If you just started a new job that involves sitting at a desk for long periods of time or you’ve had a stationary career for years, there are some things you need to know and should NOT ignore!
1. HEALTH RISKS
Anyone who sits for long periods of time at work or at home has a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Stress has always been known to increase heart attacks for men but, it can also raise women’s risk of having a heart attack by 88%.*
Prevention: Take a quick break once an hour. Try walking around for a few minutes it will not only get your blood pumping, but will also wake you up and burn a couple extra calories!
2. MISALIGNED HIPS
Women’s hip sockets are wider than men’s. Sitting for hours can weaken hips and put more pressure on your knees and spine which can lead to tendinitis and cause many other painful symptoms.
Prevention: Make sure your chair is adjusted right. Set your chair so that the angle between your back and legs is 90 degrees or less, allowing better rotation for your hip flexors. Stretch! Yoga stretches, like the lizard (a low lunge with your back leg straight and forearms on the ground), can release tension in your hips and hamstrings and open the spine.**
3. CARPAL TUNNEL
Is your keyboard causing you pain? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a pinched median nerve in the wrist, this can be three times more common in women’s smaller wrists than in mens.***
Prevention: Make sure your keyboard is in the right position! Having your keyboard up too high can cause a painful throbbing sensation. Ergonomic keyboards are another solution. A study by the Bio dynamics Lab at Ohio State University compared females using ergonomic keyboards with those using standard ones and subjects who typed slower on an angled keyboard with a split down the middle found it helped alleviate awkward wrist and forearm posture. If this still doesn’t fix the problem, wear a brace at work, giving yourself a 15-minute break every hour.
4. WEIGHT GAIN
61% of Americans snack at their desks, leading to mindless munching and over eating which add extra calories to your daily intake.
Prevention: Moderation and preparation! Healthy foods like yogurt and nuts that are high in protein and fiber can help you feel fuller longer and balance out that 2:30 feeling when your blood-sugar drops. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to realize it’s full, so if you feel hungry, get up and move around, drink water to see if it goes away. Daily exercise is crucial if you sit at a desk all day! Take walks, go for a bicycle ride or swimming after work are all good ways to de-stress and burn some of those added calories off!
5. DRY EYES
Staring at a computer screen tends cause an increase in eyestrain which can cause you to suffer from dry eyes or headaches. Your eyes are not designed to keep focusing and moving repetitively across a computer screen.
Prevention: The “20-20-20 rule.” When your eyes are focused on an object in the distance, they’re meeting optical infinity, in which eyes are totally at rest. For 20 seconds every 20 minutes, take a break and look 20 feet away. Blink more! Normal workers blink 12 to 15 times a minute, but those reading on computer screens blink only seven times.****
6. VARICOSE VEINS
Sitting for an extended period of time increases the chance of developing varicose or spider veins – conditions that conditions that affect some men and about 50 percent of women.
Prevention: Standing up will get your blood flowing again so if you lose track of time, set a timer so you know when it’s time to stretch! Tights with a high amount of Lycra can compress the legs, boosting circulation and calming symptoms. Laser procedures may help, but can be painful and expensive.
University of Leicester Departments of Health Sciences and Cardiovascular Sciences.*
Tara Stiles’ book -Yoga Cures. **
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. ***
Dr. Jeffrey R. Anshel of Corporate Vision Consulting****
Marie Claire – 6 Surprising Health Risks of Sitting at your desk