Many of have a sedentary lifestyle. It’s not our fault, it’s just the way technology has evolved. We sit at computers all day at work, drive home and then sit down to watch TV. However, when we spend too many hours sitting every day, some health problems can occur.

Degeneration of muscles

When you stand or sit nice and straight, your stomach muscles are engaged but sitting poorly for long periods causing them to slump. Tighter back muscles and weakened stomach muscles can lead to exaggerating the spine’s natural arch causing a condition known as hyper lordosis.

Sitting for too long can also lead to a tightening of the hip muscles. Tightening of the hip flexors limits motion range and the length of your stride which in older people has been known to cause falls. If the joints here are underused, it can also lead to a chance of increased osteoarthritis.

Buttock muscles can also weaken when you spend too much sitting. These muscles are essential for propelling you when you walk, so if you don’t use them much, you can increase the likelihood of being more unstable when walking or standing.

Leg problems

A sedentary lifestyle can also lead to poorer leg circulation with fluid pooling in the lower extremities. The result can be swelling in the ankles, varicose veins and even blood clots known as deep vein thrombosis.

Bones can become weaker through lack of use. Walking and running helps to thicken leg bones and make them stronger, so by sitting too much we are making our legs weaker and more prone to developing osteoporosis.

Pain can be experienced in the back and neck regions, especially if your sitting posture involves you craning your neck towards a screen or balancing a phone between your ear and shoulder. This can lead to imbalance problems in the joints.  An osteopath can help with headaches, back problems and any other muscular-skeletal issues caused by strain. For cheltenham osteopaths, visit https://www.cmosteopaths.co.uk

Organ problems

One of the more serious risks of a sedentary lifestyle include heart disease. Sitting for prolonged periods reduces the body’s fat-burning capabilities and blood flow, leading to an accumulation of fatty acids that block heart vessels, increase cholesterol and cause higher blood pressure. The least active people are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

Another problem that can arise is the pancreas becoming overactive. This organ stores glucose for energy by producing insulin but underused muscles don’t perform as well or respond to insulin in the way they should, so the pancreas produces more and more.  This can result in diabetes and other health conditions.

Too much sitting has also been linked to an increase chance of endometrial, colon and breast cancer, whereas regular movement boosts the production of natural antioxidants that kill potentially cancer-causing free radicals.