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Effects of Sitting Combatted by Sitka Exercise and Not Sitting!

“Sitting. It’s the new smoking.” You’ve heard this claim. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka sees the effects of sitting in our Sitka chiropractic practice in the form of back pain, neck pain and associated issues. Let us consider sitting and being sedentary workers and what we can do about it.

SITTING COMPARISON TO SMOKING

Is the sitting and smoking a little harsh? Maybe. One medical report found that 300 news articles allude to this claim! (1) Glaring or not, it does draw attention to the concern that sitting a lot isn’t healthy for anyone. 25% of adults Sitka chiropractic patients and adults included sit more than 8 hours daily. Older adults are said to sit for even more time. (2) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka knows we all sit. We’re not shaming you! We are with you!

THE STATE OF NSCLBP in SEDENTARY WORKERS

Sitting is what we do. Researchers report to us that the activity level of low back pain suffers is low. Of 300 patients, 32.5% live sedentary lives, 48.5% had underactive lifestyles, and 68.3% of them did not do any activity to boost muscle strength or flexibility. (3) Continued sitting presented a risk for all-cause mortality independent of physical activity even if it’s of moderate to vigorous effort. The best suggestion is to reduce sitting time not just increase physical activity levels. (4) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka supports both, too!

WHAT CAN WE DO? EXERCISE (AND A BONUS: RESPIRATION IMPROVEMENT)

One author asserted the conundrum of the “exercise to buffer sitting’s effect” implication as an “inconvenient truth”: a few weekly trips to the gym isn’t able to really wipe away a lifetime of sitting. He also shared that fixing the sitting issue by standing has its own problems (beyond its being uncomfortable!) like varicose veins and foot pain. (5) So what then, particularly for low back pain sufferers? Dynamic strengthening exercises – those that focus on core and global stabilization plus endurance in stabilizing musculature – displayed better improvement in pain relief and better function especially in the lumbar multifidus and transversus abdominus which are two muscles that low back pain affects. (6) More precisely, a 20-week lumbar stabilization exercise and muscle strengthening exercise program decreased low back pain and functional disability in sedentary workers. A lumbar stabilization exercise program was more effective and lasted for 12 weeks. (7) An advantage to lumbar segmental stabilization exercise is that it activated the deep muscles and boosted respiratory function and pressure in chronic low back pain patient who experienced segmental instability. (8) Respiration is a big deal! Another study demonstrated that forced breathing exercise therapy effectively improved trunk stability and daily living activities in chronic low back pain patients, particularly for those with chronic lumbago in whom these exercises reduced pain. (9) Exercise works! It’s not everything for us sedentary folks, but exercise is a part of the solution.

CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Shawn Nelson on The Back Doctors Podcast about The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management’s role in back pain management to help a runner re-gain his stride despite his facet syndrome back pain condition that irritates us sitting folks.

Schedule you Sitka chiropractic appointment with Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka today. If “sitting is the new smoking” issue describes you and back pain complicates it, Sitka chiropractic care is for you…together with striving to not sit so much and exercising a little more!

 
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka urges less sitting and more exercising to combat back pain and other pain issues. 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."