Hitting The Final Nail On The Coffin
Hitting the final nail on the coffin
One of the biggest bane of the human society is Sitting. It leads to catastrophic events debilitating human health and wellbeing. An orthopedic, who frequents the gym, says that more than 90 percent of Indians possess lower back ailments. One major cause he attributed to the ailment is sitting.
The root cause
When the chair was invented nobody knew the ill effects of it. This four legged piece of furniture didn’t look so alarming. For most people, it was a place to rest after a hard day in the field and factory. However, in the 21st century, in a short period of time, the citizens of the developed and developing nations of the world became almost sedentary because of this seducing piece of couch.
What followed is a steady decline of human activity by prolonged sitting. For example, in the work place, the intercom allowed office workers to communicate without moving from their chair. The TV nudged people of all ages into an extreme passive leisure inactivity at home. Similarly, when cars became affordable to the general public, it further ruined human health by being sedentary.
Lastly, the final nail on the coffin was hit when the computer was invented. As the author, Dr Kelly Starrett, of the book titled Deskbound: Standing up to a Sitting world says, “Our fate as sedentary creatures was sealed. We had become deskbound.”
Ill effects
Sitting for long periods is extremely dangerous for the lower back. The muscles in the lower body not only become dysfunctional but also develop extreme stiffness; thereby, daily activities turning into a major discomfort. This is because the critical muscles and connective tissues that stabilize and support our trunk and spine aren’t utilized. It causes a multitude of orthopedic problems—back and neck dysfunction, carpal tunnel syndrome, pelvic floor dysfunction, etc.
This problem can be dealt by creating a healthy—functional spine, strengthening the lower body, squatting, lunging and hinging, walking, and standing workstations. I believe a standing workstation should be extremely important. I know that right now you have slouched your back, but consider this—straighten your back or for the better stand for a few minutes and see how better you feel. Yes, the effect is immediate.
Last but not the least, sitting isn’t natural to human beings. However, in the third world sitting on haunches is instinctive to them. Rightly so! It also is extensively researched that sitting on the haunch is much safer on the lower back than sitting on a chair. Perhaps, this option can be considered.
So, stand up and move or sit on your haunch.