Back, Hip, And Leg Pain From Sitting All Day: Why You Hurt And How Massage Therapy Can Help

While you may be thankful to be gainfully employed, if your job involves sitting all day, it's probably causing your body distress and, quite possibly, causing you pain. Especially if you're in the age 55 and older demographic, an increasing segment of the working population, remaining seated at a desk for hours on end can be even harder on your body. Back, hip, and leg pain creeps up on you, and it can become permanent if you're not careful. Fortunately, though, a visit to your local chiropractor can (literally) straighten you out, leading to better posture and less pain.

What Sitting All Day Does To Your Body

Although getting off your feet usually feels like a relief, remaining in a chair for the better part of a day can be damaging to your body, both in the short and long term. It weakens your muscles, shortens the flexing elements within your hip, and causes tightening and tension in your back, shoulders, and neck. There are other consequences of prolonged sitting, too, that don't involve immediate pain and discomfort, but they're equal and sometimes even greater threats to your overall health, including promoting weight gain and possibly causing some cancers.

The Symptoms You May Be Suffering From

Sometimes the day, whether it involves lifting, sitting, bending, or straining, can leave you with typical aches and pains; however, long-term sitting usually begets a specific set of telltale symptoms:

  • A stiff neck.
  • Shoulder, elbow and wrist pain, especially if you're on a keyboard all day.
  • A back that aches terribly when you stand up.
  • Joint pain and/or swelling in the knees and ankles.
  • Foot pain when you apply pressure, such as upon standing or walking.
  • Stomach cramping, along with indigestion and a tendency to gain weight around your midsection, leading to further complications. 
  • Hunching over in poor posture, either out of habit or to compensate for the pain you're feeling.
  • Pain in different places when going to sleep and, particularly, when you get up in the morning.

If you're feeling too many of these symptoms, and you sit for too long during your workday, the two are most likely related. The pain may make working out or even going for a walk after dinner too much, although exercise is most often beneficial for people who remain idle for prolonged periods. Don't get caught in this difficult catch-22 of pain interfering with helpful exercise because, by then, you're likely to be suffering through a myriad of symptoms that leave you resentful of work and cursing your body. 

How Massage Therapy With A Chiropractor Can Help

Since you probably can't suddenly stop working, nor would working from a standing position be a practical permanent solution, seeking help from a professional source is likely your best course of action. Chiropractors, being experts in the mechanics of the human body, are seeing far too many people complaining of the exact things you're dealing with, unfortunately, as the number of workers solving problems, analyzing figures, and crunching numbers in front of a computer monitor increases. 

Chiropractic treatments give you the best of both manipulative/adjustment and massage techniques, although you may benefit more from one over the other or from both. Massage therapy is an instantly welcome remedy, given its near-instantaneous effects:

  • Improve blood circulation.
  • Resolve the muscle tension that ties you up in knots.
  • Gradually increase your flexibility and comfort levels with movement.
  • Expedite healing, without any harsh drugs, especially the addictive kind.
  • Lessen the pain you feel at that moment and, most likely, during the coming days, too.

Other Ways To Remedy The Situation

In addition to following the advice of the chiropractor you see for massage therapy, there are a number of other ways to ease the strain that sitting for so long has left on your body. Beyond having to remain in the same chair all day, you probably employ other habits that contribute to the consistent aches and pains you're feeling. Take the time to consider what you're doing to yourself and how you can do it better:

  • Wear shoes that are good for your feet, legs, and lower back, even if they're not the most aesthetically pleasing part of your outfits.
  • Avoid pants that are too tight or otherwise pull at your back and buttocks when you sit or bend (such as the trendy hip-huggers).
  • Fit your vehicle with a therapeutic cushion, especially if you have a long commute or frequently get stuck in traffic.
  • Focus on a diet for your bones that includes the calcium and vitamins you need to be strong and healthy.
  • Manage the stress that invades your muscles, leading to tightness and spasms.
  • Bring your own chair to work, if you can, and make sure it's one that supports you in all the right places.
  • Alternate between standing and sitting, plus take walking and stretching breaks throughout the day.

Although it's a good thing you have a job and that the future looks bright in terms of employment for Americans as they get older, the forecast may be for pain, which isn't good at all. Be aware of how what you're doing all day may have a lasting impact on your body and know how to address these issues before they become a permanent part of your daily routine.

For more information, get in touch with a company such as Progressive Chiropractic.


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