Does sitting for long periods of time cause injuries?

Do you sit at a desk most of the day for prolonged hours? While sitting jobs require less muscular effort, that doesn’t mean no risk of injury. For example clerks, assembly-line employees, data entry operators who work in a sitting position may suffer back pain, muscle tenderness and aches. There are reports of varicose veins, stiff necks and numbness in the legs being more common among seated employees.  Sitting for long periods of time can indeed cause injuries, non-contact injuries!

If you do sit for work, it isn’t a completely horrible thing. Have the ability to alternate between sitting positions results in minimal risk of discomfort. It’s when sitting for prolonged periods without a choice that the risk increases. Sitting requires your muscles to hold your trunk, neck and shoulders in a fixed position. A fixed position squeezes the blood vessels in the muscles reducing the blood supply to working muscles when they need it most. Insufficient blood supply accelerates fatigue. This is why employees that sit all day doing little physical work often feel quite tired at the end of the day. Insufficient blood supply also makes muscles prone to injury. Sedentary employees may also face a gradual deterioration in health. The most common health problems that occur from sitting for extending periods are disorders in blood circulation and mobility issues. Pressure on the underside of the thighs from a seat that is too high can aggravate this further. The result is swollen or numb legs and eventually varicose veins. 

When sitting for prolonged periods of time localized tension on certain regions of the body in particular the neck and lower back result.

Reasons why sitting for long periods of time isn’t good for your body

1. reduces body movement making muscles more likely to pull, cramp or strain when stretched suddenly 
2. causes fatigue in the back and neck muscles by slowing the blood supply increasing tension on the spine, especially the lower back or neck 
3. causes a steady compression on the spinal discs contributing to premature degeneration 

What is a good sitting position?  The best description of a “good” sitting position would be a set of natural body positions. A workstation that allows frequent changes and more mobility allowing an employee to have a more natural and healthier work pattern is a “good” sitting position. 

Why sitting in a chair for long periods is bad for your back:  When the human body is in prime condition it functions as a well-oiled machine, the heart acting as the engine keeping the infrastructure of muscles and bones moving properly. But when we don’t take care of parts of our body, parts of the well-oiled machine can slip up and break down with painful results.

Areas of our body that endure a lot of wear and tear, in particular our back a major load-bearer, is more susceptible to injury than other areas. When we sit completely still our backs may suffer. Our lower back has to prop up the weight of the top half of our body and the position we sit in can make it harder. The force of our upper body settles into our lower back, the lumbar region of the spine. If you have to move around in your seat, this can increase the workload for your back. When sitting you want the chair you’re sitting in to promote a neutral body position keeping your vertebrae aligned. This will help reduce the chances of developing musculoskeletal disorders in your back. 

Many of us are guilty of sitting forward in our chairs. This increases the stress on our back. Instead, sit back in your chair and let your chair help share the load. The more of the load your chair takes the less work your back has to do. Your chair should fit you, not you fitting your chair. 

How do you know if a chair fits? 

1. Feet should reach the floor. 
2. Five chair legs are better than four for added stability. 
3. Hips should be at the same level or higher than the knees. 
4. Forearms should rest easily on the arm rests. 
5. Sit completely against the back of the chair. 

If you do have to sit all day for work, to help reduce back pain from sitting for prolonged periods of time, stand up, stretch and walk around, if possible, every 20 minutes.