5 Dangers of a Sedentary Lifestyle and How Physiotherapy Can Help You
Did you know spending too much time sitting or lying on your back can result in chronic health issues? Yes, those long periods of inactivity caused by working on your laptop, binge-watching TV series or recovering after an injury aren’t good for your overall physical and mental wellbeing. And in truth, moving your body more often needn’t be as difficult as you imagine!
For one thing, Australians struggling with the ill effects of an overly sedentary lifestyle would benefit from visiting a Noosa physio clinic for improved movement, wellness and quality of life. Qualified and experienced physiotherapists can develop a holistic treatment plan to help improve movement while alleviating pain associated with too much inactivity.
5 Dangers of a Sedentary Lifestyle and How Physiotherapy Can Help You
1. Sitting for Too Long Negatively Impacts Your Body
Sitting for too long can cause your gut functionality to be less efficient and give rise to heart and cardiovascular problems. Your bones become weaker, increasing the risk of diseases such as osteoporosis.
Your body is designed to stand upright because that position enables optimal functioning. Your digestive system works better and you’ll have a healthier cardiovascular system. Standing upright even improves bone density as well as lung expansion.
A physiotherapist who specializes in gastrointestinal issues can help improve your gut function from too much sitting. Physiotherapy can help the blood flow, improving your heart health and a physiotherapist can recommend specific exercises to build bone density.
2. Prolonged Inactivity Weakens Leg and Bum Muscles
Prolonged inactivity isn’t good for strengthening the large muscles in your legs and bum. These muscles are vital for walking and balancing your body and if you spend too much sitting or lying down, they’ll weaken. This could result in nasty falls and serious injuries which further impede your health.
Furthermore, weakness in the leg and bum muscles can cause back, knee and hip pain which are debilitating and at times force you to be inactive. A few sessions with a physiotherapist can help build and strengthen these muscles. A professional will give you some exercises to do at home to continue improving muscle strength.
Physio treatment for back, knee, and hip pain will help you manage these conditions so you can get moving again.
3. Too Little Movement Leads to Weight Gain
If you don’t move your body throughout the day you run the risk of gaining weight. Being overweight or obese makes it harder to exercise and gives rise to several other health conditions such as:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Sleep apnea
- Liver problems
- High cholesterol
An experienced physiotherapist can help you with establishing healthy meal plans and explain how the body’s metabolism works. Their treatment strategy can include a range of exercises to promote weight loss. Some physio clinics offer group exercise classes that promote movement and support you in losing weight.
4. Physical Inactivity Can Cause a Stiff Neck and Sore Shoulders
Speak to anyone who spends hours working at their desk and they’ll tell you how often they suffer from a stiff neck and sore shoulders! Physical inactivity such as sitting with your neck tilted forward and hunched shoulders can give rise to stiffness and pain. Bedridden patients who spend extended periods lying down also often battle with neck and shoulder pain.
While gentle stretching exercises can reduce some stiffness and pain, physio can do much more to alleviate these symptoms. Patients are often referred to a physiotherapist to manage chronic neck pain. Physio treatments improve flexibility and mobility while strengthening your neck and shoulder muscles.
5. A Sedentary Lifestyle Causes More Anxiety and Depression
When you don’t move your body, get outdoors, interact with others and participate actively in life, you’ll be more prone to anxiety and depression. Walking, jogging, doing a workout in the gym and social connections help release “feel good” hormones, called endorphins. These boost your mood and improve your overall mental and emotional wellbeing. Sitting and lying for long periods reduces the production of these vital hormones.
One of the best ways to manage this is to get up and move your body as often as possible. Another way is to book a treatment session with a physiotherapist.
Physiotherapy can improve mental health by:
- Targeting the painful physical symptoms associated with anxiety and depression.
- Increasing energy levels.
- Improving sleep patterns.
Even the personal interaction with the therapist will be good for mental health.
Better pain management, less insomnia and boosted energy levels allow you to be more active and better cope with feelings of anxiety or depression.
Final Thoughts
Over 55% of adult Australians don’t meet the physical activity requirements for living a healthy and fulfilling life. Sitting for long hours at school or while working or spending too much time driving in the traffic all lead to sedentary behaviour. Extensive screen time is another culprit for many Australians leading a physically inactive lifestyle.
Other Australians are inactive because of pain, injuries and poor mental health. Luckily, using physiotherapy can equip you to better manage your pain while helping injuries to heal. It can also be used to successfully treat poor mental health so you can get active and boost your moods naturally.
Get moving with physio and watch your body and lifestyle transform!
