Why Do I Have Trouble Walking After Sitting?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

Sitting too long can make your muscles and joints stiff, so when you try to walk afterward, they may take time to “wake up” and work properly.

Explanation

When you sit for many hours, your muscles, joints, and blood vessels may be affected. This long period of rest can cause your leg muscles and lower back to become tight. Tight muscles mean that your joints and muscles do not move as easily. When you stand up, your body may need a little time for blood to start flowing well again and for your muscles need to loosen up. Taking short breaks to stand up, stretch, or walk during long sitting periods can help you stay loose and make walking easier afterward.

(References)

Waters TR, Dick RB. Evidence of health risks associated with prolonged standing at work and intervention effectiveness. Rehabil Nurs. 2015 May-Jun;40(3):148-65. doi: 10.1002/rnj.166. Epub 2014 Jul 7. PMID: 25041875; PMCID: PMC4591921.
Baker R, Coenen P, Howie E, Williamson A, Straker L. The Short Term Musculoskeletal and Cognitive Effects of Prolonged Sitting During Office Computer Work. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Aug 7;15(8):1678. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15081678. PMID: 30087262; PMCID: PMC6122014.
Markova V, Markov M, Petrova Z, Filkova S. Assessing the Impact of Prolonged Sitting and Poor Posture on Lower Back Pain: A Photogrammetric and Machine Learning Approach. _Computers_. 2024; 13(9):231. https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13090231

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