- Sitting for long hours slows down the metabolism in your bun muscles to one calorie/minute – the reason for office chair butt!
- This is one-third of what it usually burns when you’re walking.
Sitting for long hours is harmful to your health in many ways. That’s something we’ve heard probably a million times. But did you know you could get an office chair butt due to sitting for a prolonged duration?
As a corporate employee, if you need more than you worry about the different deadlines and pending projects, you also have this. A corporate employee usually cries about both, from keeping yourself hydrated to maintaining physical fitness.
The following article will be useful if you have been working a job requiring you to sit for long hours. Don’t forget to read till the end for complete reversal of the syndrome!
Understanding Office Chair Butt
Office chair butt is nothing different than just weakened gluteus maximus muscle. When you sit for long hours (desk jobs, huh) and have no space for exercise, your butt changes shape, literally.
Inactivity also leads to loss of muscle shape and tone which is also known as dead butt syndrome. This syndrome is quite accurate and slows down the electrical activity in your muscles.
It slows it down, and your metabolism drops to burning one calorie/minute! This is concerning as it can increase your plasma triglycerides and LDL cholesterol (the bad one out of the two) and increase insulin resistance.
The most common cause of the dead butt syndrome is also sitting for long periods in a car – it’s no better than sitting in an office space. So, as a rule of thumb, to avoid this syndrome, it is important that you maintain a regular break interval.
This term has sparked widespread discussion amongst content creators, speculating whether sitting at work causes decline. The strength and appearance of a person’s glutes is a big concern in this case.
Fitness enthusiasts and influencers worldwide have been raising awareness about the syndrome. With people gaining awareness about the syndrome, it is even more important to do something about it.
Alternatives to sitting in front of the desk include a standing desk – which may not be feasible for everyone – even after using it for some time. Let’s say those with knee issues will not find this alternative helpful.
So, what can be done about it? Well, we’ll get to a few doable things in some time. Let’s first look at the implications.
Implications of Office Chair Butt
Office chair butt is soon going to become a silent killer like high blood pressure as it slowly affects essential parts of the body. From muscle weakness to mobility issues, office chair butt can have some serious implications, some of which are:
- Stiffness in the hips and legs due to sitting for long periods
- Reduced mobility makes moving harder – even walking or running and squatting becomes painful.
- Muscle weakness due to the weakening of the gluteus maximus muscles leads to loss of tone.
- Reduced blood circulation due to sitting for long periods. This can lead to tingling and numbness in the area.
- Office chair butt can also cause postural issues such as misaligned spine and rounded back
- Increases the risk of health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
- Potential for chronic neck and back pain
You can avoid all of this through the following simple steps. Check them out!
Common Symptoms Associated with Office Chair Butt
Office chair butt is quite serious – the above section should’ve made that clear. Here are some common symptoms:
- Numbness or soreness that occurs in thighs, buttocks, and hips
- Lower back pain that radiates to the surrounding regions
- Stiffness in the ligaments and back muscles due to reduced blood circulation
- Discomfort while walking, running, or squatting. Sometimes even sitting and getting up can become painful with this syndrome.
- Tingling or numbness in the legs and buttocks
Causes of Office Chair Butt
Here are some causes of office chair butt that not be apparent while you carry them out daily. Check these out:
A. Prolonged Sitting
We’ve already covered how sitting for long hours can harm your back and glutes. There is more reason to ditch sitting for long hours and give some exercise to your buttocks!
B. Poor Ergonomic Design
One of the significant challenges facing office employees includes the negative effects of poor ergonomic design of office chairs and desks. If your employees must be at their desks for most of their shifts, employers must take the pains to ensure they have the proper equipment.
This includes providing the right FF&E or furniture, fixtures, and equipment that support their well-being. The desk should be at a good height so that the employee can sit with a good posture.
Ergonomic office chairs have features such as padded back support and comfortable cushions for thighs and buttocks. It should also keep the user sitting upright instead of slouching.
C. Poor Posture
Poor posture, even with an ergonomic chair, becomes one of the significant causes of office chair butt. This is why people, even with the latest FF&E, suffer from rounded backs, strained muscles, and pain while walking.
Common posture issues that lead to office chair butt include:
- Forward leaning
- Slouching
- Impact on gluteal muscles and overall comfort
Long-term health implications of prolonged sitting
The long-term effects of sitting for long hours are as follows:
- Diabetes due to the increase in LDL and triglycerides, which also causes obesity
- Cardiovascular diseases such as heart issues and increased mortality due to it
- Obesity, as sitting for prolonged hours, leads to the deposition of fat in several areas of the body.
- Blood clots, especially in the legs and feet, lead to deep vein thrombosis.
- Mental health issues such as depression and body dysmorphia
- Musculoskeletal issues include stress in the shoulders, hips, and other joints. It also puts undue strain on the spine, affecting your long-term health.
These are some of the long-term health implications, some of which are deadly for those working jobs that require them to sit for prolonged hours. The following section will illustrate the different ways you can control these implications.
Simple Tweaks to Routine to Prevent Office Chair Butt Easily!
Suppose you are starting a new job requiring you to sit for prolonged hours or are a student constantly studying due to the crazy education system. This list is for you. You do not have to fear the dead butt syndrome if you keep your routine in check. Here are some easy ways:
A. Ergonomic Solutions
Ergonomic solutions have been all the rage recently. From home offices to corporate workspaces, you can transform your office workstation into a healthy space without negative health implications.
If you are in a hybrid work schedule, consider adding an ergonomic chair to your home office setup.
B. Use of Seat Cushions
Modern office chairs come with cushions or some foamy material that will provide some support for the user. However, these do not get the job done as they tend to flatten with time.
Seat cushions, on the other hand, are designed with foam that will stay for a long time. These come with ergonomic designs in the best shape for lumbar support and spine health.
C. Maintaining Good Posture
Maintaining a good posture is super important when thinking of preventing office chairs. This is imperative for keeping health issues such as musculoskeletal issues at bay. One of the reasons why people with desk jobs suffer health issues is their poor posture.
Keep your back straight naturally, and don’t force it – it will put your back under more strain if you do it wrong.
D. Taking Regular Breaks
Taking regular breaks should not be used as a pass for roaming around doing nothing. Regular breaks mean getting up from your workstation to fill water bottles or take long breaks.
This allows your muscles the opportunity to keep their metabolism going. Don’t think of it as office distractions; see it as an opportunity to work those muscles!
E. Incorporate Exercise
Incorporating exercise is important in your routine as it prevents musculoskeletal issues and stiffness in the buttocks. If you are in an office, get up to talk to your manager or team lead instead of using chat or email.
You must keep your physical health in check to stay in the best shape and prevent the disruption of your gluteal muscles.
F. Stay Hydrated and Eat a Balanced Diet
Did you know staying hydrated is one of the easiest ways to prevent dead butt syndrome? This small step of maintaining adequate hydration can help your gluteal have adequate electrolytes and fluids.
This maintains its functions and ensures proper flexibility and contraction. Dehydration can lead to cramps as the muscles become stiff due to the lack of flexibility.
Eating a balanced diet that keeps the excess weight off by fighting radicals and LDL, triglyceride deposition is helpful. One of the best ways to prevent muscle tightening is by considering massage or forma rolling after office hours.
11 Exercises to Combat Office Chair Butt
Here are a few exercises that can help you regain the strength in your buns without any issues. The exercises are divided into two categories, A and B; check them out below:
- Strengthening Exercises
These exercises help strengthen the gluteal and surrounding muscles. This maintains their integrity and strength, even if you are working a desk job for 6+ hours.
- Calf raises
- Squats
- Triceps dip
- Hip bridge
- Lunges
- Chair lift
- Stretching Routines
Stretching exercises include those movements that help reduce the strain and soreness in your hip and thigh muscles. These exercises are:
- Hamstring stretch
- Gluteal stretch
- Spinal twist
- Cat cow stretch
- Shoulder stretch
These are easy-to-do exercises that can be done in less than 10 minutes. You must take care of your posture while doing the exercises. Look up videos if need be or you can ping us your queries!
Wrapping It Up!
That was all about the different ways you can prevent office chair butt with proper habits and a few exercises. These exercises and habits help you ensure proper blood circulation in the muscles, which can help it function well.
Whether you are working in an office or a remote setting, you can easily keep this under control as there are serious implications. If unsure whether the strain or pain is due to the office chair, consult a medical professional for the best advice.
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