SITTING FOR THE MAJORITY OF YOUR WORK DAY?
You are not alone!
According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) since the pandemic:
- Physical activity levels have decreased by ~33% to an average of 72 minutes per week
- Sitting time has increased by ~30% to an average of 8 hours per day
Not sure how long you’re supposed to be sitting?
The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommends:
Children & Youth (5-17 years)
- 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day
- No more than 2 hours per day of screen time with limited sitting for extended periods
Adults (18-64 years)
- An accumulation of at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities per week
- Limiting sedentary to 8 hours or less including no more than 3 hours of recreational screen time and taking breaks with long periods of sitting
Sitting-related “injuries”
Injuries related to sitting are typically categorized as “repetitive strain injuries” as the same tissues in your body experience stress over and over again by either a repeated motion or holding one position for a long period of time.
Are you working in your new home office or sitting on your couch and starting to notice some aches and pains?
Activity: While sitting, give this a try
Sit tall, with your eyes forward, elbows bent to 90 degrees, and your hands gently placed on your thighs, or keyboard and mouse.
Have your low back supported by your chair/couch with knees bent to 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor
Now honestly, how comfortable is that? And what are the chances you are going to hold that position the entire time you’re sitting?
Take away tips
That’s why I’m a huge supporter that the BEST “ergonomic posture” is one that is moving. Switch between different sitting and standing postures such as: alternating which leg you cross over the other, change from a reclined to a neutral sitting position, or feet on and off the ground. For some, I even recommend setting a timer on their phone every 20-30 minutes as a reminder to make these small changes. Or, another option is to increase your water intake because if you’re drinking more, guess what? You are also going to have to do more… bathroom trips!
To clarify, this doesn’t mean disregard all the ergonomic tips out there as they do serve a purpose. For my computer workers out there, a few of my favourite tips for success are:
- Raise your monitor so the top of the screen is at eye level
- Have your monitor an arm’s length away
- Use a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard if working on a laptop
Weekly exercise
Recommendations are that you should be accumulating 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. Combat your sitting time with striving to hit this goal – exercise doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated so challenge yourself to hit this weekly goal and you will inherently be reducing the amount of time you spend sitting!