As you’re reading this article, STAND UP!!!
The time to get moving is NOW!
You need to Stand up and Move more Often.
According to a recent study released by Medibank Private, in many office based jobs, 77% of the working day is spent sitting.
Couple this with the time we spend driving to and from work, time spent watching television or on the computer at home at night, and it is clear that we have a big problem!
Neville Owen, Professor of Health Behaviour at the University of Queensland indicates that in three or four generations, we’ve gone, for most people, from pretty uniform activity – standing, lifting, doing – to sitting tapping or sitting staring.
Essentially, Australia has become a nation of sitters!
We’ve long known that prolonged sitting can contribute to the development of a range of muscle and joint problems, in particular lower back pain.
A growing body of research is now emerging linking prolonged sitting with a number of chronic health conditions including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes.
In 2013 alone, more than 7000 deaths occurred in Australia from obesity-related illness. Indeed, Australia’s biggest killer isn’t road trauma. It’s not snakes, spiders, sharks or crocodiles.
According to the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), surprisingly, it’s SITTING.
Interestingly and of most concern is research that tells us that even if you exercise regularly outside of work hours, sitting for prolonged periods of time during the day has detrimental effects on your health.
Being at work all day doesn’t mean that you can’t squeeze some physical activity in to keep you healthy.
Standing up more frequently is a great start. Research indicates that the muscle activity needed for standing and other simple movement triggers important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body.
When you sit, these processes stall — and your health risks increase. When you’re standing or actively moving, you kick the processes back into action.
Put simply, stand up, move more, more often.
Standing every 20-30 minutes, and taking any opportunity you get to move, will have positive health benefits, both now, and in the years to come.
How do I stand more?
Some simple tips to get you standing and moving more often include:
- Stand up when making or taking phone calls.
- Take the stairs instead of the lift, even if you just walk a couple of floors and use a different lift.
- Take a water break every hour and walk to the kitchen.
- Arrange stand up meetings.
- Leave your desk at lunchtime and enjoy a short stroll and some fresh air.
- If you drive to work, park further away from your office and walk.
Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic is located in Hawthorn. Situated conveniently near public transport and with convenient parking it is central to Camberwell, Kew, Richmond, Toorak and Malvern.
For appointments call 03 9815 2555, or book online here
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