The Dangers Of Sitting
Detrimental Effects Of Increased Sitting
Office workers spend up to 95% of their total work time in a seated position, high levels of stress can also contribute especially when dealing with difficult or aggressive customers. Since high job-related Stress is additionally thought to be related to musculoskeletal disorders of the lower back, it is therefore unsurprising that a higher proportion of office workers report musculoskeletal symptoms. LBP is directly correlated with prolonged periods of sitting and also represents the third leading cause of self-perceived disability due to various diseases and indicates a major economic burden to society. Any sustained sitting posture could result in fatigue, discomfort and pain, suggesting that a “good” posture could still be detrimental if it persists uninterrupted for extended periods.
“ Today a sedentary lifestyle has become omnipresent, as an increasing number of individuals spend extended periods in a seated position at work as well as during leisure time.”
The Science
The stability of the spine can be considered to consist of three subsystems: the passive musculoskeletal, the active musculoskeletal, and the neural feedback subsystem. All systems act together. Any prolonged posture will lead to static loading of the soft tissues and cause discomfort. Seated Posture leads to inactivity causing an accumulation of metabolites, accelerating disk degeneration and leading to a disk herniation. Moreover, short periods of inactivity can already cause local changes regarding biomechanical, physiological and neurological capability. It therefore appears reasonable that less dynamic sitting habits may result in discomfort and pain, especially in the lower back.
“Sitting is the new smoking.”
Prevention
Identifying risk factors, especially within the office Environment is beneficial. Postural variability as well as regular small movements are plausibly beneficial for the prevention of LBP. Prevention is by far the best choice. Improved muscle function can be preventative. Fixed postures should be avoided. Seats offering good lumbar support should be used in the office.
Dynamic sitting behaviour is thought to provide beneficial biological and physiological effects, since postural variations can reduce spinal loads and spinal shrinkage, prevent muscle fatigue through alternating motor unit activation, and inhibit damage to the posterior aspect of the annulus pulposus by means of low magnitude dynamic movements. Moreover, since continuous compression on an intervertebral disc can result in reduced disc nutrition, frequent postural movements are also recommended through lordosis and kyphosis.
