There have been a number of recent reports regarding excessive sitting. Frequently mentioned problems include increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Also mentioned are back pain, constipation, and deep vein thrombosis. Interestingly, these are the identical problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle. It’s not the sitting, per se, it’s the fact if you are sitting a lot, you are not active. Evolution has created a body that is designed for movement; prolonged inactivity slows metabolism, muscle function, and blood flow. Sitting at a work desk for long periods often creates complications such as tight hamstrings, back and neck strain.
Excessive sitting is not something we have chosen, technology has chosen it for us. For example, when I arrived at Smith College in 1976 my office was on the second floor of the gym. If I wanted to make a copy of a paper I had to walk to the Science Center and go downstairs to the printer. If I needed to find an article in a journal I walked to the Science Library, searched among the shelves, found the article, then walked to the printer. By the time I retired, the printer was in my office. If I wanted an article, I simply searched online and had the computer print my article. I could do much of my job without ever getting out of my chair. Research shows that we will naturally do things as efficiently as possible. Why go to the library if it is right in front of you? Unfortunately, technology has tricked us into a sedentary existence.
Only about 20% of the U.S. population perform physically demanding jobs while another 20% perform jobs that require considerable walking and standing. That leaves about 60% of us who can sit all day to achieve. One might ask what the future holds for us. With the evolution of AI we may not even need to sit to do our work, just lie down and talk to the computer. Meanwhile, our bodies will wither, our stomachs will droop, our energy diminishes, our calves will be so small our socks will fall down.
But is technology the only cause of our sitting demise? I drove by McDonald’s the other day and there were at least 10 cars full of people waiting to get their burgers. Only two people were standing at the counter getting immediate service. Down the street another line had formed, waiting in their cars to be served their coffee at Starbucks. This is just laziness. My wife and I occasionally watch House Hunters on TV. I continue to be amazed with clients who see a backyard a 100 feet wide and lament about how hard it will be to mow. And forget about anyone who would possibly think about buying a house without a dishwasher. What has happened to the “Do it yourself” attitude of the American people? We’re spoiled. Over half of U.S. consumers consider food delivery an essential part of their lifestyle. For young people, that number goes to around 65%. We’re too lazy to feed ourselves!
Excessive sitting causes Dead Butt Syndrome (technical name — Gluteal Amnesia). This is a perfect example of the common saying, “Use it or lose it.” In this case, individuals actually lose the ability to recruit their gluteus maximus. Besides difficulty getting off the sofa, gluteal muscles are important to pelvic stability, and low back pain can be another manifestation of gluteal amnesia. The muscle is not gone, it’s just forgotten. So few signals are sent to the muscle to contract, it doesn’t know how. You have to wake it up.
To treat gluteal amnesia, do activities that use the gluteus maximus. Walking helps but you need more. Forget those little devices you see advertised that move your feet while sitting. Squats and lunges activate the glutes. If you use a treadmill, walk uphill. Walk up stairs. If you can, take two stairs at a time, but go slowly. A great exercise is the hip raise or gluteal bridge. Lie on your back, bend your knees and slowly lift your rear end off the floor. Tightening your glutes at the top will help.
If your job requires you to sit, you need to avoid being motionless for long periods; get up, move around, walk up a flight of stairs. Do this repeatedly throughout the day. Forget trying to stretch your butt, you need to make it contract.
Jim Johnson is a retired professor of exercise and sport science after teaching 52 years at Smith College and Washington University in St. Louis. He comments about sport, exercise, and sports medicine. He can be reached at jjohnson@smith.edu.