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Working in the modern age is often predominated by the act of sitting. Sitting at a desk, sitting in your car, sitting in a boardroom…“What are the effects of your desk job?” The answer may surprise you, and it might be one you’ve been shying away from for some time. Thankfully, you found this article, and it’s our goal to tell you the truth.

Health Risks of Having a Desk Job

Cardiovascular disease, cancer, type II diabetes, obesity, deep vein thrombosis, and mental health disorders—all of these have two (among other) things in common; 1. Sitting/physical inactivity contributes to them; 2. They can kill you. While sitting at a desk seems rather innocuous and non-affecting from the outside, the reality is a slow, ruthless degradation of one’s health.

Movement is life, and lack of movement is death. One of the main effects of your desk job is that it discourages movement of all sorts, apart from these hyper-specific actions…

• Digital flexion and extension of the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints
• Coordinated contraction of the oblique and transversus abdominis muscles
• Cervical spine flexion to adjust distance between ocular structures and visual interface
• Activation of the diaphragm and intercostals to generate airflow through the larynx

Which is fancy anatomy talk for…

• Clicking a mouse
• Turning around in your office chair
• Bringing your eyes closer to the computer screen
• Yelling obscenities at your coworker across the room

It’s not nothing, but it’s not exactly olympic-caliber physicality (it’s basically right next to nothing).

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You might be thinking, “This is getting too serious!”
Our response? “Not serious enough.”

You don't have anything without your health. We need to make a change to help mitigate some of these long term effects of your desk job.  

Musculoskeletal Problems

Forget the chronic disease and all-cause mortality for a second, because there’s something else at risk, too. Your day-to-day comfort. Achy backs, sore necks, tight shoulders, shallow breathing, cramped hips, stiff ankles—all fair game for the desk worker. Sitting, despite its commonality in today’s world, is not something your body is really made to do (at least for long periods). 

The human body is an adaptation machine. Put it into a position, keep it there for long enough, and it will start making adjustments to make you better at whatever it is you’re doing. If you start running, you’ll get better at running. If you start doing pushups, you’ll get better at doing push ups. And if you start sitting, you’ll get better at sitting.

Some of these adjustments (and their effects on the body) include:

• Shortened hip flexors (low back pain, hip ache)
• Tight neck muscles (headaches)
• Rounded posture (weak upper back & tight chest/shoulders)
• Reduced core activity (lower back instability & distended abdomen)
• Weight gain (> overall strain on the body)

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Cognitive Problems

The effects of your desk job stretch beyond the physical body, they reach very much into your mind, as well. The two are inextricably linked, of course, even though many people like to think otherwise. Do any of the following symptoms resonate with you?

• Memory disruption
• Inability to focus
• Depressed mood & increased anxiousness
• Poor decision making
• Low, unsustainable energy

(Credit: Adobe Stock)

How Do You Reverse the Effects of a Desk Job? 

To reverse the effects of your desk job, you need to focus on incorporating movement into your daily routine. Any movement is good, but targeted movement is even better. If you’re experiencing any of the problems we’ve touched on today, then a corrective stretching, mobility and strength training plan is going to be hugely beneficial for you. 

That’s exactly what we’ve created here at ReverseSit. Our routines are gentle, corrective and rehabilitative to help anyone and everyone kickstart their health into another gear. The good news is that even a little bit of physical activity can help counteract a full day of sitting. And never has this been easier than with our follow-along programming.

To help you get started, here’s a sample routine that you can try today and finish in under 15 minutes! If you like how it makes you feel, and want to check out our full app and online platform, sign up for a 7-day free trial by clicking here. 

Tabletop Shoulder Circles

• Begin on all fours (tabletop). Drop your head down in between your shoulders while bringing your shoulder blades down and together. Then, bring your shoulders up towards your ears as you push your head back up past the shoulders (circular motion). Perform for 20 seconds, then reverse the circular motion, and perform for another 20 seconds.

Scissor Kicks

• Start by lying on your back with your hands supporting your head. Engage the abdominals by flattening your lower back against the ground (maintain this position throughout). Raise the legs and perform a flutter motion by raising and lowering them in an alternating fashion. Perform for 30 seconds.

Supine Leg Circles

• While lying on your back, bend one knee and keep the other leg straight. Engage the core by flattening the lower back against the ground. With the straight leg, raise it a few inches off the ground, then swing it outwards in a circular motion. Make a large circle until you’re back to the starting position. Perform for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

Dynamic Bridge

• Lie down on your back with your hands out to the sides and knees bent, feet pointing forward or slightly outwards. Engage the core by flattening the lower back (hold this tension throughout). Press your feet into the ground, flexing the glutes, and lifting the hips into the air. Lower back to the ground. Repeat for 30 seconds

Pigeon

• Bring one knee up in front of you and stretch your back leg straight behind you. The more parallel you make your front shin the harder this stretch will be, adjust accordingly. Use your hands out in front for support. Bring the chest closer to your shin for a more intense stretch. Hold for 45 seconds.

Thread the Needle

• Starting on all fours, reach one arm through to the opposite side (coach Alisha is pictured reaching her right arm through). Feel a gentle twist through the spine and stretch on the back of the shoulder. Bend the other arm accordingly to support you in this position. Hold it for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat. 

Butterfly I

• From a seated position, bring the soles of your feet together and grab your toes with your hands. If this is intense enough, hold here. If you need more of a stretch, try to round your back and sink in between your hips (as pictured above). Hold your end position for 30 seconds.

Neck Circles

• Sit in a comfortable position. Lean your head to one side and feel a stretch on the opposing side's neck muscles. Slowly bring your head down and around until you’re stretching the other side’s neck muscles. Go slow enough to feel the stretch all the way throughout. Move gradually back and forth for 30 seconds.

Written by Eric Lister – Certified Personal Trainer & Corrective Exercise Specialist