The dangers of prolonged sitting periods
When we are moving about, especially when we walk briskly, we assume a fairly upright posture. Our head is retracted and held directly over the vertebral column and consequently receives the maximum possible support. When we sit and relax in a chair, the head and neck slowly protrude, because the muscles that support them get tired. As the muscles tire, they relax, and we lose the main support for good posture. The result is the protruded head posture. This posture can be seen around us every day. It is not present during infancy, but develops from the mid-teen years onward. We are not really designed to sit for six to eight hours daily, five to six days a week.When the protruded head posture is maintained long enough, it causes overstretching of the ligaments. As a result, pain will arise only in certain positions. Once the protruded posture has become a habit and is maintained most of the time, it may also cause distortion of the discs in the vertebral joints. At this stage, movements as well as positions will produce pain. Neck problems developed this way are the result of postural neglect. Poor neck posture is not the only cause of neck pain. It is, however, one of the main causes and is the most troublesome factor in causing neck pain to go on and on.
When you sit, the position of the lower back strongly influences the posture of the neck. If the lower back is allowed to slouch, it is impossible to sit with the head and neck pulled backward. You can easily verify this for yourself. Unfortunately, once we have been sitting in a certain position for a few minutes, our body sags and we end up sitting slouched with a rounded lower back and a protruded head and neck. For most people, sitting for long periods results in sitting with poor posture.
