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Why Sitting Too Much Is Dangerous

Many people are under the misconception that exercising regularly will combat the effects of sitting still for long periods of time but that is not the case. There is no amount of exercise that will take away the negative impact that sitting down has on your body cumulatively.
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If the why-can't-winter-end already workday blues have you wondering how to improve your workplace wellness, there are many little adjustments you can make that will have a long-lasting positive impact on your health, like remembering to stay hydrated, eating healthy snacks and lunches and giving your eyes a break from non-stop screen time.

But one immediate adjustment you may want to make if you have a desk job is sitting down that is, you need to understand why standing is actually better for you than staying sedentary throughout your day.

Toronto top chiropractor, owner of Centre for Fitness Health and Performance, Founder of MuscleCare and pain specialist, Dr. Chris Oswald explains some of the top concerns for people who spend a lot of time sitting.

Five Dangers Of Sitting Down:

1.Sitting at a desk with your computer screen at a low height causes tightening in suboccipital muscles (top of the spine, back of your neck) causing headaches, dizziness, vertigo and even fainting.

2.Chairs with no arm rests mean that the top of the shoulders must contract in order to hold arms and shoulders up which causes lower neck nerve compression, numbness and tingling in the arms but often causes symptoms of tennis elbow, even if you don't play tennis.

3.Chairs with no lumbar curve are a slouch and lower lumber disc death wish. In fact, it's rare that chairs even have a lumbar curve, but why? Using an office chair with proper lumbar support is essential to improving your corporate well-being.

4.Hard seats mean hemorrhoids and poor (even no) leg circulation. This causes restless, jittery legs and calf cramps. You must have a contoured seat that pushes the sides of the hips together to support the spine.

5.Even at home, teenagers often use laptops on their bed, which involves the super-slouch of them all and kills the back by pushing fluid out of the discs. This is very bad for your spine health and causes kids to age much faster.

Many people are under the misconception that exercising regularly will combat the effects of sitting still for long periods of time but that is not the case. There is no amount of exercise that will take away the negative impact that sitting down has on your body cumulatively.

Whether you need to improve your workplace or at home wellness, one way you can help yourself and your family in a big way is to consider using a standing workstation. By opting to stand while working you increase your metabolism and decrease your chances of obesity, diabetes and overall mortality rate.

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