer Chiropractic today to add our expert chiropractic care to your wellness. We will work with you to target your needs to enhance wellness, prevent disease, and ease chronic symptoms. Dr. Meyer goes beyond a regimen of chiropractic adjustments to help you get back to a healthier life. There are many exercises to add to your daily routine to not only help prevent pain, but increase muscle strength. Our patients are our Southlake, Texas family and we are here for you.
