Sitting for extended periods of time while hunching over a desk can cause discomfort, numbness and spine misalignment over time if the improper posture is not corrected. Holding the body upright can also further increase pressure and tension in muscles, ligaments, joints, and other tissues surrounding the spine. A sedentary lifestyle where the individual doesn’t take frequent breaks throughout their workday to stand and stretch can gradually lead to cardiovascular disease due to the decreased blood flow, tightened hip flexors, shortened hamstrings, pinched nerves and many other physical injuries and/or conditions in the long run.
Aches and pains on the body, particularly around the spine, herniated discs, nerve complications and painful joints are direct results of working while sitting in an improper posture for prolonged hours of the day. When you’re in a seated position, a lot of pressure is being placed directly on the spine and its surrounding structures. Our bodies were designed to stand upright and maintaining a seated position can be physically stressful.
“The weight is distributed while in a standing position,” explained Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., a health psychologist at Stanford University and a leading expert in neck and back pain, “That’s not the case with sitting. McGonigal added, “When you sit, you distort the natural curve of the spine, which means your back muscles have to do something to hold your back in shape because you’re no longer using the natural curves of the spine to lift yourself up against gravity.”
Approximately 80 percent of individuals in the United States alone may experience some form of chronic pain in their lifetime. Ultimately, working on a sitting position for extended periods of time per day is putting a tremendous mental and physical stress on our bodies.
Sitting is one of the most difficult positions for the body to maintain. Sitting for prolonged periods of time while hunched over in a chair can build excessive pressure on the spine and affect the blood circulation in the legs. For an individual that spends their workdays sitting down, the long term result of an improper posture can greatly alter the individual’s overall health. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.
See on elpasochiropractorblog.com
Post Disclaimer
Professional Scope of Practice *
The information herein on "The Risks of Improper Sitting Postures on the Spine" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
Blog Information & Scope Discussions
Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.
We are here to help you and your family.
Blessings
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182
Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card
Comments are closed.