Stood up….sit down

BQ6Q0149There is a general belief that standing would solve the problem at work – it does not. Veli-Jussi Jalkanen looks at the best way to sit.

Sitting is a threat to one’s health. In numerous studies conventional sitting has been found to be very disturbing to the overall body wellbeing. All the impacts finally lead to the fact that normal sitting blocks micro and macro circulation (blood and lymph) all over the body. Awareness of the connection between active circulation and health is generally on a very low level.

Your work days – you are not working only beside your treatment unit, there is always the need to do other paperwork – again you are making the decision of either sitting or standing.

Because the optimum sitting (on movement adapting divided saddle chair with loose clothes and work environment designed in such a way that physical activity is needed during the day) is also very poorly known, there is a general belief that standing would solve the problem at work – it does not.

Let’s look at the problems of standing:

  1. Continuous pressure on the knee cartilages and hips causes arthritis. Cartilages need rhythmic ‘pressure on – pressure off’ variation to be able to absorb nutrition and oxygen for the renewal of cells. Standing with constant pressure prevents this. That is why arthritis is common among standing professions. Staying healthy longer in dentist‘s profession, who would not like that
  2. People get tired when standing. Heavy people, and particularly the elderly, find standing too strenuous and tiring. This is due to the muscle tensions and lack of refreshing motion in the body. Lack of circulation causes this too. And even if you are healthy, fit person – standing makes you tired. In dental work – is there any room for mistakes or lack of concentration?
  3. People who stand at work suffer from varicose veins, cellulite and swelling. The muscle activity in changing the weight from one foot to the other is way too small to be able to generate sufficient circulation in the legs
  4. Standing often causes back problems. Also the circulation in the back muscles need movement to work properly and guarantee a healthy back. Standing does not provide enough movement, while sitting on a swinging chair does, if the chair is used correctly. Back problems in standing appear more easily if the person has scoliosis (very common nowadays), poor posture in the spine or pelvis or any other type or deformation or imbalance in the muscular–skeletal system
  5. Muscle tensions may increase. The continuous static position where the body is being held up in standing has a tendency to cause tensions in the leg-hip-back area. Tensions block circulation and naturally they get worse in the course of time
  6. Feet problems. People who stand at work often suffer frequently from various MSD problems in their feet. Selection of special shoes and therapies is often tried as a remedy.

You may learn to tolerate standing as only working position, but still the above-mentioned physiological problems are building up in their bodies, without them necessarily being aware of them. A small percentage of people in standing jobs (who are slim, have a very good muscle structure, posture and body balance) may adopt all day standing without health problems.

Conclusions

Sitting on a divided swinging saddle chair is, without question, the superior solution for long lasting sitting at work. Deep body muscles take care of the posture without you even noticing after adapting period and you are concentrating on what is the most important – your valuable work.


For more information please visit www.salli.com, email [email protected] or call +358 10 2701 210 or contact the UK supplier Velopex.

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