The Wimbledon Championships move into the second fortnight and the nation is keeping their fingers crossed for a summer of sun and the possibility of two British victors!
With wall to wall TV coverage; more live channels, catch up coverage, highlights programmes plus social media updates, it could well end up being a summer of sitting!
The health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle have received a lot of coverage recently and chiropractors from the British Chiropractic Association are particularly keen to highlight the effects that prolonged periods of sitting can have on the spine. Indeed, we all seem aware that sitting has a negative impact as in consumer research carried out by the British Chiropractic Association in January 2013, 13% of respondents with back pain felt that watching TV had been the trigger.
Tim Hutchful from the British Chiropractic Association says: “Many people are completely unaware that staying in the same position can cause unnecessary strain on the back. Whether at your desk, on your tablet or sitting watching TV, it’s really important to take regular breaks to relieve the build-up of tension in your lower back. Sitting causes up to twice as much pressure on discs in the spine as standing so, as a nation, we’re vulnerable. A sunny summer should be all the encouragement we need to get off the sofa and start doing some physical activity. The impact will be positive and not only on back health. If the Wimbledon Championships get you fired up for action, follow some simple steps to make sure you do it safely and with the greatest benefit.”
Whether going for a brisk walk or having a game of tennis, take a look at these tips:
– Warm up. Make sure your muscles are prepared by gradually increasing the intensity of your warm up, to avoid lack of flexibility and injury. A warm down may also help with those post exercise aches.
– Watch the pressure points. Your joints are most at risk due to the repetitive nature of actions such as serving, ground strokes and volleying.
– Keep drinking fluids – muscles and joints work better when you are not dehydrated.
If you are watching the tennis from the sofa…
– Don’t sit in one position for more than 30-40 minutes at a time.
– Get up and move around when you take a break to give your body a complete change of position and shake out any stiffness.
