Why Am I Sore From Sitting?
You had a long day at the office. You had to sit through a plethora of meetings, sort through endless emails, and look over the latest figures and numbers on your desktop. When you see the clock strike 5 o’clock, you make your way out of the corporate setting and head home. As you stand up, you think to yourself, “Wow, I am so sore. My body feels trashed.” You also begin wondering how your body could feel so wrecked after sitting for most of the day.
While many individuals have heard the phrase that “sitting is the new smoking,” most people do not understand what exactly that comparison means. How can sitting be equated to one of the most dangerous habits? Spending most of the day sitting has been correlated with increased risks for many diseases, including heart attack, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and even greater risk of earlier demise. In addition to these risks, you may also be experiencing greater levels of pain in different areas of the body after sitting for prolonged amounts of time.
So what can you do to decrease the health risks from sitting at work and also decrease the amount of pain that you are experiencing? The Marc Pro team has some tips to help you alleviate your aches and ‘kick the habit’ of sitting so much.
1. Adjust Your Chair
Simple adjustments to your chair can make a big difference in how you feel. Make sure that your computer screen is at the right height, and that your chair allows your spine to maintain proper alignment. By adjusting this, you can prevent yourself from slouching, and in-turn, decrease the strain on the mid and lower back, as well as the hips.
2. Walk Around
While you might be entrenched in a report that needs to get out ASAP, take the time to stand up and move around every 20 minutes. Sitting more than 11 hours per day can increase the risk of death by 40 percent, even if you are physically active during other periods of the day. Consider setting a timer to remind you when it is time to stand up, move around, and get the blood pumping throughout your body.
3. Change Your Desk
There are multiple solutions available to help you stand and sit throughout the day. An adjustable standing desk can allow you to sit and stand comfortably throughout the day. While standing during work may be challenging at first, you can transition into the change over time so that you find the best balance for you.
4. Use the Marc Pro Regularly
The Marc Pro and Marc Pro Plus are tools that are designed to help you recover and condition, the Marc Pro Plus also delivers pain relief. So if your back is bothering you at the end of the day, just hook up to the Marc Pro for significant relief of pain in the back, shoulder, neck, arms, and legs.
Do you typically stand or sit during work? What have you found most helpful in living a healthier life at work? Tweet at @themarcpro with your best suggestions!