Ever wonder what sitting at your desk is doing to help you with staying healthy? Absolutely Nothing!!!. Your desk job can actually actually act as a road block on your path to fitness in ways you didn’t realize. We took a deeper look at why sitting at your desk for eight hours or more a day is actually bad for your health, and how getting active in a corporate wellness program can help to keep you active, healthy, and alive.
Your neck, shoulders, and back all suffer – When you’re sitting at your desk, take a minute to think about all the areas of your body that are being affected by your desk chair posture. This posture can cause lower back pain, neck problems, and spinal cord issues that are uncomfortable. By getting involved at work with a corporate wellness program, you can help reduce the effects of "desk sitting" during your shift. Try starting a initiative with your coworkers to walk around maybe just outside your office building or maybe taking the stairs instead of the elevators. Try getting a pedometer to track just how active you really are during the day at work. The Pedusa PE771 Multi-function pedometer is a great easy to use pedometer that you and your co-workers can use to measure your activity each day.
Remember, the more hours you’re sitting a day, the more likely you are to develop heart disease – Unfortunately, this is the leading cause of death in both men and women. Your risk increases with inactivity, or hours you’re not moving each day, which is not ideal for those working desk jobs. However, you can do your part to try and reduce your risk – even if you work a desk job. By grabbing a few of your coworkers, your pedometers, and a bottle of water, you can walk around your office building on your lunch break. Any increase in activity can help to keep your heart healthy, even if it is walking around on lunch, outside or like we said before, doing a couple of stints up and down the staircase.
Flexing your hip flexors – Did you know that when you’re sitting down at your desk, the muscles that connect your hips to your thighs – also known as hip flexors – actually shorten? This may not seem like it’s something you need to worry about right away, but the constricting of these muscles can often lead to poor posture and leaning forward when you walk. So take a little time when you’re out on a walk during your work day to really stretch out those muscles and get them back to where they should be, so you’re not walking hunched over.
Talk to your H.R. representative about the possibiltiy of starting a "Walking for Wellness" program at your company. It's not only good for your health, but it's also great for the company as well.. Healthier employees, means less time off due to chronic health/weight related issues. So get yourself motivated and if your company does not buy in to a walking program... (And why would they NOT???) You can take the initiative yourself to get yourself moving and being more active at work.....
We will follow up this post with some simple exercises you can do at your desk that can also help you reduce the effects of just sitting at your desk for an 8 hour shift. Check back and see how you can flex at your desk!!!