Sitting This Long Each Day Tied To Major Increase In Back Pain Likelihood
Category: Back Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi
New research out of Canada found that sitting down for more than six hours a day may greatly increase your risk of developing back and neck pain.
Millions of Americans work jobs that cause them to be seated or in a sedentary state for an extended portion of their day, and the new findings showcase just how harmful all this sitting may be for our back. To get a better understanding of the impact of extended sitting, researchers reviewed data from 25 studies that included more than 43,000 participants across 13 different countries. They classified sedentary behavior as any seated activity during daytime waking hours that involved expending low amounts of energy, like scrolling on a mobile phone, watching television or working on a computer.
Sedentary Study Findings
After looking at the results, researchers uncovered a number of concerning findings, including:
- Individuals who sat more than six hours a day saw their risk of back or neck pain increase by 88 percent compared to those not engaging in sedentary behavior.
- Prolonged mobile phone use increased a person’s likelihood of neck pain by 82 percent.
- Prolonged computer use increased a person’s likelihood of neck pain by 23 percent.
- Extended sedentary behavior was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, neck muscle imbalance, diminished joint mobility and increased intervertebral disc pressure.
Using mobile phones and computers for a short period wasn’t tied to an increase in back and neck pain, but when these actions make up a majority of our day, our risk for pain rises greatly.
“As the duration of screen-based sedentary behavior increases, these habits compromise the normal biomechanical structure of the neck,” the study authors wrote. “Public health initiatives should encourage the reduction of sedentary behaviors and the promotion of physical activity to enhance neck health and alleviate the global prevalence of neck pain.”
It’s not really that surprising that living a sedentary lifestyle is associated with an increased likelihood in back or neck pain, but the fact that it nearly doubles your chances should be eye opening. If you work a sedentary job or aren’t all that active at home, really strive to make it a point to incorporate more movement into your life going forward. Your body and your back will be much better because of it.
If you need help overcoming a lingering back issue that is making it difficult for you to be as active as you’d like, a solution is closer than you think. Connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute for all your back and neck needs. For more information, or for assistance with diagnostic and treatment advice, reach out to our team today at (651) 430-3800.
