Where are you right now as you read this? We’re guessing you’re most likely sitting down.
We aren’t psychic! It’s just that most Americans spend around 12 hours per day sitting, and sadly, this kind of excessive sedentary behavior has been linked with an increased risk for chronic disease and early death. Some research even suggests sitting that prolonged sitting time is bad for your health regardless of how much exercise and physical activity you get in a day. To make matters worse, most of us work desk jobs that require us to sit for most of our day
At our physical therapy clinic, it’s our goal to help people get on their feet and moving around. A physical therapist can not only help you to improve your health, but they can also teach you the importance of workplace ergonomics, help improve your posture and body mechanics, and increase your activity tolerance so you can feel and perform better—especially in the place you likely spend 40+ hours per week: your job!
To learn more about the benefits of physical therapy and how it can introduce new ways to be active in your life, contact Spectrum Therapy Consultants today!
Tips for Staying Active During Your Sedentary Job
1. You don’t have to stay sitting for meetings.
Have a phone call to make? Need to have a conversation with a co-worker or pass a message to your boss? Skip the emails and conference rooms, use these opportunities to get up and walk around instead. Ever find yourself hitting a creative block? Here’s a bonus: movement has even been shown to stimulate more creative problem solving, too.
2. Get an adjustable desk.
Yep, you can stand and work! Adjustable sit-to-stand work desk stations are becoming more popular—and more affordable than ever. Some research indicates that having the option to stand at work may help boost alertness, work satisfaction, energy, and productivity. A recent study found that employees who used standing desks were 46% more productive than those who didn’t use them.
You can also experiment with DIY adjustable desk attachments if you’re not able or permitted to upgrade your office furniture—although it may be in your company’s best interest to do so.
3. Take the stairs instead
Let’s not forget, we do plenty of little things every day that don’t technically count as traditional exercise, but they add up and can be beneficial in the long run! Take those stairs instead of the elevator or escalator the next time there’s somewhere you need to be. Doing small things like this is a great way to keep yourself active without even having to think about it.
4. Time yourself.
Nowadays there are lots of gadgets such as watches and apps on our phones that can remind us to get more activity into our routine. Set the timer on your phone to go off once every hour. It’s a great way to remind you to transition from sitting to standing every thirty minutes or so.
Another piece of technology that can help you get up more often is a pedometer or any digital device that can track your steps. Seeing your step count provides instant motivation, and helps you get a clearer idea of how much you actually move throughout the day — or how much you need to start moving!
5. Make sure you’re drinking enough water.
Simply put, the more water you drink the more you’ll have to get up to use the bathroom. It’s a win-win because you’ll up your water intake, as well as increase your physical activity. A good guideline is to consume at least one third to one half your body weight in fluid ounces of water per day, but you may need more if you’re also very active or live in a hot climate.
Call our office today!
Sitting too often and for too long can lead to what the medical community is now calling “sitting disease”—metabolic disturbances caused by excessively sedentary lifestyles. The good news is that there are simple solutions to avoiding excessive sitting.
Standing up and moving around can greatly improve your health. If you have an acute or chronic injury or some other health condition that makes standing difficult for you, contact us today to schedule an appointment with us so that we can assess your condition and treat it accordingly. It’s important that you feel physically able to take control of your health. Call Spectrum Therapy Consultants today; we’ll connect you with a compassionate and experienced physical therapist who can help you do just that!
