Blood circulation impaired due to physical inactivity
According to Dr. Venkata Ramakrishna T - Head of Spinal Surgery Department at Arete Hospitals, the human body is designed to move continuously. When maintaining a sitting posture for many hours, especially in front of a computer, blood flow will slow down significantly, especially in the leg area.
He explained that the calf muscles, which are considered "peripheral hearts," have the task of supporting blood flow back to the heart. However, when sitting for a long time, this muscle group is almost inactive, making blood easily stagnate in the lower extremities. At the same time, pressure on the thighs and behind the knees also hinders blood circulation.
Initial manifestations are often quite silent such as feeling heavy in the legs at the end of the day, numbness after sitting for a long time, slightly swollen ankles or tired legs even when not exercising much. Because the symptoms are not too severe, many people easily overlook them.
Dr. David Dunstan - a research expert on sedentary behavior at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute - said that sitting for too long is closely related to the risk of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease and peripheral circulatory failure. According to him, the body responds based on the total amount of exercise per day, not just depending on one hour of exercise.
One hour of practice cannot "erase" a whole day of sitting still
Many people think that just going to the gym or jogging after work is enough to compensate for sitting for eight to ten hours a day. However, experts say this is a fairly common misconception.
Dr. Ramakrishna emphasized that if the body is motionless for most of the day, blood circulation is still affected even if the person exercises regularly. In the long run, this condition can lead to stiff joints, muscle weakness, varicose veins and in rare cases deep venous thrombosis.
Sitting posture also plays an important role. Sitting hunched over, crossing legs for too long, or bowing forward will increase pressure on the abdomen, pelvis, and lower back, thereby hindering blood circulation.
Experts recommend office workers to get up and exercise every 30 to 45 minutes. Just a short walk, stretching shoulders or changing positions is enough to help activate muscle activity and improve circulation. In addition, drinking enough water, adjusting chair height appropriately and keeping both feet touching the floor also contributes to reducing pressure on the blood vessel system.
In the context of office work increasingly being associated with computer screens, maintaining small movements during the day is considered a simple but effective "medicine" to protect long-term circulatory health.
