It’s well-established that spending an excessive amount of time sitting (ahem, working at a desk) might have an effect on our our bodies. Sitting all day can decrease muscle strength and is linked to unhealthy well being outcomes like heart disease.
However is all sitting created equal?
Some folks say sitting on the bottom is definitely good in your well being, and needs to be completed frequently ― an idea that nearly appears too good to be true.
Under, specialists shared with HuffPost the professionals and cons of sitting on the ground — and why nobody posture is good.
Sitting cross-legged on the bottom may be good for mobility and suppleness.
Most adults probably don’t usually discover themselves often sitting on the ground within the cross-legged place. However children who frequently sit and play on the ground could also be onto one thing.
“I actually assume from a well being advantages or a musculoskeletal situation standpoint, that [cross-legged sitting] posture actually does assist us with … hip, low again and knee vary of movement,” stated Dr. Christopher Bise, an assistant professor within the division of bodily remedy on the College of Pittsburgh. It additionally helps maintain our decrease physique versatile, he stated.
Dr. Jennifer O’Connell, a physiatrist on the Hospital for Particular Surgical procedure in New York, added that “one of many issues with sitting in a chair is that it’s a place the place your hamstrings are typically tight — sitting in a cross legged place might assist that considerably.”
However should you aren’t capable of get your self all the way down to the ground, you possibly can nonetheless work in your mobility and suppleness.
“Keep in mind that these positions don’t essentially must be on the ground. You may, on a sofa, get in to the cross-legged sitting place, or you should utilize completely different sitting positions on the sofa that may also improve your vary of movement, as effectively,” Bise defined.
Having vary of movement is vital as you age.
Sustaining your vary of movement is vital for a lot of causes — you’ll be higher capable of get round your home, do your errands, and play with youngsters and grandchildren as your years improve.
“However I believe one of many issues that occurs once we become old is … we develop into much less versatile as a result of we start to decelerate ― however we don’t must be much less versatile,” Bise stated.
“And when you concentrate on the remedies you’re going to obtain from a bodily therapist … one of many first issues they’re going to do is assess each your joint mobility and your muscle flexibility for the muscular tissues round your joints and see how they’re shifting,” Bise continued. “And when we have now bones and joints and muscular tissues which might be rigid, which might be stiffer, we’re not going to maneuver as effectively or as effectively as we might.”
Going from sitting on the bottom, to the chair, to strolling and exercising is an effective way to maintain your self cellular and versatile.
Plus, the flexibility to truly get into and out of a seated-on-the-floor posture can also be vital, Bise stated. Older adults are susceptible to falls, he stated, but when they’ve the flexibility to rise and decrease to and from the ground, they’ll be extra capable of stop falls sooner or later or get themselves up if want be.
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Sitting on the bottom can work your core, too.
Sitting on the bottom engages your core muscular tissues in a manner that simply doesn’t occur if you’re sitting on a chair, in accordance with O’Connell.
With out again help from a chair, your core muscular tissues mechanically activate, she stated.
“After which simply the mere act of getting up from that place is helpful in your complete physique. You’re exercising your hips, your knees, your total decrease chain and your core in an effort to rise up,” O’Connell defined.
However this doesn’t imply you need to sit on the bottom all the time.
You may strive sitting on the bottom for half-hour or so, however you shouldn’t plop down on the ground for the complete day.
“There’s a purpose that your Apple Watch reminds you each 60 minutes to rise up and begin shifting once more … a few of it’s postural, a few of it’s simply easy movement and getting energy going, however a few of it’s also altering postures as effectively,” Bise famous.
O’Connell stated that she routinely tells her sufferers who work desk jobs to rise up and transfer round — whether or not that’s strolling to get a glass of water or simply shifting round the home.
“Earlier than you recognize it, an hour to 2 hours have passed by, you didn’t rise up and transfer. And though you didn’t actually discover that since you had been targeted on duties, your again did discover that,” O’Connell defined.
Sitting on the bottom isn’t splendid for everybody.
“One purpose the place ground seating could also be detrimental is when you have joint points,” O’Connell stated. “As a matter of reference, I’ve a problem the place my hips don’t open up very effectively, so sitting in a conventional cross-legged place on the ground for me may be very difficult.”
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Moreover, individuals recovering from sure surgical procedures or accidents may have bother sitting on the bottom.
“Identical to with something … examine along with your physician earlier than you begin any kind of train routine,” O’Connell stated. “However you possibly can seek the advice of with a bodily therapist, they usually can provide you methods for getting up and down off the ground.”
Whereas it’s good to place your physique in several postures and positions, you shouldn’t accomplish that if it’s not protected for you.
