Movement Breaks During Prolonged Sitting
This week I came across a few scientific journal reviews on the negative health effects of prolonged sitting.
Many of us need to sit for long periods of time, whether for transportation, work-related desk work, or study time. Numerous studies prove that high volumes of sitting significantly increases risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and adverse cardio-metabolic risk bio-markers (like larger waist circumference, higher BMI, increased blood pressure, increased amount of triglycerides found in the blood, poor HDL and LDL cholesterol ratios, and unfavourable fasting glucose levels) (Dempsey et al., 2018). All lead to premature mortality (Dunstan et al., 2012). Additionally, prolonged sedentary behaviour has been connected to increased pain and discomfort in neck, hip, and low back areas due to poor sitting posture (Kim et al., 2015).
Good news is that several studies are demonstrating we can mitigate some of these ill-effects by taking short 2-3 minute movement breaks every hour or so (Dunstan et al., 2012). Any activity that moves the body and gets the blood flowing works, like a quick walk. Focus on opening up the front body (chest and hip flexors), working the back muscles and legs.
I have designed a quick 3 minute workout you can do when you find yourself stuck at your desk for long periods:
Sit to Stand
Theraband Straight Arm Pull Downs
Stationary Lunges
Theraband Lateral Arm Raises
10 reps each movement, 1 set of four exercises every hour during sedentary periods. Equipment needed: 5-6 foot theraband and a sturdy chair.
In addition to the recommended movement breaks every hour, to increase health outcomes and lessen musculoskeletal pain, follow the National Physical Guidelines:
22 minutes of daily moderate intensity cardiovascular activity (any activity that increases your heart rate)
2-3 weekly 50-60 minutes muscle and bone strengthening workouts (Pilates equipment, barre, Pilates mat with hand weights and/or resistance bands)
1-2x weekly stretch sequences
1-2x weekly balance work
I have written extensively in two articles: National Exercise Guidelines and Expanding The Guidelines which explore how to apply the guidelines into your busy life.
Resources:
Dempsey, P. C., Hadgraft, N. T., Winkler, E. A. H., Clark, B. K., Buman, M. P., Gardiner, P. A., Owen, N., Lynch, B. M., & Dunstan, D. W. (2018). Associations of context-specific sitting time with markers of cardiometabolic risk in Australian adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15(1), 114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0748-3
Dunstan, D. W., Howard, B., Healy, G. N., & Owen, N. (2012). Too much sitting – A health hazard. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 97(3), 368–376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2012.05.020
Kim, D., Cho, M., Park, Y., & Yang, Y. (2015). Effect of an exercise program for posture correction on musculoskeletal pain. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 27(6), 1791–1794. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.27.1791
