5 Exercises to Undo the Spinal Damage Caused by a Lifetime of Sitting

It is already a well known fact that sitting all day long is bad for your health.  However, certain jobs do require hours of sitting, and despite the fact that sitting isn’t good for you, you still need to come to terms with it. After all, you need to get paid, don’t you?

Why Sitting All Day Actually Really Matters

Sitting all day comes with a set of health issues, from stiffness to debilitating back pain. As time passes by, this pain can impact your ability to exercise, run, and play sports.  In addition to this, prolonged sitting is associated with a higher risk of various health conditions, too.

“Regardless of how much physical activity someone gets, prolonged sedentary time could negatively impact the health of your heart and blood vessels,” said Dr. Deborah Young. “There is evidence to suggest that sedentary behavior could contribute to excess morbidity and mortality.”

The good news is that there is a way to undo this harm.  Performing a couple of exercises on a daily basis helps get back your full range of motion and prevent pain in the lower back and the knees.

5 Exercises to Stay Limber and Avoid Back Pain from Sitting

1. Glute Bridges

First, lay down on the back with the knees bent and the feet put firmly on the floor.  Raise both the butt and the hips, allowing the body to form a straight line.  Lower yourself back down, and this is one rep. you need to do three sets of ten.  For extra pressure, add a weight and hold it on the thighs whiledoing the reps.

The glute bridges targets the glutes, hips, and even the abs.

2. Couch Stretch

Put one leg on the floor and the other on the couch, so that the knee is touching the back. Flex the abs and butt, slowly raising the torso up.  The aim is to stand tall. Hold this position for a few minutes between switching legs.

To undo years of sitting and push the stretch to the next level, bring he foot on the floor up the seat of the couch and try raising the torso to a neutral position.

3. Grok Squat

All you have to do is to get into a squatting position with the feet on the floor, the back straight, and the butt as low as possible.  You will feel the stretch through the groin, the back, and the legs.  Simple as that!

4. Leg Swings

This stretch involves something for balance and then swinging the leg back and forth as high as possible. It is recommended to begin with going front-to-back and then side-to-side with each leg. Do 20 swings of each kind.

5. Fire Hydrants

Get on all fours and raise the leg out to the side as high as possible while keeping it bent.  Lower it down and that`s one rep. You are supposed to feel the hips and butt working when doing it.

Ultimately, note that the best exercise to undo the harm of prolonged sitting is to walk around every hour or so. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, so trying any of the exercises a couple of times a week can help, too.