Active Sitting - what is it and why should you do it?

As we continue to hyperspace into the future, technology keeps finding new ways to lower our daily levels of activity. Our day has become an accumulation of non-active events and the biggest of those non-active events is the time we spend sitting (work or hobby). A typical 8-hour workday represents one half of our waking time! For many of us, this huge chunk of our day is spent in an office environment sitting in a chair and clicking a mouse. Perhaps you have a hobby or other activity where prolonged sitting is required. If so, the following applies to you:
The chair is one of mankind's worst inventions. From a human engineering standpoint, mankind is not designed to sit. There is actually more strain on our back when we sit than when we stand! Also, since a chair supports our spine, we are not required to use our postural muscles - muscles that stabilize the segments of the spine that are essential to the foundation of our body. If we are not using them for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, they will shrink and become weak, which places our spinal stability in jeopardy. Imagine what would happen to the muscles of your body if you were to lie in bed 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. They would deteriorate, and this is exactly what happens to your postural muscles when you sit in a chair! With our spinal stability in such a wobbly state, back injuries are inevitable.
Have you ever wondered why your back is so stiff after sitting for a period of time? A chair is a rigid structure, and when we sit on it, it does not allow any movement to occur in our pelvis and back. This lack of movement creates a lack of blood flow to the area so that the joints and muscles become stiff. We are finally starting to realize the detriments of sitting in a chair and how it has become a liability to our long-term health. This has created a paradigm shift in the way we approach sitting. We are now trying to find ways to create office environments that are an asset to our health and well being and not a liability.
'Active Sitting' has provided a phenomenal solution to the problems that were created with traditional passive chair sitting. As this paradigm shift changes our thinking, more and more people are sitting on active sitting surfaces such as FitBalls and Swiss Balls or the FitBall Disc (featured on the back of this newsletter). By sitting on something that is unstable, it forces us to activate our postural muscles while we sit. This prevents the postural muscles from deteriorating so that we are able to maintain strong spinal stability. Because we are able to move while we sit, our joints are never stuck in one position. The ability to move while we sit maintains blood flow to the muscles and joints, thereby allowing us to sit for 8 hours without back stiffness occurring.
Sitting up straight is important. Perhaps even more important than sitting posture is being able to move subtly while you sit up straight, thereby activating muscles and stimulating blood flow. The two concepts should actually go hand in hand.
As far as the act of sitting goes, think of it this way… how you feel at the end of the day is a by-product of 3 key factors: how long you sit, how healthy your seated posture is, and how much you move while you sit.

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig


Featured Product – FitBall Active Sitting Disc
Who would like it?
Ideally we would all be active in our home and work environments and we would not need to worry about active sitting. But if your profession or daily activities require you to sit for long periods of time you may want to consider a Fit Ball sit disc for your office or home. Even though the level of core and back conditioning you will get is lower than traditional exercises, it will assist you in bringing some core conditioning and low back mobility into your everyday routine. As most of us find ourselves sitting more than we would like for good health, the sit disc can improve posture, strength and mobility of the core.
Additional benefits to 'Active Sitting':
Provides a fun, energized experience
Strengthens core muscles of the back and abdomen
Enhances your balance and overall relationship with gravity
Improves circulation to the lower extremities
Improves nourishment to the intervertebral disks
Assists lymphatic flow
Provides relief from back pain
The bottom line
A sitting disc is a small investment that can make a big difference to your spinal health. It is a simple tool to learn how to use and can be used in everyday life.
Where do I get one? Please ask a member of the Maximized Health Team.

Health literacy leads to a longer life

lit·er·a·cy /[lit-er-uh-see] a person's knowledge of a particular subject or field.

Higher health literacy is directly correlated with a longer life, according to a new study published in Archives of Internal Medicine. A health literacy level would refer to a person's knowledge base of health and disease, including their ability to read and understand health information.

The researchers speculated that people with poor health literacy may be more likely to die not only because they are more likely to become sick, but because they also have a harder time managing illness when it arises.

So, what does this mean to you? Basically, your ability to be proactive (think and act for yourself) about health and disease can greatly impact how long you live!

In regard to increasing your ability to better care for yourself, here are some things to work on:

Ø Find places where you can get credible health awareness information on a regular basis.

Ø Find people you can share ideas and thoughts with, and receive advice and counsel.

Ø Develop a deeper appreciation and understanding for the needs of your own body.

Ø Observe the health habits of people you admire and emulate them.

I know that many of you inherently want to know more, do more, and be more… when it comes to your health, and how your body feels and functions on a daily basis. I also know how hard it is when you don't know where to start, who to turn to, who to trust, etc. Even though it may be a difficult task to undertake, you must come to terms with something very important… you are responsible for your own health!

Too many people nowadays think that they can neglect their health (examples = no chiropractic, poor diet, minimal exercise), and when things get tough a Doctor will come to the rescue and fix them. This line of thinking is not only irresponsible, but it's also quite costly. When I say costly I am referring to the medical bills and prescription medications that unhealthy people must pay for because they neglected their health for way too long. But, more importantly I am also referring to the cost of life that is lost.

The cost of life that is lost refers to all the things that compromised health prevents a person from being able to do and experience. Examples of life that is lost might include refraining from social activities or hobbies, inability to travel and get outside, time lost with children / grandchildren / great-grandchildren, or perhaps time lost with a spouse, etc. Can you put a price on any of these things? Of course not! But, this is the cost that is paid when one does not INVEST time and energy in maintaining health and preventing disease. If you are not engaged in the process of taking control of your health and increasing your health literacy- start now!

At Maximized Health Chiropractic we go to great lengths to empower every patient with a higher level of health literacy, and motivate you to avoid the heavy cost(s) associated with compromised health.

Coming Soon: The ACTive LIVing Health Seminar Series

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

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