As more and more of the world functions through computers, AI, and the digital world, sitting for 8 hours or more at a desk is no longer uncommon. But what does this prolonged sitting do to our spine? Is the human body really designed for this much immobility? That is a question we need to ask ourselves. When a person sits continuously, posture naturally begins to change. Initially one may sit upright, but as the body fatigues, poor posture slowly sets in.
“Due to poor posture, the natural curvatures of the spine begin to get altered. As the lower back loses its normal lumbar curvature, excessive pressure starts falling on the intervertebral discs which normally function as shock absorbers. Over time this may result in disc degeneration, back pain, stiffness, and muscle fatigue,” says Dr Vaishaly Bharambe, MBBS, MD, PhD-Anatomy, counsellor, medical educator, and founder of VB Anatomy Academy.
She says, “The muscles that normally support the vertebral column also become underutilised leading to gradual weakening of postural support. Hip flexors and hamstrings gradually become tight, placing strain on the lower back as well as sciatica like pain. Forward head posture while using screens causes stress on the cervical spine and neck muscles, leading to neck pain and tension headaches.”
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The human spine was designed to move, not to be immobile for long periods. Taking regular standing breaks, stretching and walking is important to mitigate ill effects of long sitting hours. Reduced daily physical activity can leading to various health problems like obesity, heart disease, and back pain. Many fitness enthusiasts recommend walking to stay healthy. But how many steps should office workers take each day?
The ideal daily step count
10,000 steps, the widely cited daily step count target, comes from fitness marketing in Japan in the 1960s. It is a good benchmark, recent studies suggest that office workers may not need that many to stay healthy. Around 8000 daily steps are enough for most adults to reduce risk of diseases.
(This article is based on information available in the public domain and on input provided by experts consulted.)
