Join Ventures Article

It's Time To Get Up!
Physical Therapist, Jessica Douglas MSPT, OCS - Joint Ventures, One Beacon Street

Have you ever thought “Wow, I spend most of my day sitting?”  

From the time you get up and head to work (whether you get in the car or ride the bus to the office), arrive, and then sit down to flip the switch on your computer, the sitting game is on.  Don’t just think you are only sitting at your desk - when you leave work, you go right back to sitting for dinner and watching your favorite television show.  Americans can average about 10 hours/day sitting.  This can lead to serious health risks. 

The health risks related to prolonged sitting are obesity, cardiovascular diseases, deep vein thrombosis, and general lethargy.  Not only systemic issues, but musculoskeletal problems can appear as well.  As a licensed physical therapist evaluating and treating patients with orthopedic injuries, I have found that prolonged sitting at the computer, along with a poor desk setup, and minimal breaks, can cause neck, upper, and lower back pain, and shoulder injuries, just to name a few.  Our postural muscles in our upper back support our neck and shoulders and our small, deep stabilizing abdominals support our low back.  When we start to sink in to a poor slouched posture, those small supportive postural muscles get stretched out and weaken, forcing larger muscles to compensate to keep us upright.  These larger muscles start to work overtime, altering body biomechanics, which can then lead to repetitive/overuse injuries and serious injury to your body.

According to recent research findings published in November 2011, the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that Americans should make time for physical activity and break every hour of sitting with 1 to 2 minutes of activity.

In American Journal of Epidemiology, July 22, 2010, authors A. Patel, et al. found that regardless of physical activity level, reducing the time sitting may improve the metabolic consequences of obesity. 

Getting up and moving can be a challenge, but it does not mean that you have to become a member at the local gym or sign up for a marathon.  It may be simpler than you think.  According to The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, Adults (age 18-64) are recommended to spend at least 150 minutes performing moderate intensity exercise (i.e. brisk walking) per week and to include muscle strengthening 2 days/week.  If 150 minutes of exercise sounds like too much, according to the guidelines, break your routine up in to smaller increments of 10 minutes of moderate intensity.  For instance, if you perform a brisk walk for 10 min, 3 times a day for 5 days a week, that will give you a total of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise.

….so get off that chair and take some breaks!

Simple solutions to get you off your seat and move:

• Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs.
• Personally deliver messages to colleagues, rather than emailing.
• Schedule a 10 min break at the same time everyday.
• Use the restroom on one floor above or below your office.
• Download computer break software on your office computer to alert you take breaks every 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Place your printer or trash can on the other side of the room.

Contact licensed Physical Therapist, Jessica Douglas, MSPT, OCS, at Jessica@JointVenturesPT.com, if you have any questions regarding your posture, computer desk set up, and/or musculoskeletal injuries that could be addressed by physical therapy.  

 

We also offer complimentary injury consultations!