Sitting comfortably? You won't be after reading this: Cankles, constipation and even 'brain fog' - why we should all try to spend a lot less time on our bottoms
By Diana Pilkington
With many of us chained to a desk for hours a day before heading home to slump in front of the telly, we're spending much of our time on our bottoms.
And it's having an impact on our health, a growing body of evidence suggests.
Last month, for instance, it emerged that spending an extra hour sitting a day (for 13, rather than 12, hours) is linked to a 50 per cent greater risk of being disabled. And this was regardless of whether the participants - all over 60 - also did moderate exercise, according to the U.S. study published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health.
Previous research has suggested spending too much time on our rear may be a new risk factor for illness and even death.
Here, the experts reveal what happens to our bodies when we sit for long periods...
LEAKY VEINS
That dreaded 'cankle' look isn't just unsightly - it may also be a sign that you need to get up.
'If you don't keep blood pumping out of your leg and back to your heart, you get high pressure all the time in the veins in the lower legs and feet,' explains Professor Mark Whiteley, consultant vascular surgeon at the Whiteley Clinic in West London.
'With the vein walls under pressure, some proteins and fluid may leak into the tissues, resulting in inflammation. You often see people who spend a long time at their desk with ridges on their skin from their socks. It's because they're not moving enough.'
This can also apply to slim people, as it is fluid, rather than fat, that causes ridges. Over time, the same problem can lead to brown stains and hardening on the skin, eventually leading to leg ulcers, says Professor Whiteley.
Reduced circulation in the legs can also raise the risk of blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). But most patients have other risk factors, too, such as age.
Wiggling your toes, getting up and walking every 20 minutes, or using an electric circulation booster - which administers small electric shocks to the feet - can help blood flow, says Professor Whiteley.
Those sitting for long periods may also want to wear flight socks.
Continued...
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