What It Means to Be Connected

It’s simple: plugging in to electronics reinforces a stationary, sedentary lifestyle. 
Most of us have occupations that require sitting for prolonged periods of time making us sedentary for a good portion of the day.  To compound that, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Myspace, TiVo, NetFlix, Playstation, laptops, desktops, and texting phones all reinforce our connections to electronic devices and limit our mobility.  The Nintendo Wii is certainly an upgrade from sitting, and such an upgrade might just be what some of us might need.  But our bodies can do much better, and research tells us that we should handle more than controllers and keyboards. 

Consequences of Staying Put: Sitting and Musculoskeletal Dysfunction

There are several major health consequences of a predominantly sedentary life.  Today we’ll address one particular mode of staying sedentary - sitting - and one of its consequential conditions.

While sitting, certain muscle groups have a tendency to tighten.  Over prolonged periods of time (i.e. sitting for more than three hours at once), they tighten to the point that they interfere with the performance of nerves, muscle groups and our entire skeletal system.  For example, tight hip flexors (in the front of your hips, where your thighs meet your truck) can lead to a weak backside and weak abdominal muscless, which are the conditions for an excessive inward curve called Lordosis in the lower back, an area called the lumbar spine. 

The lumbar spine has a natural curve, called the “lordotic curve.”  Only when that lordotic curve becomes exaggerated can Lordosis develop (note: “Lordosis” is a disorder; “lordosis,” with a lower case “L” is another word the natural lordotic curve of the lumbar spine).

Subsequent Pain and Increased Risk for Injury

The conditions resulting from tight hip flexors, mentioned above, can cause low back pain in the spine and/or surrounding muscles.  Compression of disks in a back with Lordosis can lead to pain, acute or dull, minor or major.  Truth be told, low back pain affects about 80% percent of adults worldwide.  Office workers account for a major portion of that population, as do laborers whose job tasks rely on repetitive movements. 

With a weak backside, weak abdominals, and excessive lumbar curve, back pain is immanent.  These conditions can make a simple motion like turning to speak to a waiter while dining with your friends so painful that it hurts to move and breathe.  In fact, that exact incident happened to a friend of mine very recently.

Though we’ve addressed only one standard major dysfunction resulting from one mode of remaining sedentary, there are certainly others to consider. But don’t worry! They’ll appear in future Fitness For All posts.  For now, let’s move on to the positive solution.

Prevention

If you know you’ll be sitting for a prolonged period of time and want to prevent long-term musculoskeletal dysfunction, make an effort to try some dynamic stretches, or stand up and walk around every twenty minutes. 

The moral of the story is to be mobile! If you spend a lot of time sitting during the day, find a way to be on your feet.  Go bowling. Play with your dog. Spend time with your friends - in general, spending time with friends leads to more activity.

Treatment

Many of us suffer back pain or have had back injuries.  The best way to treat them is to see a licensed specialist.  They are qualified to assess and diagnose your condition better than general practitioners and will help you on the road to a painless back.  Most of the time, they will refer to physical therapists for treatment and who are an essential component of recovery.  Physical therapy stretches and exercises, followed regularly, can help you resume regular activities and grow even stronger. 

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Andrew is a Certified Personal Trainer from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He teaches people to listen to their bodies and helps them thrive as they find the connection between health and happiness.

If you are interested in a free fitness consultation, please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), and he will be delighted to teach you how to start enjoying fitness and making it a part of your life.