"Stiff Hips And Knees Are Common": Experts Are Sharing Helpful Things You Can Do Right Now If You Body Hurts From Working A Desk Job All Day
I sit in front of my laptop with my legs crossed as I type this because I, like many others, sit for most of the day for my job. According to studies, more than 80% of jobs in the US are mostly sedentary, which is wild!
While moving your body for at least an hour a day certainly helps, there is more you could do to offset the many consequences that living a mostly sedentary life causes. To get to the bottom of this, I reached out to a few experts to learn how to stay healthy working if you sit a lot.
Dr. Kristen Gasnick, PT, DPT, a physical therapist based out of New Jersey, explained that the biggest complaints from her clients who work sedentary jobs are low back pain and neck strain. "Stiff hips and knees are also common, especially in those that have osteoarthritis," she told BuzzFeed.
While there isn't a quick fix to addressing issues caused by sitting a lot, Dr. Gasnick suggested a few things young people can do to prevent long-term effects. "For those in their 20s and 30s, paying attention to good ergonomics can help prevent issues from developing," she said.
"This includes having a work environment (desk height, supportive chair, keyboard positioning) that avoids bodily strain as much as possible and being mindful of how the body is positioned when sitting: upright head and spine, hips and legs level, feet flat on the floor," Dr. Gasnick explained.
In addition, Hilary Hoffman, founder of SotoMethod said it's all about creating healthy habits to help your body longterm. "Your younger years are the time to build a strong foundation for your body and healthy habits to carry into the future. For example, focusing on core strength is critical to enacting good posture throughout the day," she said.
"Unfortunately, if we don’t develop awareness of how we carry ourselves, even when we’re sitting at a desk and staring at a screen, it's significantly harder to fix as we age," Hilary added.
While having the right desk setup is crucial, so is prioritizing movement throughout the day. "Carving out time to move regularly, even when working a sedentary job, takes a lot of effort, but it has a compounding effect on how you will feel in 10, 20, or 30 years," Hilary told BuzzFeed.
"Finding a workout routine or fitness program that encourages daily movement — even if it's only 5 minutes — will help you flex the muscle of discipline," she said.
For those in their 40s and 50s, regular exercise is even more crucial in mitigating pain from prolonged sedentary working. "Working with a physical therapist to improve posture and body mechanics can also help," Dr. Gasnick added.
Lastly, aside from finding a regular exercise routine and having the right work desk set up, taking breaks from prolonged sitting is most important. "If possible, going for a walk during a break is a great option. If this is not possible, opt for a sit-to-stand desk. This allows a computer monitor to be adjusted so you can alternate between standing and sitting to do your work. When possible, get up and walk to the bathroom or get some water or coffee. Taking a short break once every hour is ideal," Dr. Gasnick advised.
Hilary also suggests changing your perspective on having to sit for your job. (Yes, this does help!) Instead of thinking to yourself, 'I have to sit for 15 hours a day,' why not say, 'I have 15 hours to improve my posture.'"
"I think we’ve all been warned of the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle: weight gain, cardiovascular health, metabolic issues, reduced longevity. I remember when Harvard Published their research piece titled 'The dangers of sitting: why sitting is the new smoking.' I was in my first year of a full-time desk job, and this link circulated to every analyst on the trading floor," explained Hilary.
"All we could do was acknowledge that this was our new reality. It was up to us to do our best to stay healthy -—carving out steps where we could, scheduling that workout class before the market opened, and being mindful that our nutrition choices reflected our health goals," she added.
As always, you know your body best, so if something is feeling off, it's best to speak with a doctor.
