Can Chiropractic Care Help Combat Sitting All Day?

The average American sits for 10 hours a day. This includes time spent traveling, at the office, and relaxing at home. While high levels of inactivity are considered normal, they are certainly not healthy! Did you know that a lack of activity causes 8.3% of deaths of people over the age of 25?

Sitting for hours each day impacts your muscles and spine—and even your mental ability. So, let’s take a closer look at how chiropractic care can help you recover from years of sitting, get you moving—and add years to your life!

How Sitting All Day Impacts Your Body
Sitting for hours each day affects more than your posture—it has a knock-on effect on all the systems in your body.

Back Pain
Back pain, especially lower back pain, is a common symptom of sitting too much—especially if you’re slouching! Prolonged sitting with a poor posture can speed up the degeneration of the cartilage in your vertebrae. It can become bad enough to need medical help. Besides back pain, people report hip/pelvis discomfort and general body aches as well.

Lowered Mental Functioning
Did you know that sitting for too long limits your ability to problem-solve? Prolonged sitting increases errors in your work, even if your posture is perfect. Your cognitive function and your quality of work increase when you move your body!

Increases Risk of Disease  
Sitting for too long interrupts the natural balance of the systems in your body. The long-term effects include a greater risk of diabetes and heart disease, as well as depression and anxiety. Moderate physical activity in your daily routine restores the imbalance—especially your insulin response.

Weight Gain
You already know that the less you move, the fewer calories you burn. But there’s more to it than that. Prolonged sitting slows down your metabolism, which includes your body’s ability to break down fats and sugars. The result? Weight gain. And weight gain compounds your risk of future heart disease and lower back issues!

Restricted Circulation  
Sitting for a long time causes your blood to pool in your legs. This affects your circulation and increases your risk of forming a blood clot—which could be deadly. You are also at a greater risk of forming varicose veins (twisted, enlarged veins) in your legs which are extremely painful and unsightly.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Sitting doesn’t have to be the story of your life. Under the guidance of a chiropractor, you can strengthen and heal your body—and look forward to a long and healthy life! Here are just a few ways a chiropractor can help.

Restore Balance
Sitting for too long can throw your back out of whack! Your chiropractor will examine you carefully and ensure that your vertebrae are optimally aligned through manual adjustments. This treatment relieves tension around your spine—especially your neck and lower back, and boosts the overall health of your nervous system.

Promote Movement
Exercising is the best way to combat the effects of hours of sitting! Your chiropractor will work with any pain points in your body, especially your joints, to ensure that you can start exercising in a way that suits you and your lifestyle.

First, they’ll check that your joints are aligned, then treat any inflammation with manual therapy (massage) and specific stretches that strengthen your body and improve mobility.

Renew Perspective
Chiropractic care is a drug-free, holistic approach to healing. Your chiropractor will help you develop a strategy to achieve true wellness. You’ll learn the importance of moving your body, sleeping and eating well, and staying hydrated. You’ll discover new ways to move (even while you work!) and strengthen your body so you can live better for longer.

If sitting too much has taken its toll on your body, it’s time to reach out. Contact Integrated Health & Injury, your local chiropractor in Atlanta and Decatur, Georgia, and take your first step to sitting less and living more!

Use our contact form, or dial one of these numbers:

Decatur – 404-288-9000

Atlanta – 404-691-4822