Category: Chiropractic

What is Prolonged Sitting and Why is it Bad?

Prolonged sitting is when you sit for extended periods of time. It is advised to take a break from sitting every 30 minutes, but many people tend to go much longer without doing so. Statistics show that on average, Canadians spend over 9 hours sitting per day, more than the recommended 8 hour maximum (Statistics Canada, 2025). In addition to sitting for prolonged periods of time, many people have poor posture, ultimately contributing to a multitude of negative health issues. Commonly, this includes pain in the neck, shoulders, and lower back, poor circulation, along with increased risks of diabetes and heart disease (Cleveland Clinic, 2025; Biswas, 2015).

Common Associated Health Risks

Pain

Prolonged sitting, especially with poor posture, can often result in pain, commonly in the neck, shoulders, and lower back. UCLA Health explains that this pain may be due to the overstretching of and pressure put on your spinal structures and your muscles. Experiencing pain is a sign to make changes to your habits that are causing it. While treatment may help relieve your pain temporarily, only solving the root cause can prevent it from reoccurring or worsening in the future.

Poor circulation

Sitting for long periods of time can weaken your blood circulation, reducing the amount of blood delivered to the different parts of the body. Over time, this may lead to muscle fatigue and weakening. Some people may also experience blood pooling in the legs, leading to swelling, aching, and overall discomfort or pain. In these cases, compression socks may be worn to help improve circulation by applying pressure to the legs.

Reduced flexibility, range of motion, and balance

Inactivity and lack of use of your muscles, joints, and tissues from sitting all day can lead to reduced flexibility, range of motion, and balance. As you age, this may cause difficulties or discomfort when performing tasks even as simple as walking up the stairs or bending and reaching for stuff. Improving this can help reduce risk of injury in the long run, and can be done by implementing some stretches into your routine.

Taking Breaks from Sitting

A good rule of thumb is to take a break from sitting around every 30 minutes. This may include taking a short walk or even performing some simple stretches to relieve tension. Some examples may include neck extension and rotations, the seated torso rotation, and hip flexor stretches. These stretches are easy to do and do not require large amounts of time, but they can provide lots of benefits! Refer to our previous blog on “The Benefits of Mobility Stretching“ to learn more about the different types of stretches and why stretching can be beneficial.

There are also many alternatives to consider to avoid sitting throughout the day. This may include walking short distances instead of sitting in transportation or even standing while doing work or watching television.

The “Better” Way to Sit

When prolonged sitting is unavoidable, whether it is because of school or work, it is important to take measures to reduce the health risks that may come along with it.

Posture

Poor posture is a factor that contributes to pain in addition to prolonged sitting. Many people tend to slouch their backs and hunch their necks, leading to pain and discomfort over time. To prevent this, it is important to learn what good posture looks like and actively correcting your posture during occasional check ins. Having good posture is not only for aesthetics – it helps to prevent avoidable pains, along with other health benefits such as better digestion, better circulation, and stronger muscles.

What does “good” posture look like?

There is no single “perfect” posture, but there are some general guidelines that may be good to follow. This includes:

• Keeping your head above your shoulders, avoiding a hunched neck
• Sitting with your back and hips at 90°, back against the backrest for support
• Resting your arms on the armrests with your elbows at 90°-120°
• Feet flat on the floor, ankles separated, and knees bent at 90°

(Cleveland Clinic and UCLA Health)

If you have a previous habit of slouching and sitting with poor posture, it may take some time to “learn” how to sit with better posture. You can always refer back to the general guidelines and check in on your posture occasionally to remind yourself.

Ergonomic Designs

Ergonomics is the study of the interactions between people and their working environments. Concepts from ergonomics can be applied to designing and modifying the workplace to support the health of workers, prevent injuries, and improve long-term productivity. For example, office settings commonly have ergonomic chairs, desks, and other equipment to reduce the health risks associated with performing repetitive tasks or sitting for long periods throughout the day.

Ergonomic chairs typically have adjustable features including the backrest, headrest, armrests, and lumbar support to help support your spine and it’s natural curve, aligning your body in a way that is most ideal for sitting. These can also be paired with height-adjustable desks, allowing you to sit or stand while you work, and further helps to achieve that comfortable and neutral position for each individual.

Physical Activity

Many people spend most of their waking hours sitting and neglect the importance of exercise. On average, it is recommended that Canadian adults and older adults aged 18-79 should receive around 150 minutes, or 2 ½ hours, of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity spread throughout the week (CSEP). This may include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, and other activities that elevate your heart rate. It is important to note that many factors may hinder one’s ability to get as much physical activity, and that any physical activity can be beneficial and better than no activity at all.

Regular physical activity is highly recommended for a healthy lifestyle and may reduce the negative health effects of prolonged sitting, but not completely (Biswas et al., 2015; Miller et al., 2016). Hence, focusing both on reducing the amount of time spent sitting and receiving adequate exercise is a smart idea.

Key Takeaways

• Take breaks from sitting throughout the day, ideally every 30 minutes
• Be aware of your posture when sitting; avoid slouching your back and neck
• Incorporate more physical activity into your daily life
• Seek treatment early if you are feeling pain, discomfort, or mobility issues caused by prolonged sitting

We offer chiropractic and registered massage therapy services that may help you with your concerns. Visit our website https://www.ruperthealth.com/ or call 604-435-2285 today to book an appointment and learn more about the services that we offer!

References

Biswas et al. (2025). Sedentary time and its association with risk for disease incidence, mortality, and hospitalization in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of internal medicine.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25599350

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (n.d.). Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines For Adults (18-64 years). https://csepguidelines.ca/

Cleveland Clinic (2025). Sedentary Lifestyle. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/sedentary-lifestyle

Miller et al.(2016). The health benefits of exercise and physical activity – current nutrition reports. Current Nutrition, 5, 204-212. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-016-0175-5

Statistics Canada. (2025). Table 13-10-0967-01 Average time spent sedentary, measured with an ActiGraph accelerometer, by age group and sex. https://doi.org/10.25318/1310096701-eng

UCLA Health. (n.d.). Ergonomic and proper posture for sitting. https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/spine/patient-resources/ergonomics-prolonged-sitting

What is scoliosis?

Scoliosis is classified as an abnormal side-to-side curvature of the spine, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It happens when a vertebra is rotated, making the spine appear curved. This condition is found in roughly 2-4% of the world, with a higher prevalence among girls and women (Lee et al., 2022). Furthermore, it is often developed during childhood or adolescence and is usually diagnosed in children with the help of early screening.

Diagnosis happens when there is a spinal curvature above 10 degrees, with the spine curving to the left and right or to a C or S shape, looking like a person leaning to the side, according to John Hopkins Medicine. Diagnosis is based on the Cobb angle which is used to measure the degree of tilt and is defined as “the angle between the upper border of the uppermost vertebra in the curve and the lower border of the lowermost.” (Goldberg et al., 2007) This angle is used as a measurement tool for diagnosing the severity of a curve, helpful for developing treatment plans.

Some risk factors of developing scoliosis include genetics/family history of scoliosis, an injury affecting the spine, or weak muscles and nerves (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). Scoliosis mainly affects the thoracic and lumbar spine, as they are more prone to change with aging and growth. Therefore, early detection and intervention are important for treating scoliosis and preventing further development of the curve.

The exact cause of scoliosis is often, unknown but is generally grouped into three categories.

Types of scoliosis

There are three main types of scoliosis: idiopathic, congenital, and neuromuscular.

Idiopathic scoliosis is most commonly found and diagnosed in adolescence, as growth spurts can affect the spine curvature. The cause of idiopathic scoliosis is unknown despite extensive studies. However, there is a greater risk of developing it if a family member has it (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). Idiopathic scoliosis can also be further classified by age group.

• Infantile –younger than 3
• Juvenile –4-10
• Adolescent –11 – 18
• Adult –after 18, when skeletal growth is complete

Congenital scoliosis is rare and can be diagnosed at birth due to vertebrae not being formed during embryonic development, causing a spinal curvature to develop (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). In many cases, congenital scoliosis is diagnosed later in childhood and is usually monitored in case of further curve development.

Neuromuscular scoliosis is caused by deformities in muscles and nerves that support the spine, which could be due to injury, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or muscular dystrophy (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). This is due to weak and unbalanced muscles, causing the spine to curve.

What are the symptoms?

• Back pain
• Hard to stand up straight
• Weak core muscle
• Leg pain, numbness, or weakness
• Uneven shoulders
• Uneven waist
• Constant leaning to one side
• Uneven leg length
• Elevated hips
• Head not centered above pelvis
• Different arm lengths

Symptoms can also be due to other spinal conditions; please consult with a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.

Effects of scoliosis

Scoliosis can result in pain and aching, organ or nerve damage, arthritis, spinal fluid leakage, difficulties breathing, and even deformities in muscles or nerves. However, the effects of scoliosis are not limited to physical effects; it also affects one’s psychological well-being (Lee et al., 2022). This condition can have a negative impact on a person’s mental health, particularly in younger children and adolescents, due to the uncomfortable nature of brace wearing or the feeling of standing out in a crowd.

Diagnosis and testing

Screening is done by a family physician via physical exam to assess posture, alignment, and spinal curvatures. For a full diagnosis, your family physician may refer you to get an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan. Based on the degree of the angle, curves are divided into 3 types; mild, moderate, and severe.

• Null: less than 10 deg
• Mild: 10-14 deg – does not require therapeutic intervention, only monitoring
• Moderate: 25-39 deg – recommended to get bracing
• Severe: more than 40 – requires surgery

Scoliosis is measured using the Cobb angle which is used to “determine success and effectiveness of orthosis treatment” (Lee et al., 2022). A treatment is deemed successful when there is less than 5 degrees of a Cobb angle progression (Lee et al., 2022).

What treatment is offered?

Treatment is focused on relieving symptoms and slowing down curve progression. Some non-invasive treatments include exercising to strengthen core muscles, physical therapy to improve posture, stretching daily, and partaking in physical activity. In addition, regular checkups with a healthcare provider to monitor the curve progression is recommended. Your healthcare provider may suggest wearing a back brace to support your spine and to halt the progression of your curve under 50 degrees (Lee et al., 2022). There are a few different types of braces – Milwaukee, TLSO, Boston, and Charleston.

The Milwaukee brace is used to treat thoracic curves at or above T8 (Lee et al., 2022). It utilizes passive and active pressure to help in spine alignment. However, many found that wearing the brace was uncomfortable, leading to decreased compliance, as it needed to be worn for 18-23 hours a day for most effectiveness (Lee et al., 2022).

The thoracic lumbar spinal orthosis (TLSO) brace also used active and passive pressure to prevent the curve from progressing. It was reported to be more comfortable to wear, leading to increased compliance from patients (Lee et al., 2022). This brace was custom-made and fit to each patient. However, to save on cost, John Hall and William Miller developed a new, pre-made brace that could be modified to fit a patient’s needs (Lee et al., 2022).

The Boston brace is the most commonly used brace in North America and is most effective at a curve between T6 and L4, with a curvature of 20-49 degrees (Lee et al., 2022). Additionally, a study done by Katz et al. found that the Boston brace was more effective for preventing progression of the curve in individuals with a curvature between 25 and 35 degrees. However, this brace also needed to be worn for 18-23 hours per day for increased effectiveness (Lee et al., 2022).

The Charleston brace was designed to be worn during sleep (8-10 hours), and is most effective for those with a curvature between 25 and 35 degrees at an apex below T8 (Lee et al., 2022). This brace holds a patient in an overcorrected position and is custom molded (Karimi et al., 2018). However, patient compliance did not increase due to the uncomfortable brace structure and material (Lee et al., 2022).

In severe cases, with a curve 50-degrees and over, your healthcare provider may suggest surgery to treat the curve (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). Some surgeries include

• Spinal fusion –fuse bones together using metal braces to hold spine in place
• Expandable rod –insert rod along vertebrae to support growing spine of a child

However, surgery is used as a last resort and has complications like infection, bleeding, and nerve damage. Therefore, early screening and detection are vital for preventing curve progression.

Come visit our office for treatment

• If you notice symptoms
• If you are experiencing back pain
• We can help alleviate symptoms of pain and discomfort; however, for improvement of spinal curvature, please see your family physician for more information.

We offer personalized care to relieve your pain and get you moving comfortably again. Book an appointment today and feel the difference! Call us at 604-435-2285 or visit https://ruperthealth.com for more!

References

Goldberg, C. J., Moore, D. P., Fogarty, E. E., & Dowling, F. E. (2007). Scoliosis: a review. Pediatric Surgery International, 24(2), 129–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-007-2016-5

Karimi, M., & Rabczuk, T. (2018). Scoliosis conservative treatment: A review of literature. Journal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine, 9(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.4103/jcvjs.jcvjs_39_17

Lee, G. B., Priefer, D. T., & Priefer, R. (2022). Scoliosis: causes and treatments. Adolescents, 2(2), 220–234. https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents2020018

Scoliosis. (n.d.). John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/scoliosis

Scoliosis. (2025, June 2). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15837-scoliosis