It’s well-established that spending an excessive amount of time sitting (ahem, working at a desk) might have an effect on our our bodies. Sitting all day can decrease muscle strength and is linked to unhealthy well being outcomes like heart disease.
However is all sitting created equal?
Some folks say sitting on the bottom is definitely good to your well being, and ought to be executed often ― an idea that nearly appears too good to be true.
Under, specialists shared with HuffPost the professionals and cons of sitting on the ground — and why nobody posture is good.
Sitting cross-legged on the bottom will be good for mobility and suppleness.
Most adults possible don’t typically discover themselves incessantly sitting on the ground within the cross-legged place. However children who often sit and play on the ground could also be onto one thing.
“I actually assume from a well being advantages or a musculoskeletal situation standpoint, that [cross-legged sitting] posture actually does assist us with … hip, low again and knee vary of movement,” mentioned Dr. Christopher Bise, an assistant professor within the division of bodily remedy on the College of Pittsburgh. It additionally helps preserve our decrease physique versatile, he mentioned.
Dr. Jennifer O’Connell, a physiatrist on the Hospital for Particular Surgical procedure in New York, added that “one of many issues with sitting in a chair is that it’s a place the place your hamstrings are usually tight — sitting in a cross legged place could assist that considerably.”
However if you happen to aren’t in a position to get your self all the way down to the ground, you possibly can nonetheless work in your mobility and suppleness.
“Do not forget that these positions don’t essentially should be on the ground. You possibly can, on a sofa, get in to the cross-legged sitting place, or you should utilize totally different sitting positions on the sofa that may also improve your vary of movement, as properly,” Bise defined.
Having a great vary of movement is essential as you age.
Sustaining your vary of movement is essential for a lot of causes — you’ll be higher in a position to get round your own home, do your errands, and play with kids and grandchildren as your years improve.
“However I feel one of many issues that occurs once we grow old is … we grow to be much less versatile as a result of we start to decelerate ― however we don’t should be much less versatile,” Bise mentioned.
“And when you consider the remedies you’re going to obtain from a bodily therapist … one of many first issues they’re going to do is assess each your joint mobility and your muscle flexibility for the muscle mass round your joints and see how they’re shifting,” Bise continued. “And when we’ve got bones and joints and muscle mass which might be rigid, which might be stiffer, we’re not going to maneuver as properly or as effectively as we might.”
Going from sitting on the bottom, to the chair, to strolling and exercising is a good way to maintain your self cell and versatile.
Plus, the flexibility to really get into and out of a seated-on-the-floor posture can also be essential, Bise mentioned. Older adults are susceptible to falls, he mentioned, but when they’ve the flexibility to rise and decrease to and from the ground, they’ll be extra in a position to stop falls sooner or later or get themselves up if want be.
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Sitting on the bottom can work your core, too.
Sitting on the bottom engages your core muscle mass in a manner that simply doesn’t occur once you’re sitting on a chair, in keeping with O’Connell.
With out again help from a chair, your core muscle mass routinely activate, she mentioned.
“After which simply the mere act of getting up from that place is helpful to your complete physique. You’re exercising your hips, your knees, your whole decrease chain and your core as a way to stand up,” O’Connell defined.
However this doesn’t imply it’s best to sit on the bottom all the time.
You possibly can strive sitting on the bottom for half-hour or so, however you shouldn’t plop down on the ground for your complete day.
“There’s a purpose that your Apple Watch reminds you each 60 minutes to stand up and begin shifting once more … a few of it’s postural, a few of it’s simply easy movement and getting energy going, however a few of it’s also altering postures as properly,” Bise famous.
O’Connell mentioned that she routinely tells her sufferers who work desk jobs to stand up and transfer round — whether or not that’s strolling to get a glass of water or simply shifting round the home.
“Earlier than it, an hour to 2 hours have passed by, you didn’t stand up and transfer. And though you didn’t actually discover that since you have been centered on duties, your again did discover that,” O’Connell defined.
Sitting on the bottom isn’t excellent for everybody.
“One purpose the place flooring seating could also be detrimental is if in case you have joint points,” O’Connell mentioned. “As a matter of reference, I’ve a problem the place my hips don’t open up very properly, so sitting in a conventional cross-legged place on the ground for me could be very difficult.”
Moreover, individuals recovering from sure surgical procedures or accidents may additionally have bother sitting on the bottom.
“Similar to with something … test together with your physician earlier than you begin any kind of train routine,” O’Connell mentioned. “However you possibly can seek the advice of with a bodily therapist, and so they may give you methods for getting up and down off the ground.”
Whereas it’s good to place your physique in several postures and positions, you shouldn’t accomplish that if it’s not secure for you.
