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By Dr. Phil Maetone May1, 2015 Lifestyle

We all do it, but too much is not just associated with physical problems, but disease and longevity.

For millions of years, the human body squatted rather than sat. It
was the normal posture, one compatible with overall health.
Squatting not only helped muscles, bones, joints and other
structures function well, but helped other areas too, including the
bodys circulation and intestinal function.
Quite recently, in the last few thousand years, humans made a bad move by sitting more and squatting
less. Of course, in some cultures, squatting is still popular today. And all young children can comfortably
squat.

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Perhaps the most unnatural physical position for the human body is sitting modern chairs and seats,
whether in your car, oice, airplane or at the dining room table. For all people, even those who work out
regularly, including athletes who participate in moderate-to-vigorous training, prolonged sitting is
associated with significantly more injuries, ill health and even disease, all leading to an earlier death,
compared to those who sit much less.

This information is not new, scientists and clinicians have been studying this public health hazard for
decades. The most recent research comes from Hidde van der Ploeg and colleagues at the University of
Sydney. Their study of 222,497 men and women 45 years and older, published in the Archives of Internal
Medicine (March 2012), showed that those who sat the most11 or more hours a dayare 40 percent more
likely to die within three years.

The average adult spends 90 percent of their leisure time sitting down. This involves eating, socializing,
and, most especially, watching TV. While those in the study who were physically active had less aects
from sitting stress, those who were inactive and sat the most had double the risk of dying within three
years.

Sure, its relaxing to plop down in a La-Z-Boy and take it easy aer getting home. How harmful can that be?
The fact is, our modern society oers seating opportunities everywhere. Our early ancestors never had
these so-called luxuriesfor millions of years they squatted and stood almost all their waking hours, and
rarely sat like we do today. So our bodies have not adapted to todays unnatural sitting position. Seats are
so plentiful that most people spend more sitting time than they realize, devoting much of their day doing
it.

The technology trend in chair ergonomics over the past few decades was supposed to rescue us from
sitting-down stress. The technology claims to cure aching backs, necks, and shoulders. But it hasnt,
despite the commercial success of businesses specializing in body-contour oice chairs, car seats,
toilets, and even back rests. While comfort is the most important factor in determining such things as the
best chair for work and leisure, and the most appropriate car seat position, sitting is almost a no-win
situation. The less you sit the better.

Sittings Double-Edged Sword

Sitting stress is a modifiable life-style behavior. Generally speaking, it can result in two separate patterns
aecting our health. One is associated with more metabolic problems. This means more body fat, higher
blood pressure, blood sugar problems, even cancer, heart disease and diabetes. This is the mechanism
that can lead to an early death in those who sit the most.

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For many years, scientists have been studying those who spend more time sitting, demonstrating that
various aspects of our metabolism can become impaired. The reasons include reduced muscular activity,
especially of the lower extremities, with associated decreases in blood flow, and can literally deform blood
vessels. There is also a general stress stimulus that could contribute to reduced health just like any
physical, chemical or mental stress impairs body function.

The second pattern aects our biomechanics. This may induce muscle imbalance, tendon and ligament
impairment, and joint stress. Its the reason increased sitting can cause, contribute to, or maintain a
physical injury.

The unnatural positions of sitting in modern chairs, car seats and couches places the pelvis in a stressful
position causing the whole spine to twist, flex and extend in order to compensate for this unnatural
position. In turn, this aects the shoulders and arms, and thighs and legs. In particular, your joints are
most aected, from those in the pelvis and entire spine, to the hips, shoulders and even the jaw joints.
Muscles take much of the brunt of sitting stress, which is not unlike wearing bad shoes. To keep the body
from getting too twisted, the muscles try their best to compensate for such unnatural positionssome get
tighter while others weaker. This, in turn, has a bad eect on your posture and gait. Once the muscles start
making these changes, literally sacrificing their normal activity to prevent joint, bone, or ligament damage,
you get used to sitting without feeling bad.

Im not talking about avoiding all sitting, but for those who spend a significant amount of time sitting
downwhich is the majority of people, whether active or notreduce the time spent in that unnatural
position as much as possible. This means being on your feet more instead of hitting the couch or chair. It
also might mean creating a standing workstation, which involves having your computer, writing surface or
other items higher up o the desk so you can stand and work comfortably. Right now, Im writing this
article standing, with my computer at a higher level thats easy for my arms, hands, head and eyes.

It does take a little more energy to stand compared to sitting. This occurs because you use more muscles.
And until you get used to this posturea couple of weeks in most casesyou may not be able to take the
jump from a lot of sitting to much more standing overnight.

Reclining, even just using a footrest, sitting on the floor, and even lying are more natural positions for the
body. But the goal should be more standing and less sitting.

With additional standing youll not only remain more mechanically stable with better muscle function, as
the months pass youll burn significantly more calories to reduce extra body fat.

Of course, theres a catch: To really reap the benefits of less sitting you have to be in reasonably good
aerobic shape, and only wear good or no shoes. You just might be amazed how much better you feel.

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7 Comments

James Reply
August 26, 2015 at 1:55 pm

Another interesting article, again makes sense.

So I thought maybe I should start to practice squatting. What better way than to squat while I
read these posts. Got about 2 paragraphs in before I had to stand, but hey its a start.

Ivan Rivera, MAF Editor Reply

August 28, 2015 at 11:10 pm

James:

Excellent choice. Also, wall sits and planks, particularly while doing controlled
breathing, are great exercises for this.

James Reply
August 29, 2015 at 12:59 pm

Amazing really. Only 3rd squat session tonight, managed just under 3
mins, with bum less than 5cm o floor.Doesnt take long!

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Marco Reply
April 21, 2016 at 1:16 pm

Can you recommend some stretching and strength exercises that could help compensate too
much sitting?

Ive heard that push-ups with hips on the ground are great since they lengthen the lower back
muscles which can get shortened by sitting for long period of time. What do you think about
this one?

Ivan Rivera, MAF Editor Reply

April 22, 2016 at 5:23 pm

Marco:

Let me think about it more and give you a serious answer. O the top of my head,
the push-up you mention sounds like a good idea.

Michael Reply
October 18, 2016 at 5:10 am

What about laying on your back, watching tv?

Ivan Rivera, MAF Editor Reply

October 18, 2016 at 5:27 pm

Michael:

To use Dr. Maetones words: Reclining, even just using a footrest, sitting on the
floor, and even lying are more natural positions for the body. But the goal should
be more standing and less sitting.

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