Most people may not be aware of the long-term negative effects of sitting for long periods of time, even though most may have experienced some of these effects firsthand. We tend to assume that the aches and pains we suffer are just temporary and will go away if we rest enough.
While this may be true at the start, sitting in the wrong chair can actually cause even more problems. There are plenty of health problems that come with sitting, but plenty more if you accompany that with a bad chair.
Most people will spend about a minimum of 30% of their lives sitting, which can be pretty telling of how dire the situation is. When you consider that a large part of our day will be spent at the office, sitting in the office chair, it becomes clear that having a good chair is important.
Let's look at some of the risks of sitting in the wrong chair.
Consequences of Using The Wrong Chair
Poor Blood Circulation
One of the ways a bad chair can affect you is to affect the blood flow in your body. You might think, what does my chair have to do with my circulation? Your blood flows through your body because your heart pumps it around, but the movements you make also have a role to play.
When your muscles contract and relax, they push at your veins and make your blood flow a lot faster and better than it would otherwise.
This means that if you're sitting for a long time, you're not making any real movements, which is already bad for your circulation. But sitting in the wrong chair will also mean that you're sitting in the wrong position, which can cause further problems with circulation.
In fact, a study found that people who spend more time sitting are at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, most of us spend a large portion of our lives sitting, which puts us at risk as well.
While we can't eliminate sitting from our day entirely, we can make the effort to find a better chair for us to sit in to try and mitigate the risks a bit.
Weight Gain and Obesity
One of the most obvious downsides of sitting is the fact that it makes you gain weight. When your body is not active enough and doesn't get the required amount of movement, it consumes a lot fewer calories than it would if you were standing or moving around. Calories are burned to release energy, so if you don't need the energy, you won't be burning calories.
These then start accumulating in the body as fat deposits, as your body's way of conserving energy. However, when the body starts accumulating too much fat, it becomes unhealthy and can start resulting in rapid weight gain, which can even go as far as to make you obese.
We don't always have a choice in the matter, since we do have to do our work and for our work, we have to sit at our desks. Sometimes, work pressure may mean that you don't even head out for your lunch break, and simply eat at your desk.
While the stress is understandable, the body does need to remain healthy to be able to do your work, and sitting for long stretches won't contribute much.
Having a chair that doesn't offer dynamic sitting only makes this problem worse. Dynamic sitting allows you to change the angle between the backrest and the seat, which then stimulates various muscles in your body and improves blood flow. As more energy is used up for this, it reduces the chance of gaining weight, if only by a little bit.
Fatigue and Mental Health
Sitting for long stretches can become boring, which can cause you to become fatigued. Not only are your muscles becoming stiff and sore, but you're also becoming bored and losing your concentration. This problem only becomes worse if your chair is not a suitable one.
If the chair is uncomfortable to sit in, you're likely to be distracted by the fact that you're uncomfortable and won't be able to get any work done. In fact, you're more likely to end up spending your time just trying to adjust the chair to a position that doesn't cause you discomfort, than actually doing your work.
If you have to sit in such a chair every day, then over time the discomfort will start getting to you, alongside the pain it causes, and may mess with your mental health. If you've been falling behind on your work thanks to all the time you spend fiddling with the chair, your stress levels may already be high and can cause further problems.
Digestive Problems
Digestion is a major process that keeps your body healthy. If your digestive system is whacky, you're likely to end up feeling uncomfortable and agitated, but you may also feel like your body is weakening over time. This is because the nutrients from your food will only reach your cells if it's digested properly.
Sitting for long stretches (particularly in bad posture, which is a common effect of bad chairs) causes your abdomen to compress, which results in the digestive process getting slowed down. This can also cause bloating, gas, cramps, and other problems which can add to the discomfort.
The best way to avoid this problem is to walk around as much as possible, but you can also try and reduce the problem by getting yourself a chair that can keep you from hunching over and allow for better digestion, even when you're sitting.
Back, Neck & Shoulder Pain
We've all dealt with the problems of back, neck, and shoulder pain before. In the current digital world, these problems are so common that we don't even think twice about them. But just because we're used to a problem doesn't mean it's okay.
A bad office chair, or one that is not adjusted properly can cause bad posture. You may hurt your back by sitting in a position that forces your spine out of its natural curve and can lead to disc compression and chronic pain.
Shoulder and neck pain are also common complaints when it comes to bad posture caused by bad chairs. This could be because the muscles in these areas are stiff and tense, but it could also be because of nerve compression.
While pain in these areas is often not taken seriously, these are the ones most likely to become chronic problems because of the lack of regard.
Premium Ergonomic Office Chair (C7)
If you're looking for an ergonomic chair with all of the above, FlexiSpot's Premium Ergonomic Office Chair (C7) is your best option.
The C7 series features patented adjustable lumbar support: precisely tailored to your spine's natural motion with synchronized adjustments in the backrest, seat, and headrest. Stay snugly supported, reducing spinal and sciatic pressure on your back, waist, and hips. It has a 20" seat that provides ample space for cross-legged sitting, allowing you to rest both feet on the C7. The adjustable 3D armrests, which are positioned further back on the chair, offer more freedom of movement for your knees and feet as well. It has a separate and dynamic lumbar support cushion is a comfy addition for those who need to lean forward when working.
Not only does it support the sacrum, but it also relieves pressure and prevents fatigue during long hours of sitting. FlexiSpot prioritizes product quality control and has passed the BIFMA testing. C7 is built to handle the daily grind, being strong, solid, and stable, with a safe weight capacity of up to 300 lbs.
FlexiSpot is so confident in its quality that you'll get a 10-year warranty.
