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If you've seen Wall-E, you'll remember the depiction of the human race and what we have supposedly become in the not so distant future. Basically we have become an immobile species, with shortened and useless legs that cannot hold our massive weight.
The scary thing is, this really isn't outside the realm of possibility if we continue the way we are at the moment. Sitting is the new smoking. If we didn't spend our days sitting I don't think I would have a job.
So many of us have sedentary jobs that have us sitting all day long. Causing our joints to stiffen and muscles to shorten and weaken- leading to hip, shoulder and lower back pain. New research is emerging that is finding that prolonged sitting (especially in front of a screen) is even changing our DNA.
As a physio our job is to advocate and support movement. Movement helps joint health by providing fluid and nutrients to the joint.
Not all of us can simply pack in a sedentary job for the sake of our bodies, but there are ways to help relieve these issues by simply making a few changes:
1. be aware of what your body is doing & how you are sitting. Are you forcing yourself into a poor, stiff posture or is your body remaining fluid?
2. Standing desks do exist these days if you want to go down that route, but the other option is to make sure you stand and stretch out your body at least every half an hour. Plus, make sure you're not sitting down for the entirety of your lunch break. Try to get out and go for a walk
- swiss balls
- walk/active at lunch time
- changing desk heigh
3. Engage in some kind of physical activity during the week. Being active is arguably the best way to ensure a comfortable & healthy life in the long term. You don't need to join a gym to do this, it could be something as simple as a 15 minute YouTube work-out or a walk along to the park in your lunch hour. Make it part of your routine!
Bad habits are hard to break. A persistent stooped posture can lead to a hunch back, so the best time to make a change is today. That niggle in your hip that just won't go away may only get worse. Good habits are just as easy to make, you just have to create them!
We were not created for the sedentary lifestyle in front of a desk so many of us have these days. We were made to move our amazing bodies - to jump, the climb, to run, to stretch, to bend.
But if evolution has it's way - pretty soon they will be good for nothing other than sitting at a desk - and we may not look dissimilar to the humans of Wall-E!
