How much time do you spend lounging? Lounging, meaning laying back with your feet up, back propped up with pillows or cushions. Please note, this does not apply to when one is sleeping appropriately or taking an occasional nap.
There is already a good deal of information out there about the ill effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Even if one has ideal balanced posture while seated or standing, detrimental effects are still possible. This is partly due to tissue creep, which is an early form of degenerative change that begins as soon as 20 minutes into any sustained immobility. This is especially a challenge when you add the effects of vibration, such as what truck drivers experience.
So what is the issue with lounging, as described above?
In addition to the negative impacts of being sedentary, when the body is not able to support itself properly, even more detrimental effects can start to take place.
- When relying on pillows and cushions to keep oneself propped up, core musculature is not very well engaged. This can lead to destabilization and compensation in other areas, which leads to reduced function and motion as well as the potential for an increase in pain.
- Although tissue creep takes place with any sustained positioning, it does so in a more detrimental sense when the body is not posturally balanced. This can lead to more rapid degenerative change in your structure, particularly in the spine.
- With the feet up and subsequent lack of movement in the calf muscles, which act as a pump to help with venous return, the likelihood of developing blood clots increases. Blood stagnation, like damming up a river, can lead to many detrimental effects on overall health.
Can you still lounge?
If done in short intervals (no more than 30 minutes), then the ill effects are certainly reduced. Ultimately, if required to be in a sustained position, the best remedy is to take micro-breaks.
What to do?
- If you must sit, then standing up and walking around for less than 5 minutes, preferably every hour, can be helpful. At a minimum, adding in some spinal twists/bends while seated can be very beneficial.
- If at a desk (whether seated or standing), occasionally performing repetitions of calf raises – coming up onto your tip toes and down – can help with reducing blood stagnation.
- When seated (with both feet flat on the floor) or standing, making sure your posture is balanced and ergonomic can ensure your core remains activated and any detrimental effects of sustained posture are minimized.
All of this information may sound like a lot, but breaking it down and including a small modification each day can go a long way!
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Be well!
Matt