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The health hazards of sitting

The health hazards of sittingAre you sitting comfortably? Think twice, especially if it's for long periods. Health and Science has published a shocking article and downloadable poster of what goes wrong with our bodies when we sit for nearly eight hours a day.

The article details a chain of problems from head to toe, and makes important links to falling. Along with muscle wastage and osteoporosis, excessive sitting can lead to pain, strain and a 'foggy brain'.

Here are just a few of the negative effects:

TIGHT HIPS
Flexible hips help keep you balanced, but chronic sitters so rarely extend the hip flexor muscles in front that they become short and tight, limiting range of motion and stride length. Studies have found that decreased hip mobility is a main reason elderly people tend to fall.

LIMP GLUTES
Sitting requires your glutes to do absolutely nothing, and they get used to it. Soft glutes hurt your stability, your ability to push off and your ability to maintain a powerful stride.

SOFT BONES
Weight-bearing activities such as walking and running stimulate hip and lower-body bones to grow thicker, denser and stronger. Scientists partially attribute the recent surge in cases of osteoporosis to lack of activity.

Click here to view the article and download a pdf poster of the graphic.

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