Consequences of a sedentary lifestyle
We live in the age of the sedentary: Almost 19 percent of the Swiss spend more than 8.5 hours a day sitting - in the car or bus, at a desk or on the couch. It's normal for us, but not for our skeleton and muscles. The best prevention of discomfort is exercise. In our Holmes Place clubs you will find courses that are specially designed for this.
Our goal is to help you become healthier and fitter. Do you want more strength to prevent back problems? Then visit one of the "Mind & Body" courses in our studios. They range from yoga to Feldenkrais to Pilates, and brand new sports are being added all the time. Many are ideal for strengthening the abdominal and core muscles.
What actually makes sitting for long periods of time so unhealthy? In this position, the upper body and thighs form a 90-degree angle. It's the same with the upper and lower legs. For a short time, this is not a problem, but if you sit for a longer period, then the skeleton and muscles suffer. That's because the muscles are used one-sidedly - some too much, the others not at all. This can cause posture problems and pain.
Sitting for long periods of time causes some muscles to "shorten". This is true, for example, of the lumbar-iliac muscle known as the hip flexor (musculus iliopsoas), which ensures that the hip joints remain mobile. Whereas "the" hip flexor is not quite right - it includes several muscles. The largest is the greater lumbar muscle, which runs from the twelfth thoracic vertebra and the first four lumbar vertebrae and through the pelvis to the femur.
Sitting all the time causes the hip flexor to shorten, and stress also causes tension. The consequences: Pain in the back, neck and/or hip, and even herniated discs.
But sitting for long periods of time causes even more: the gluteal muscles, which are responsible for pelvic stability and rotation and the movements of the hip, become slack. This can also cause pain because the posture changes.
There is a simple exercise you can do to determine if your hip flexor is shortened: lie on the floor, put one leg up, clasp the knee and pull it as close to your chest as possible - keeping your shoulders on the floor. If you manage to keep the extended leg on the floor, then everything is fine with your hip flexors.
To avoid future problems, it is definitely worth doing something preventive for the muscles that suffer from sitting. There are many exercises (for example HERE).
In our Premium Fitness Studios, we offer over 75 classes, many of which are ideal for the abdominal and back muscles. For example, Pilates, which is not only a lot of fun, but a very effective muscle workout. You can also book group courses such as "Rückenfit" - it's a workout for the abdomen and back that prevents back pain.
A main focus of our courses are the "Mind & Body" courses from Yoga to Feldenkrais, with which you can also strengthen many muscle areas. Or try Antigravity Fitness, which combines aerial yoga with fitness exercises: you work with special scarves that somewhat resemble hammocks and in which you can literally "let yourself hang". This relieves the spine and trains abdominal and core muscles.