How your sedentary life affects your bones

Did you know without proper physical activity, bones become weak and can fracture easily?

The chances of you being perched on a chair while reading this article are quite high. And, if you spend most of your time either sitting in front of your TV or computer screen, then this article is only for YOU. Leading a sedentary lifestyle not only affects your posture but also makes you more susceptible to lifestyle diseases. Dr Swapnil Zambre, Orthopaedic & Arthroscopy Surgeon at Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, shares a few inputs on how being a couch potato can affect your bones and your health in the long term.

Simple day-to-day activities like walking to work or taking the stairs rather than the elevator is something we never do. We usually spend more than 6 hours a day on a chair. And by doing so, we increase the risk of developing weak muscles and bones, leading to joint and bone ailments. Not just this, in fact, inactive individuals lose 20-40% of their muscle mass throughout their adult life. Moreover, leading a sedentary lifestyle influences the ageing process, which is why adults who follow a more active lifestyle are biologically younger than sedentary individuals. Also, read about these 12 everyday habits are killing your bones.

How a sedentary life affects the bones

Most complaints often come from older adults, who suffer from arthritis or other joint ailments, experiencing a decline in their ability to perform basic functional tasks in their daily lives. Activities like preparing meals, shopping for groceries, taking medications and managing money as well as basic tasks such as walking across a room, bathing and dressing become tedious. Furthermore, older adults who do not use their muscles at its maximum physical capacity may further accelerate muscle function loss. Leading a sedentary life often causes joint inflammation in older adults. With the onset of arthritis and osteoporosis in older adults, the need to rely on help also increases.

According to Dr Swapnil Zambre, Orthopaedic & Arthroscopy Surgeon at Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, Inactive and sedentary lives can hamper the overall health of a person. Younger adults with bad lifestyles tend to lead a difficult life once they reach their 40s. The brunt of bad lifestyle decisions damages the joints in the long run. Although arthritis is considered as a problem associated with ageing, we see a rise in the number of younger adults suffering from related ailments too. A person s seating posture plays a pivotal role in damaging the joints which eventually leads to joint deformation. The decline in muscle integrity is seen in these individuals .

Without proper physical activity, bones become weak and thus can fracture easily. Frequent physical activity helps strengthen the bones and prevent osteoporosis and other joint ailments. You can also do yoga for strong bones.

Read this in Marathi

Read this in Hindi.

Image Source: Shutterstock