Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Health 73 - Six problems that most office goers face



Dr. Paras Agarwal

MD, MBBS · General Physician 
A sedentary lifestyle is detrimental for our mind and body. Sitting at one place for prolonged time periods and avoiding daily physical exercise are known pain points for a majority of the population today. However, people fail to realize that these habits can lead to some serious health issues.

Here is a list of problems that can arise due to sedentary living.

1) lower back problems - you should always remember to keep your back straight while sitting for long time periods with arms bent at right angles and flat feet. A slouched back can result in herniated lumbar disks and stiff psoas muscles.

2) decreased brain function - sitting at one place for a long time without breaks adversely affects the performance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (or bdnf), a process which is responsible for the discharge of protective genes and mood-enhancing chemicals by pumping fresh blood and oxygen to the brain. This in turn results in a foggy brain which leads to reduced concentration levels, forgetfulness and confusion.

3) blood clots - it has been proven that sitting at a desk or couch for a long time period can lead to severe deep vein thrombosis (dvt). Obese people are all the more vulnerable to the threatening condition which occurs as a result of reduced blood circulation.

4) chronic organ diseases - a sedentary lifestyle greatly reduces the fat burning capacity of the body and decreases blood flow; heightening the risk of fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, cardiovascular ailments, digestive problems and clogged arteries.

5) misalignment of the skeleton - when you sit at your desk for long hours, your posture is bound to suffer as you tend to slouch with humped shoulders and a craned neck. This eventually leads to permanent misalignment and repetitive stress injuries.

6) muscular degeneration - the less you use your muscles, the faster they degenerate. Sitting around for too long greatly weakens your abdominal muscles, upper and lower spine, neck and shoulders.

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