When you're in pain, it might be difficult to get yourself up and moving. But consider this: A growing body of evidence suggests that sitting for long hours is dangerous to your health. Habitual inactivity increases the risks of obesity, diabetes, heart problems, deep vein thrombosis, and metabolic syndrome.
Researchers aren't sure why sitting for long periods of time has such negative health effects. But one possible explanation is that it relaxes your largest muscles. When muscles loosen up, they take up less glucose from the blood, increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Sitting may make the pain worse. Even in case you're reasonably energetic, long hours of sitting—whether reading a book, working at the pc, or watching TV—strain the hip flexor and hamstring muscles and strain the joints themselves. . Overly tight hip flexors and hamstrings affect gait and balance, making walking difficult and maybe setting you up for falls. In addition, tight hip flexors and hamstrings can contribute to lower back pain and stiff knees, ailments that many individuals experience every day.
Judging by the research, breaking up long blocks of sitting to flex your muscles looks like a smart move for all of us, so try to construct more activity into your day. Set a timer to remind you to rise up and move around steadily. Take your phone calls standing up. Try an adjustable standing desk in your computer. Instead of sitting in a chair while watching TV, sit on a stability ball, which uses your muscles to maintain you upright. And, yes, do our joint pain relief exercises.
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