Sitting behaviours have been linked to all-cause mortality rates in many studies. It appears that vigorous exercise will offset some of this problem (1). Nevertheless, a strategy to interrupt prolonged sitting is crucial for wellbeing. This is why we have developed a simple Posture Break strategy that will compliment your chiropractic, and is beneficial even if you’re not receiving chiropractic care.
The strategy is easy to adopt, so you can add these simple breaks into your day straight away.
Why we need Posture Breaks
Poor ergonomics – the way we sit, sleep, work and exercise etc – and a sedentary lifestyle, are potentially the biggest causes of spinal issues and many health problems.
Not moving for 1-2 hours while seated is related to all-cause mortality rates. This means that the more we sit, every potential health problem is made worse and our life span can even shorten.
If you’ve ever worked in the corporate world, you’ve probably been told that it’s good to look up from your computer regularly to give your eyes a break.
Similarly, Posture Breaks involve doing specific exercises throughout your day to interrupt and reset poor or repetitive postural habits.
Getting Started
We have created a list of exercises that are easy to do anywhere and address common postural problems, back pain, as well as shoulder and neck stiffness etc.
Download the Posture Break PDF here. This document includes pictures of each exercise and basic instructions. You can click on each picture and it will take you to the YouTube video which can give greater detail.
If you have a sedentary job or lifestyle that involves sitting for long periods of time, we strongly suggest half hourly posture breaks for 1-2 minute durations.
If you are non-sedentary or have a mix of sitting and moving, then every hour can be ok.
Reminder Tools
Tools to help you remember your Posture Breaks include:
- using a timer on your phone
- sticking a Post-it note on your computer, and
- using a phone App like Straighten Up (Australia).
If you have any questions about our Posture Break strategy or have any questions about your chiropractic care, please call our team on 07-3357 3366.
Book An Appointment
If you have any questions on this topic, please call us on (07) 3357 3366 or alternatively, you can book an appointment at Blue Align Chiropractic.
We’d love to help you experience better health.
Reference:
(1) Associations of sitting behaviours with all-cause mortality over a 16-year follow-up: the Whitehall II study | International Journal of Epidemiology | Oxford Academic (oup.com).
