Sitting has been deemed the new smoking.
That may seem like a heavy accusation but let’s address where we currently are. Modern society encourages inactivity, and sitting for extended periods of time. We are sedentary, of course not evolutionary, just socially. We sit to eat, poop, work, drive, travel...and even exercise...I’m talking to you, cyclists. Sitting is not only linked to chronic disease but it wreaks havoc on your spine. Raise your hand if you work at a computer! That’s what I thought. We can clearly see that there is an imbalance here.
Whether you work in an office setting or you are just a functioning member of our society you sit too much. We have to sit, so we may as well practice yoga until our standing desks arrive. Of course once it does, we will be very aware of how badly we actually need yoga to go from dominantly sitting to mostly standing. Sitting is the new smoking. Sitting might even be worse than smoking. Sitting is a disease. Sitting kills.
Sitting for long periods of time can cause or exacerbate back issues because our hip flexors shorten in front and pull on our lower back. Constant slouching can lead to compressed disks and deep venous thrombosis from lack of blood flow. Regular, long bouts of sitting will speed up the wear and tear on your spinal discs, and neck and back pain can become a daily occurrence as opposed to an occasional problem.
Also, the longer you stay seated, the more likely you are to slouch! Sit up like your momma told you! Slouching can cause the spinal ligaments to stretch beyond their healthy limit and strain your spinal discs. Sitting, especially in a slump, can increase disc bulging and disc pressures. Forward head position and rounded shoulder posture, aka Text Neck is a killer to the disks and joints of the aneck and shoulders.
Recap: Sitting so often can lead to Disease, Disorders, and Pain…Just like smoking.
Use this free video to learn a handful of EASY peasy lemon squeezy stretches you can do to help balance the overuse, underuse, and misuse of the shoulders caused by sitting. Obviously sitting is difficult difficult lemon difficult to our bodies. We can see the effects of sitting in our hips, low back, neck, and shoulders. Living a sedentary lifestyle will ensure improper movement that can lead to a steady decline in our overall health.
I am here to help. This free and very old video of me and my stylish (at the time) undercut includes postures that stretch the muscles that often become tight in sitting such as the shoulders, pecs, scalenes, and traps in the neck. There is a little hip flexor teaser and some muscle strengtheners for the abdominals glutes; back extensors and the hip flexors.
*Just so you know, there is a very awkward minute about 4 minutes in the video that is silent because well you get what you pay for… Me, I didn’t pay to have this video produced and you’re not paying for it either, so just ignore that minute and carry on with these great poses. The first part of the video you can actually do while sitting in a chair although I would encourage you to stand or sit on the floor with a cushion if you can stand it! Pun intended.
Take care of that body.