Desk job workers are victims to one of the world’s most dangerous killers: chairs.
Victims face carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, weight gain, heart disease, blood clots and many other serious health defects. The damage may not be initially apparent. The Center of Disease Control on sitting.
Sitting Statistics
- Women who spend more than 10 hours per day sitting are 63% more likely to develop a Cardiovascular Disease.
- Reducing your workday sitting by only an hour can lead to 54% decreased back and neck pain.
- According to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey only 48% of Americans met the aerobic physical activities guidelines.
- Sitting for longer than 2-3 hours created an increased chance of DVT, or blood clots.
- Sitting increases chances of chronic diseases such as depression, obesity and hypertension.
The more we sit, the more we want to sit. Stand-up desks are an innovative measure to get your work done and break your sitting habit. I began using a stand up desk a few months ago. My back pain has now lessened and I feel more energized after work – despite the fact that I have been on my feet. Standing contracts muscles, improves circulation and increases energy.
Your Body at a Desk
Sitting is one of the most passive things that you can do. You have little muscle contractions and lose a vital hormone, lipoprotein lipase. Low lipoprotein lipase levels slows your metabolism and increases the rate of heart disease. Gaining weight is usually gradual. We gain a couple pounds a year and maybe a pant size until we are forced to buy a new wardrobe. Stand-up desks provide active muscle contraction to continue to produce lipoprotein lipase and stay healthy. No weight lifting routine restores muscle loss from excessive sitting.
Suppose you sleep for eight hours, work for another eight and exercise for one. That leaves 16 hours of your day, sedentary and only one hour of movement. The other seven hours is your time. What do you do on your free time? Watch a movie? Eat dinner? You probably sit more than you realize. Inactivity can cause cardiovascular disease which leads to nearly 17 million deaths per year.
Sitting down also restricts movement and stops circulation to your quadriceps and thighs. Restricted movement can lead to blood clots and varicose veins. Adjustable height desks allow you to vary your body position. If your body is active, your brain is active! People with stand-up desks often have greater mood and concentration.
Is a stand-up desk out of your budget? Get a therapy ball. You can’t ditch your job but many of you can ditch your chair. Make your body a priority! You only get one.