Too much sitting around can be a pain

Health and lifestyle reporter Elise Copps joins us now to talk about something most of us spend the majority of our day doing: sitting.

Studies have connected too many seated hours to a variety of health problems, including chronic back pain.

There are two major issues with a seated work day: the sedentary lifestyle it creates, and the muscle pain we get from sitting incorrectly. Luckily, there are several strategies that can help you stand out in a seated workplace.

In our digital age, many of us spend several hours a day sitting in front of a computer.

Dr. Ralph Sciullo: “It causes weight gain if you’re in a sedentary job, which can lead to secondary problems like cardiovascular problems, diabetes, etc.”

Multiple studies accuse too much chair time of reducing blood flow and shortening our lifespan.

So people have started to look for more active alternatives, like standing desks and multi-height work spaces that allow you to transition between different levels.

Adjustable desks are another option where you can spend part of the day sitting, and part of the day standing.

If you have to remain seated, your best bet is to find a comfortable, supportive chair.

Once trendy, Swiss balls aren’t ideal for most people.

Dr. Sciullo: “Sitting on the ball requires a fair amount of core muscle control so it can be fatiguing in the long run.”

The perfect chair keeps your spine in its natural curve.

Dr. Sciullo: “As soon as we start to alter our posture and perhaps start to slouch and shift forward in our chair, it just alters the tension in those muscles and makes them fatigued and more apt to be injured and cause pain.”

Carl Okmi, Okmi’s at Work: “The whole idea is to make you feel comfortable in a chair so you don’t get the aches and pains that develop from using the chair incorrectly.”

You want lumbar support at the small of your back. Adjustable is even better.

Carl Okmi: “One size doesn’t fit all. So as you get different body types, you have to be able to make the chair configure to the body.”

Your chair should be wide enough to fit your hips comfortably, so you don’t end up perching on the edge.

The seat and armrests should move up and down so your knees and elbows are at a 90 degree angle.

But no matter how comfortable your chair is, find time to move throughout the day.

You want to keep your bum right at the back of your chair, with your feet flat on the ground. If you’re used to hunching over, it will feel weird at first, but persevere. At least once an hour, maybe when you make a phone call, you can stand up and bend your legs.