A less active lifestyle is becoming a characteristic of many office jobs today. Besides familiar problems such as back pain, neck fatigue or dry eyes, another health risk warned by experts is hernia, especially for people who work for many hours each day.
According to Dr. Santhosh Kumar, a digestive expert at Fortis Nagarbhavi Hospital (Bengaluru, India), office work does not directly cause hernias, but accompanying habits can increase the risk of disease over time.
What is gastroesophageal discharge?
Hernia occurs when an internal organ, usually the intestines, passes through the weakness of the abdominal wall or surrounding tissue. The disease is usually manifested by a soft blister in the abdomen or groin, which can cause severe, uncomfortable or painful sensations, especially when coughing, sneezing, or carrying heavy loads.
The core cause of hernia is the weakening of the abdominal wall combined with prolonged pressure increases in the abdominal cavity.
Why are office workers at higher risk?
According to Dr. Kumar, three common factors in office workers can contribute to increasing the risk of hernia.
Sitting for a long time weakens abdominal muscles: Sitting continuously for many hours, especially in a lumpy posture, makes the abdominal muscles and core muscles less active. Over time, the abdominal walls weaken, reducing the ability to support internal organs. When encountering a sudden pressure increase, the risk of hernia will be higher.
Weight gain due to lack of exercise: Office workers often exercise less, eat irregularly and easily gain weight, especially abdominal fat. This excess weight increases pressure on the abdominal walls frequently, creating conditions for hernia to form.
Prolonged constipation: A low-fiber diet, drinking little water and erratic living habits cause many office workers to get constipation. Drizzing vigorously when going to the toilet increases pressure in the abdominal cavity, especially dangerous when the abdominal muscles are already weak.
Other risk factors to note
In addition to the specific nature of the job, some other factors also increase the risk of hernia such as smoking, chronic cough, medical history of abdominal surgery or incorrect positioning of heavy objects in daily life and exercise.
How to reduce the risk of hernia for office workers
Dr. Kumar believes that office workers can completely prevent hernias by adjusting daily habits. You should get up and exercise every 45–60 minutes, walk gently and stretch your body. Practice abdominal strength training exercises such as planks, hip lifting, deep breathing exercises to improve abdominal strength. Maintain a high-fiber diet, drink enough water to prevent constipation. At the same time, pay attention to the correct sitting posture and control your weight at a reasonable level.
