Andy Core of Core Wellness
All Aboard!
While traveling, or being crammed into an uncomfortable seat, your body is under stress that it’s not designed to handle. The primary problem with being seated for extended periods is that it stresses your lower back and neck, significantly reduces blood flow and slows digestion. The quickest way to improve all these conditions is to pry yourself out of the seat every hour or so and take walk breaks. Walking contracts the muscles of your legs and stimulates blood flow throughout your body. Below are three additional strategies to bolster your resilience when seated for long periods.
Picture Perfect Posture
Improving your seated posture is the best and fastest way to decrease back and neck pain. By restoring the natural curvature in your lower back, you can reduce the pressure on the discs of your spine by over 100 pounds. The easiest way to do this is to place a lumbar roll, or rolled up pillow or blanket, in the small of your back and sit as tall as possible.
Trunk and Hip Twist
Another great way to give your spine a break and to significantly improve digestion is to do some light rotation. This exercise/stretch starts by sitting tall and placing both hands on the leg you are twisting toward. Then, using your hands as support, twist with light effort until you feel a good stretch and then hold for twenty seconds. Repeat it on the other side.
Heel Toe Pump
When seated for extended periods, blood pools in your feet and lower legs. This is uncomfortable and has been associated with a life threatening condition called thrombophlebitis (abnormal blood clotting). In combination with walking, the heel-toe pump can be a life saver. Simply alternate lifting your heels and toes as high as possible and pause at the top for three seconds. Repeat 15 times, twice.
Andy Core of Core Wellness contributed his expertise to this article. He can be reached at Andy@AndyCore.com.
This article originally appeared in The Business Owner Journal, the periodical of choice for owners of small and midsize private businesses. All rights reserved, D.L. Perkins LLC. © 2012.
This publication is intended to provide general information on the subject matters covered. It is sold and distributed with the understanding that neither the publisher nor any distributor or advertiser is engaged in providing legal, tax, insurance, investment or other professional advice. The advice of a qualified professional should be sought before any reader applies a concept presented herein to his or her particular situation or business.
D.L. Perkins, LLC is solely responsible for this content.
