Extended sitting can have adverse health effects. Whether you sit all day at a desk or travel frequently for work, sitting puts a lot of pressure on the spine, hips, and shoulders, contributing to postural problems. The spine acts as the body’s scaffolding, supporting not only muscles and bone but nerves and other tissues. When misalignments occur in the spine, it can have a cascading effect and create a range of other problems.
Extended Periods of Sitting Can Contribute to Poor Posture
A 2020 study found that “Sitting for prolonged periods results in posture changes such as the flatness of the lumbar-lordotic curve and chronic muscle deconditioning that decreases muscle activity. This can cause muscular fatigue even at low loads when adopting static posture for a long period.” In other words, sitting for long periods of time quickly fatigues the muscles that are so important in helping the body maintain a good, upright posture. When these muscles fatigue, it can lead to slumping, tilting, or otherwise adopting a posture intended to relieve the discomfort that instead increases stress on other muscles and joints. Your body will compensate for the stress on the spine, hips, shoulders, and neck, creating problems down the road if not corrected through chiropractic care. Additionally, incorrect ergonomics of your chair or desk can lead to the same issues with slouching, tilting, or craning the neck forward to see the screen.
From tight muscles to pinched nerves to herniated discs, the musculoskeletal implications of poor posture are varied and can have an outsized impact on a person’s overall health and wellness. As a long-time San Diego chiropractor, many patients report issues with the back, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrist, and hips due to lots of time spent working in an office or sitting behind a desk in the classroom.
Common Health Issues Associated With Poor Posture
Musculoskeletal issues aren’t the only health concerns associated with sitting for longer periods of time. Studies, including a 2018 report from the Annals of Internal Medicine, showed “an association between prolonged sitting and a risk of early death from any cause.” According to cardiologist Rachel Lampert, MD, “We know that the more you sit, the more likely you are to have a heart attack or die from a cardiac cause.” Sitting too long can decrease blood flow to the legs and feet, along with impacting sugar regulation and blood pressure. Unsurprisingly, people who are more sedentary are also at increased risk of obesity and all of its weight-related issues, including heart attack and heart disease.
Chiropractic’s Role in Addressing and Correcting a Person’s Posture
Chiropractic care can help correct poor posture associated with extended sitting. First and foremost, chiropractic aligns the spine, which can reduce pressure on key nerves. One of these nerves, the vagus nerve, impacts many key organs and bodily functions, including heart rate, digestion, immune system response, breathing, blood pressure, and circulation, to name a few. More benefits of chiropractic adjustments include reduced muscle tension, increased flexibility, improved circulation, and improved neural communication throughout the body, thus improving all aspects of your health and allowing you to fully express your potential.
Choosing Dr. Larry Dahl as Your San Diego Chiropractor
I believe every person deserves a personalized treatment plan centered around chiropractic adjustments which is tailored to their needs and goals. When you make an appointment with me, I will take the time to listen to your concerns and ask you questions about your current lifestyle, including what you do for work and how much time you spend sitting. From there, I will conduct a thorough exam with a nervous system scan. We will do x-rays and use other diagnostic tools as needed to create your plan. I will also send you home with exercises and suggestions to help you mitigate and counteract the effects of sitting too much between appointments. I recommend all my patients set a timer on their phone or computer every 45 minutes so they can get up and move around. Movement every 45 minutes helps in so many ways. There are stretches that are also tailored to each individual.
My goal is to help you live a life of true health and wellness! Please contact my office today to make an appointment and learn more about how chiropractic care can help you.
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/3-surprising-risks-of-poor-posture
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7822118
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321863 https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/sitting-health-risks
