The Sitting Epidemic in Tampa Bay.

Are you suffering from lower back pain? Lower back pain is a common complaint for those that sit for long periods of time. A majority of employees work from a desk and are unable to move around throughout the day. Chiropractors at our chiropractic clinic in Tampa Bay have often urged those who sit for long periods of time that they need to get up and move around.

Recently the American Medical Association has recognized this issue and has implemented ways to change this problem for employees. They have recently urged employers to make alternative arrangements for employees so that they will not suffer from lower back pain due to sitting.

A nation of obese sitters

Unfortunately sitting for long periods of time has caused many people to become obese and have health related problems. There are too many activities that the average person participates in that requires sitting. Whether you are eating, watching television, working, playing a video game, driving, or browsing the internet you’re probably sitting.

Research at Duke University concluded that employees with a BMI of over 40 filed twice as many workers compensation claims. This research also concluded that their medical bills were 7 percent higher than those with a lower BMI, and that they were likely to miss work 13 times more than the average worker who did not suffer from obesity.

Tools to help fight the sitting epidemic

The American Heart Association is promoting a new device to help combat obesity by stopping people from sitting for long periods of time. This device is a phone app that is called Hotseat and was created by Fran Melmed. This app works by setting the device to sync with a person’s work schedule. The app can be set to allow the user to have various 2 minute breaks throughout the day.

Another useful tool that has been implemented is called the treadmill desk to help lower back pain. The treadmill desk is part of the employees work station as they will be able to continue to work while exercising on the treadmill. Other ways to lessen the chances of lower back pain is to take walks after meals and park further away from your door at work.

For more information or questions please feel free to contact our chiropractic team at Redefine Your Spine today.