Too much sitting, too little exercise may accelerate biological aging

Re:Too much sitting, too little exercise may accelerate biol... by finid on Thursday January 19, 2017 @05:18AM (#13434593)

For almost a year I spent practically all day sitting in front of a PC monitor (used to work at home), with no exercise.

Then I developed pain in both knees, worse on the left knee. I figured that it was because of too much sitting, so I got a standing desk. In about a month, knee pains gone, completely.

Never even bothered to go see a doctor.

After standing for too long, I started having pains in my lower back. Solution? I got a bar stool, so I now alternate between standing and sitting.

What I learnt is that our body's joints (knee, elbow, waist, ankle, etc) were not designed to remain in one position for too long. Movement lubricates them.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Too much sitting, too little exercise may accelerate biol... by ahstro on Thursday January 19, 2017 @05:26AM (#13434622)

>Solution? You said it yourself: "[...] our body's joints [...] were not designed to remain in one position for too long." Try a pomodoro-esque schedule (25 min work, 5 min rest) where you get up and move around, maybe do some stretches and warm up exercises?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Too much sitting, too little exercise may accelerate biol... by RyanMcGreal on Thursday January 19, 2017 @07:35AM (#13435246)

I'm in my mid-40s. For about 15 years, I sat at a desk writing code and slowly dying. Three and a half years ago, I started running three times a week. Then, a little over two years ago, I switched to a standing desk. I've never looked back.

To avoid stiffening up, I play music (usually progressive house or something similarly rhythmic-but-not-too-distracting) into noise-cancelling headphones and let the music move me. Because I'm not standing still, I don't experience lower back pain, stiffness, soreness or anything else.

If I had to go back to sitting now, it would kill me.

[] NB I wrenched my back last autumn by twisting in a funny way while painting a ceiling with a roller on an extension pole. After a couple of weeks of Advil and an aggressive regimen of back exercises and stretches, my back pain was completely gone and I feel better than ever.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Too much sitting, too little exercise may accelerate biol... by ansible on Thursday January 19, 2017 @12:49PM (#13437711)

Yep. I'm usually listening to Frisky Radio for something that can help blot out the noise from the rest of the office, and give me a little energy.

I've been doing the standing desk for about 4 years now. I just bodged something together for my setup, but I'm thinking about investing in a VariDesk system instead. When I sit, I'll probably use an exercise ball instead of a chair.

[ Parent | on HN ]