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that come from sitting too much,” said L.B. Irigoyen, an exercise physiologist and wellness
coach with Baptist Health South Florida. “Pains you may have after a long period of sitting is
your body’s way of expressing that its range of motion is being limited. This leads to a higher
chance of injury which can decrease quality of life.”

A lot of lower back pain comes from putting too much load on the spine, according to Mr.
Irigoyen. Sitting for prolonged periods compresses the vertebrae.

He says spending a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes a day in body maintenance is essential to

maintaining strength, conditioning joints and muscles and keeping tendons and ligaments
healthy. Some of the things helping at the workplace include standing desks, gadgets to help
you exercise at your desk and apps that remind you to get up and move.

If you don’t have access to a standing desk, stepping away and going for a brief walk will help,
say experts. Another study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests that

the impaired blood flow in leg arteries can actually be reversed by breaking up your sitting
regimen with five-minute walking breaks.

Mr. Irigoyen offers other tips for reducing what he refers to as “optional” sitting:

For every 30 minutes of sitting, move for at least two minutes. Get up and take a walk around
the office or outside. Dedicate part of your lunch break to walking. Incorporate more walking into
your daily routine by parking further away from the building and taking the stairs.

Choose to stand when you can. Stand while attending meetings or social gatherings, while
eating breakfast or talking on the phone. Leaning against a table or stool is less detrimental than

sitting in a chair, Mr. Irigoyen says.

Prioritize body position when you can. Sit with shoulders back and a relaxed jaw. Stand with
feet facing straight forward, chin tucked to create a long neck and squeeze glutes to neutralize

any pelvic tilts. And remember to breathe. Taking a few deep breaths at your desk helps relax
your shoulders and ease tension that causes muscles to tighten, causing aches and pains.

Spend time stretching. After a period of sitting, stretching helps to decompress joints. Sit on the
floor and spend time stretching while watching TV. Stand and push away from your desk to
stretch hamstring and calf muscles. Stretch arms overhead to loosen shoulder and neck

tension.