Visit us on the web:

     How many hours a day do you spend sitting? If it is more than 6 hours a day here are some disturbing facts: Your risk of heart disease has increased by 64%. You are sacrificing 7 years of quality life. You are also more at risk for certain types of cancer. The good news is that you can counteract this no matter how sedentary you are.

Since we were young we were told that being a couch potato was bad for you. Our bodies were not meant to sit all day long. Unfortunately most of us have jobs that require prolonged sitting at a desk or behind the wheel. The musculoskeletal side effects of sitting like back and neck pain, headaches, and stiff joints are bad enough. Now factor in the additional health risks listed above and you can see why prolonged sitting is so bad for your health.

So, what is one to do to counteract these negative effects? It is relatively easy.  

1) Stand once every hour

2) Get about 30 minutes of activity every day (this could be a brisk walk, yardwork, household chores. It does not have to be a hard "workout" just moderate activity.

3) Use a lumbar roll for added postural support. (Pictured Left)

Now how do you implement these into your day?  

Try parking farther away from the front entrance of your office. Take the stairs instead of elevators. Walk to your coworkers office instead of sending an e-mail if possible. Set an hourly alarm on your computer to remind you to get up every hour. If you are at home watching TV get up during commercial breaks and do a lap around the house, walk in place for 30 -60 seconds, or go up and down a flight of stairs twice.

These simple changes can make a big impact on your health and well being!! 

Hamstring Muscle Group

     Hamstring injuries are common in both the weekend warrior and professional athlete. In both of these populations chronic injuries are a problem that result in time lost from sporting/recreational activity. Recent research has shown that stretching can help prevent these injuries but it has to be a specific type of stretching.

     Stretching exercises are divided into three categories: Static, Dynamic, and Proprioceptive.

Static stretching are traditional stretches that do help to improve flexibility than dynamic stretching which is more likely to cause injury due to potential for uncontrolled stretch of the muscle. Despite improved flexibility, studies have suggested that static stretching may actually decrease performance.  

Dynamic stretching, in turn, has been shown to improve agility, speed, and strength. Researchers suggest that a regular regimen of both static and dynamic stretching prior to athletic activity may provide the best balance of improved performance and flexibility. Proprioceptive stretching is less popular due to the expertise needed to perform them correctly.

     Lasting improvements in flexibility are directly related to duration of stretching. It is recommended that static stretches are held for a minimum of 30 seconds. Duration of stretching necessary to achieve improvements are debatable. However improvements are shown to fade once the stretching regimen is discontinued. To preserve gains in flexibility, stretching should continue indefinitely.