Workaholic- a word that every Buffalonian is familiar with. With the summer months fast approaching, Buffalo is starting to get a little more stir crazy, and a little less happy about being stuck inside all day, working. A good many of us spend quite a few hours every day sitting at our desks, staring at our computer screens. With this in mind, it’s important to give yourself (or your employees!) time to actually move or stay active during your typical work day. Unfortunately, the workaholics of the world are at a higher risk of acquiring severe health complications such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. So here are some ways that you can improve your work life and stay a little more active.

Ditch the chair

If you are able to, try to work from a standing desk. Switching up your position from sitting to standing every half hour to hour seems to have the most positive effects. While this study states that research is still ongoing, so far they have found that for “every 1 to 2 hours you sit in your office, 1 hour should be spent standing” and to “try to alternate between sitting and standing every 30 to 60 minutes.” Any additional movement is better than not moving at all. Check out our ergonomics page for a bit more info about setting up your standing desk the right way.

Count your steps

Back in the “old days” there was a tool called a pedometer that you could buy that would count your steps. Nowadays, there is actually a built in pedometer on your smartphone! Health experts claim that wearing such a simple tool helps enhance how much walking movement you’re getting in every day. Just by being aware of how many steps you take already, you are setting yourself up for success. Going for additional walks during your break time, or parking a little farther away from the entrance of your building are all small ways that you can increase your step count and work towards a healthy lifestyle.

Workout at Your Desk

Every hour or so, try to give yourself just five minutes to try a simple light exercise. There are so many resources available to peruse throughout the internet to help you get started. We even have a series of exercises in our Buffalo Chiropractic and Physical Therapy library that you could potentially do to get started! Of course, don’t forget that the workouts you see are never intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. If you ever need guidance, especially when it comes to back and neck issues, it is best to turn to a professional, such as the doctors of BC + PT.

Keep your Spine in Mind

Workaholics spend so much time thinking, typing, and moving that they rarely remember they have a spine! If you’ve found yourself working more and hunching over your computer or notepad more than usual, it’s important to remember that your spine and your muscles can be suffering because of this. Tend to your spine with a chiropractic adjustment- our chiropractic doctors can help! Your BC + PT chiropractor may also have some tips and stretches for you to work on in order to keep your posture in tip-top shape.

Walk This Way

Hustling from meeting to meeting may have you stressed, and sitting for so long every day can weaken your muscles. Physical therapy is an excellent complement to your health routine- by nature, PT exercises help stretch and strengthen your body that may be in the same position every day. Your physical therapist can also monitor your walking posture to ensure that you’re walking correctly to avoid further pain, and help you strut into work with confidence!

Wanting to be active while stuck inside the office is contradictory to living a healthy lifestyle. By walking more, being aware of how active you already are, and taking the time to move a bit more throughout the day, should hopefully help you both live healthier and become more productive. Our doctors at Buffalo Chiropractic and Physical Therapy are also here to help with chiropractic services and physical therapy for better posture and to help keep your body in mind throughout the day! Give us a call or fill out one of our contact forms to get started. Stay Active, Buffalo!