The Hidden Cost of Sitting: The body operates on the principle of "Use it or Lose it"

When was the last time...? A Small Mobility Test

Consider this:

• When was the last time you easily raised your arms straight above your head without arching your back?

• And a full, deep squat – like small children do, with hips below the knees and a straight back – is it achievable for you without pain and lifting your heels off the floor?

If the answers are "a long time ago" or "never," it’s a sign that your mobility, or the ability to move through a full physiological range of motion in the joints, may be seriously limited. Unfortunately, sedentary work is one of the main culprits.

The Hidden Cost of Sitting: The Body Operates on a "Use it or Lose it" Principle

Our body is a master of adaptation. It adapts to the positions in which it spends the most time. You might think: "But I don't need to squat or reach high at work!" And you're right – office tasks don't require that. The problem is that your joints need that movement to stay healthy. They don’t understand the demands of your job – they operate on the biological principle of 'use it or lose it'. The range of motion you don’t regularly use gradually disappears.

Prolonged sitting leads to:

1. Shortening and tightening of the hip flexors: Constantly shortened, they hinder full hip extension and can contribute to back pain.

2. Limitations in thoracic spine mobility: Slouching stiffens the back, overloading the neck and lower back.

3. Weakening of the gluteal muscles: "Gluteal amnesia" weakens pelvic stability.

4. Closing of the chest and limitations in shoulder mobility: Rounded backs restrict the range of motion of the arms.

Consequences? From Movement Restrictions, Through Pain, to Degeneration

Limited mobility isn’t just about discomfort or "stiffness". It's a straightforward path to:

• Progressive movement restriction: What is a slight discomfort today can be a real limitation tomorrow, hindering daily functioning.

• Chronic pain: Back, neck, shoulders, hips – often resulting from compensations and overloads caused by lack of movement in full range in some joints, forcing others to overwork.

• Increased risk of injury: Stiff joints and weak stabilizing muscles can’t handle load.

• Deterioration of sports performance and difficulty in daily activities.

• Acceleration of degenerative processes: And this is crucial! Long-term motion restriction and improper movement patterns unevenly load the joints. This can accelerate degenerative processes (e.g., osteoarthritis). Joint cartilage gets its nourishment through full range movement – providing it with 'lubrication' and nutrient supply. Lack of this movement literally "starves" the cartilage, leading to its degradation, pain, and further restrictions.

Motivation vs. the Body's Needs

The problem often doesn’t lie in the lack of ability to perform these movements (at least initially), but in the lack of awareness of their fundamental need or simply the lack of motivation to perform them regularly. Since the job doesn't require it, and we feel tired, it’s easy to forgo them.

Even worse, if you lead a less active lifestyle outside of work, there's a high risk that your joints never experience their full physiological range of motion. Perhaps besides accidental, often uncontrolled situations during housework (which, with limited mobility, can even lead to injuries!).

Is 10,000 steps enough? Still not.

That's why general activity, like walking, though important, is not enough. It doesn’t replace specific mobilizing movements that deliberately take joints through their full, natural range. We need conscious action to counteract the negative effects of sitting.

What can you do TODAY?

The key is regularly "interrupting" sitting and incorporating conscious mobilization exercises. You don’t have to spend an hour at the gym right away. Short, few-minute sessions during the workday are sufficient:

• Do a few simple mobilization exercises

• Stand up, walk around the office, change your position!

And if you’re seeking support, motivation, and ready-made exercise sets tailored to the realities of office work, the FIXme app was created just for that – to help you incorporate care for mobility and spine health into your workday by offering simple and effective exercises that address these specific needs.

In summary: Your job may not require full squats, but your joints definitely do. Don’t let a lack of motivation or awareness lead to pain, restrictions, and degeneration. Invest a few minutes a day into your mobility – it’s an investment in a pain-free future, proficiency, and health for years to come. Your body will thank you!