Have you ever stopped to think how long you sit a day? In a quick calculation, if you factor in commuting time, working hours, meal times, and hours in front of the TV, you could average 11 hours a day or more.
In a day that has 24 hours, in which you sleep an average of 8 hours, the time you are up is about 5 hours or less, depending on the case. That is, you spend 70% of the time sitting!
Nonetheless, the human body was not made to stand still, much less sit for so many hours. Studies show that the longer you sit, the greater the risk of gaining weight, developing chronic diseases and dying early. But, in addition to all the harm of sitting, the issue is that people sit the wrong way, which further aggravates the problem.
According to physiotherapist Walkiria Brunetti, the body ends up getting used to incorrect postures, because the brain gets used to it. “There comes a time when the brain understands that that posture is fine or has become a habit for that person because it doesn’t bother them. But, the effects of poor posture will accumulate and can cause serious musculoskeletal health issues”.
Here are the 5 most common mistakes when sitting down:
1.Sit on one leg: This pose is bad for musculoskeletal health. That’s because this position overloads knees, hips and spine. It leads to greater wear and tear on the knee joints, in particular, and the shortening of the muscles in the hips, thighs and spine.
“It can also lead to contracture, an inflammatory process that leads to muscle pain. In addition to all these harms, women prone to varicose veins should be aware, as this position impairs blood circulation in the legs and can aggravate the situation”, adds Walkiria.
2. sit with crossed legs: It may even look elegant, but it causes enormous damage to musculoskeletal health. “It harms the hips, which can lead to a deviation, as well as shortening of the pelvic muscles. It can also cause pain in the sciatic nerve and affect blood circulation in the legs, increasing the chance of developing varicose veins”, says the physiotherapist.
3. Sit on the edge of the chair: Who never sat on the edge of the chair to find some comfort after sitting for hours? However, sitting like this is harmful to the spine, and can cause an inflammatory process in the core muscles (which stabilize the spine).
“Another point is that this position compresses the coccyx area a lot, which can cause pain in the region. The chance of bending forward is also greater, worsening the kyphosis (hunchback)”, explains Walkiria.
4. Sitting with the chair at the wrong height: According to Walkiria, the height of the chair, especially for using the computer or studying, is essential to prevent muscle pain. Chairs in a very high position, without letting the feet touch the floor; or very low chairs, which force the legs against the floor, are harmful. Here pains can affect neck, shoulders, arms, legs and back.
5. Sitting without back support: Some chairs have a beautiful design, but they are not designed to support the spine. “Without the correct support for the spine, pain can affect the neck, back and even the arm. When the person tends to come forward, it also worsens the hump (kyphosis), as well as the abdominal muscles can become more flaccid, giving the appearance of protrusion to the belly”, says Walkiria.
8 steps to sitting upright
- Choose an ergonomic chair, with back and arm support, as well as height adjustment
- The right height is when the feet are flat on the floor, without pressing on the thighs.
- The spine should be straight, resting on the back of the chair.
- Knees and hips need to form an angle equal to or greater than 90 degrees
- The bends of the knees should touch the seat of the chair, but without putting pressure.
- Shoulders should be relaxed with elbows close to the body.
- The monitor needs to be at eye level, about 50 cm away from the face
- The chair needs to fit under the table, because chairs with high arms (which don’t go under the table) force the person to keep away, increasing the tendency to lean forward to type
Ending posture addictions
Walkiria recalls that those who work sitting down must force themselves to get up every 40 minutes, stretch, walk to fetch water, etc.
But perhaps getting the position right on the chair is not enough when adopting incorrect postures has already become a habit. With that, a physiotherapy work may be necessary to correct the addictions.
“We can work with RPG (Global Postural Reeducation). Afterwards, a great indication would be for the patient to practice Pilates. The method is excellent for posture, as well as strengthening the core muscles that give stability to the spine, which also helps to adopt healthier postures”, concludes Walkiria.
