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How Sitting Affects Healing
We were built to move, yet the average adult now sits for more of their day than they sleep. After a motor vehicle accident (MVA), pain and recovery keep many patients parked even longer, turning a healing phase into a mobility nightmare. Here are five ways excessive sitting quietly damages the body and why the doctors at Chambers Medical Group, one of the highest rated car accident medical doctor care facilities in Kentucky, urges patients to stand, walk, and move as soon as it is safe. Dr. Aaron Workman, a patient favorite, explains.
- Weakens Your Backside
Sitting compresses the buttock muscles for hours, sending the brain a message that you do not need those muscles to be strong. Within the following weeks the gluteus maximus and medius will weaken dramatically. This results in poor hip stability and a lower back overload. Studies using MRI have shown that deep stabilizing muscles can lose up to 30% of their function within weeks of reduced activity, showing what happens when you sit for too long.
- Creates Dysfunctional Pelvis
Sitting keeps your hip flexor muscles contracted and bent. Over extended periods, this position can lead to permanent muscle shortening and tightness, which in turn pulls on the lower spine and results in too much pelvic tilt. This forward tilt is a major cause of ongoing lower back pain. For those recovering from injuries like whiplash or a lumbar injury from an MVA, this posture makes healing slower and pain worse.
- Slows Circulation and Raises Clot Risk
Sitting for long periods can cause blood to collect in the legs. This significantly raises the risk of a dangerous condition called deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), or blood clots, and can often occur in the legs. A severe MVA can make you immobile for months, putting you at risk by creating similar circulation issues.
- Fat Around Organs
Sitting for long periods can harm how your body handles food. It turns off an important helper that clears fats and sugars from your bloodstream, especially after you eat. This makes it harder to manage blood sugar and can cause dangerous fat to build up around your internal organs. Studies show a clear link between more time spent sitting and these problems, even in people who exercise regularly.
- Speeds up Disc Degeneration
Sitting for long periods puts constant pressure on the cushions between your vertebrae. These discs need movement to stay hydrated and healthy. Without movement, they flatten out, which speeds up wear and tear stiffening your spine over time. This can lead to faster disc breakdown and a higher chance of chronic pain, especially for discs already injured in a car accident.
Ultimately, movement is essential for healing and maintaining a healthy body. If pain and fear have made you hesitant to move after a car accident, the doctors at Chambers Medical Group can help. They are the specialists in treating motor vehicle accident pains and can guide you through a safe recovery process.
— This article is written by Aaron Workman, DC, one of the members of Chambers Medical Group’s team of car accident chiropractors who offer a variety of treatments and therapies ranging from diagnostic testing to various soft tissue therapies for car accidents and injuries in Kentucky.
