The dangers of sitting?

Sasha

Sasha

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Two or three years ago I seem to remember a lot of news stories about how sitting (or presumably lying) still for ages at a stretch was an independent risk factor for a shedload of diseases, regardless of whether you exercised even strenuously at some point in the day. The advice was (I think) that we should all get up every 30 minutes or so and walk around for a minute.

I decided to look this up, to see if I should use some of my precious and limited walking energy in this way, and have struggled to find primary sources. I did, however, find this (undated?) article pouring cold water on the quality of the relevant studies and suggesting that time sitting is simply the inverse correlate of time spent active and that the whole thing is an artefact.

Has anyone looked into this?
 
No, it appears to be health gospel - not to be questioned.

To the extent that, as far as I know, all activity trackers (like garmins, fitbits etc) come with a move alert that goes off at intervals to 'remind' people that they haven't moved in x minutes - that then has to be turned off, as straight jackets are so difficult to find on amazon.
 
This might be of relevance :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-50170687

Title : Patients to stand up at GP appointments in Loughborough University trials

The idea, apparently, is to make appointments even shorter than they already are. But of course, the idea of actually seeing a doctor face-to-face is ancient history, and I'm not convinced the NHS will ever turn back the clock on this, so the idea of standing appointments is moot.
 
Sasha said:
Two or three years ago I seem to remember a lot of news stories about how sitting (or presumably lying) still for ages at a stretch was an independent risk factor for a shedload of diseases, regardless of whether you exercised even strenuously at some point in the day. The advice was (I think) that we should all get up every 30 minutes or so and walk around for a minute.

I decided to look this up, to see if I should use some of my precious and limited walking energy in this way, and have struggled to find primary sources. I did, however, find this (undated?) article pouring cold water on the quality of the relevant studies and suggesting that time sitting is simply the inverse correlate of time spent active and that the whole thing is an artefact.

Has anyone looked into this?
Click to expand...

Human bodies were made to move, and when they don’t it sets off a chain of decline. Too much time in bed can degrade even one’s arteries; they go slack.
Unlike any other condition I can think of at the moment, moving as much as possible will make us worse, and more time being horizontal makes us better.

But there’s no repeal of the workings of nature or physiology; because we must minimize effort and maximize horizontal time it does not follow that those things are harmless. It ain’t fair, but it’s what we’ve got. I >think< there’s a threshold below which we benefit by some version of exercise, but have no way to prove or disprove it.
 
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Sasha said:
The advice was (I think) that we should all get up every 30 minutes or so and walk around for a minute.
Click to expand...
I've no idea about the science behind it but I sort of do this anyway because I find that if I lie down for more than about 45 minutes my POT on getting up again is much worse than if I get up briefly after 35 minutes. So my day is a series of lying down/reclining for 35 minutes, getting up and doing something for a couple of minutes, lying down/reclining for 35 minutes, action 2 minutes, and repeat...
 
I've wondered whether there would be any benefit from a 'passive exercise' machine that PwME (and others who can't move much under their own power) get their limbs moved. I know that biologically it wouldn't involve the same processes, but don't know enough biology to know whether it would help with anything...
 
My doc told me yrs ago I needed passive physio and physio came - had to educate her about ME and PEM - but she explained it needs to be done daily and that if I had somone who coukd do it she could show them what to do, but I live alone so not on.
 
Sasha said:
I've wondered whether there would be any benefit from a 'passive exercise' machine that PwME (and others who can't move much under their own power) get their limbs moved. I know that biologically it wouldn't involve the same processes, but don't know enough biology to know whether it would help with anything...
Click to expand...
This reminds me of the "evil machine of torture" when I had a serious knee operation in my student years (before ME/CFS) and was put on a knee-bending machine several times, similar to this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/CPM-Machin...ve-Motion-Physiotherapy-Machine-/163244704559

These kinds of machines definitely exist. (Note: it gave me a really uncomfortable experience back then but it was because of the surgery and that my knee just wouldn't bend afterwards, and it shouldn't feel as bad for someone without knee injury.)
 
Sasha said:
I've wondered whether there would be any benefit from a 'passive exercise' machine that PwME (and others who can't move much under their own power) get their limbs moved. I know that biologically it wouldn't involve the same processes, but don't know enough biology to know whether it would help with anything...
Click to expand...

This isn't exactly that, but it's close. I did this for awhile some years back. It was great & felt like 'exercise without inducing PEM' in its way, but of course the problem was...the effect of traveling to & from the office where it was done. So I can't say there was any positive effect, really. Frustrating because it seemed like there might have been some if not for the effort involved in the necessary travel--which wasn't a long distance, but of course just going out is a big deal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/External_counterpulsation
 
I don't know about a passive exercise machine but I saw a physio in the early days. This was when my ME was considered to be moderate.

Invariably, many I arrived for my appointment she'd take one look at me and wince. I was in so much constant pain I couldn't begin to tell you where it hurt.

She'd get me on the treatment table. She'd start putting supports under my head, knees ankles, elbows & shoulders. Swapping them.out when she decided they weren't right.

Then she'd leave me for about 10 minutes and come back and readjust them and leave me.

Eventually , when I was slightly less stiff and had had a rest she started moving my joints around.

She insisted that she lift the limb, not me. She'd say relax & I would have bet a month's salary that I had relaxed the muscles in the limb. Apparently, I hadn't - I couldn't. No wonder it hurt.

It was unbelievable how she knew how to handle my very sore body without inflicting pain.

I was often her last appointment of the day and when she'd finished she'd tell.me to stay there. She went off & did her paperwork and I slept like a log for an hour.

I swear I'd walk out feeling several inches taller.

Of course it all costs - I had to travel to her & back. Her fees were very reasonable but when I had to stop work and my finances became less certain.....
 
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