With work from home becoming a lifestyle pattern now, we end up spending most of the day sitting on our chairs or the couch, slouching while working on our laptops. Even after we are done with work, we slouch and scroll through our phones – this is a harmful habit and can have long-term effects on health. A recent study, led by Jooa Norha, University of Turku, demonstrated how a sedentary lifestyle can worsen back pain. Cutting down on sitting time can help people, especially the ones who are overweight and physically inactive.

The study targeted participants with metabolic syndrome – a combination of health conditions involving the risk of heart diseases, stroke and diabetes. The study was conducted on 64 adults between 40 and 65 years-old who were overweight or obese. The participants were further divided into two groups – one group was asked to reduce their sitting time and include light exercise in their routine, while the other group was asked to carry on with their normal routine.

Impact of light exercise on back pain

The participants were observed for a period of six months – the ones who included light exercise in their routine demonstrated stable back pain, while the inactive group showed a steep increase in the intensity of back pain. Hence, the study concluded that reducing inactivity can help fix back pain significantly.

Jooa Norha, Doctoral researcher and physiotherapist, in a media release, said, when we have symptoms of back pain, we should try to reduce the sitting time, and instead include light workouts such as walking or brisk exercise in the daily routine.

People are getting increasingly concerned about the repercussions of spending more hours sitting, or having screen-based leisure activities. The study is a wake-up call to include light exercises and reduce the sitting time to avoid chronic back pain, and other health issues.

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