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Sitting Disease – The New Smoking: One Reason Fidgeting Is a Good Thing

Last updated on September 11, 2023 By Dana Logan, MSPT Leave a Comment

sedentary lifestyle of sitting at office desk for work
Our ancestors walked or ran 10-20 miles a day, while the average American today instead sits 12+ hours a day. Talk about a dramatic change in lifestyle. It seems we are wising up to some of the overuse injuries that occur due to sitting for extended periods of time, especially staring at a computer screen and using a keyboard or mouse.

woman experiencing pain from long sitting at office desk

Carpal tunnel syndrome, elbow tendonitis, neck strain, eyestrain and low back pain are just a few of the common overuse injuries that may result from sitting for prolonged periods. Improved ergonomics, postural exercises, and early care are becoming more recognized as essential components to keep the office worker healthy, although there is still quite a bit of room for improvement.

Sitting disease infographic

But have you ever heard of “sitting disease”? This is a physiological change in our blood enzymes that occurs after sitting for only 60-90 minutes. A key metabolic enzyme, lipoprotein lipase, circulates in our blood. One of the primary responsibilities of this enzyme is fat absorption.

health risks of inactive lifestyle infographic

After sitting for a period as short as 60 minutes this enzyme goes to sleep, meaning it stops doing its job of absorbing fat in our blood stream. Because of this, sitting has been linked to obesity, increased risk for adult onset diabetes, and high cholesterol, just to name a few.

young businesswoman doing stretches while sitting at office desk

The silver lining is that it has been shown that actively contracting your muscles, even while sitting, can keep this enzyme awake. So, while you’re sitting at your desk, take a few minutes and squeeze your butt, or your abs, or pump your ankles up and down. Better yet get up and move; but if you can’t manage to take a break, at least fidget a little.

office workers sitting at table exercising with hand held weights

Filed Under: Exercise & Fitness, Featured Tagged With: Hip, Knee, Leg, Lower Back, Neck & Head, Shoulder, Upper Back



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DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is for Educational Purposes Only and is not designed to diagnose, treat, mitigate, prevent or cure any health conditions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated statements about these health topics or any suggested product compositions. Answers to questions submitted are merely the opinion of the physical therapist and should not be taken as a prescribed course of action. Any advice given by the therapist must be cleared with the treating physician involved in direct patient care. The person posing the question absolves the responder of any liability in regards to opinions given. PhysioDC insists that all patients receive approval from a prescribing physician prior to starting a structured exercise program involving any of the exercises included on this site. PhysioDC.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com; proceeds from product sales help cover the operational & maintenance costs for the site.