ORTHOPEDIC PROBLEMS
Prolonged sitting is an orthopedic perfect storm and is the cause of or connected to these problems:
Neck Problems
Hunching over your phone or at your desk puts an additional 60lbs of extra pressure on your spine causing wear and tear to your spinal cord, disc degeneration, herniation, surgery, nerve damage, headaches, compromised shoulder function, and compromised athletic function.
TMJD
Forward head-on neck position from slouching leads to compromised jaw mechanics, and is a source of teeth grinding and jaw dysfunction, jaw pain, and headaches.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrom
Sitting with rounded shoulders with poor neck position can cause compromised neurodynamics and collapsed nerve tunnels, which can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
Knee Problems
Too much sitting can lead to shortening and tensioning of the quadriceps and calves which can lead to mechanical knee pain.
Lower Extremity Problems
Decreased muscular activity caused by sitting leads to decreased lymphatic flow and increased lower extremity congestion and swelling(aka”kankles”).
(Source: Dr. Kelly Starret www.mobilitywod.com)
Shoulder Dysfunction
Slumping over in a chair creates internally rotated shoulders which can cause shoulder impingement, rotator cuff dysfunction, instability, “douchebag” shoulder, and general shoulder pain.
Poor Diaphragm Function
A rounded or over extended sitting position can lead to compromised diaphragm function which results in poor breathing patterns, decreased VO2max, decreased spinal stabilization, and increased stress breathing patterns which can lead to poor sleep, poor fat metabolism, early death, exacerbation of breathing disorders (asthma), compromised ability to down-regulate at night
Low Back Pain
Too much sitting is the root cause of non-specific low back pain, stenosis, and disk pathology.
Hernias
Sitting is a contributing factor to hernias because sitting trains the abdominal wall to function poorly, making sitters more susceptible to hernias.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Prolonged sitting compromises pelvic floor function which can lead to bladder incontinence, hemorrhoids, poor spinal stability, and sexual dysfunction. Peeing yourself is NOT normal.
Hip Dysfunction
It is not natural for your hip to beat a 90 degree angle all day. Sitting causes compromised hip function, impingement which leads to osteoarthritis, shortening of tissues, and compromised athletic ability.