Workstation assessments: the risks of sitting too much

Are you sitting comfortably?

As far back as the 1950s, researchers found that London bus drivers were twice as likely to have a heart attack as their more active bus conductor colleagues.

The World Health Organisation has identified physical inactivity as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally, and state inactivity is a significant risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as stroke, diabetes, and cancer.

So we know that inactivity is bad for us, yet our work and lifestyles seem to lead to people spending more time sitting.

What happens to our musculoskeletal system when we sit?

When we sit down, discs in our spine are subject to compression forces. While spinal discs are designed to cushion and protect the vertebral joints during movement, over time these forces can cause discs to degenerate and lose height and flexibility.

In addition, long periods of inactivity such as sitting means we use our muscles infrequently which can lead to muscle weakness and atrophy.

Good Vs bad posture

Good posture refers to the natural alignment of the spine with all its adjoining structures. The three natural curves of the spine should balance along an imaginary vertical line that runs down the body from the head, through the shoulders, hips and to the feet.

Bad posture can take the form of slouching, hunching, or slumping which creates misalignment along the spine that disrupts the musculoskeletal system.

Examples of bad posture include holding your neck and head forward while working at a computer or cradling a phone between your shoulder and ear. These positions can strain the vertebrae in your neck, leading to imbalances resulting in discomfort.

Failing to correct bad posture can have significant implications for the skeletal system, specifically short term discomfort, but could also lead to longer term damage.

Static muscle activity

Working with computers can be a static activity. This means that the muscles are working, but they are not lengthening and shortening dynamically.

When typing, a dynamic load is placed on the muscles in the hands and fingers due to the movement of typing or using the mouse. At the same time, the muscles of the arms, shoulders and neck must remain constantly tense to provide an anchor for the work of the hands.

Working in this way over a period of time, particularly in conjunction poor posture, compresses the blood vessels that feed muscles. This restricts the flow of blood in the muscles of the arms, shoulders, neck, hands, and fingers.

Restricted blood flow reduces the supply of nutrients to the muscles and the removal of acids and other waste products away from the tissues and slows down delivery of oxygen to the muscles. This cycle can only be broken by removing the static positions to restore blood flow = activity!

Here are our 10 tips for building physical activity into your working day.