Sit at your own risk: Make office your mini–gym

New Delhi, February 5: Be it the Metro, car, bike or workplace, most office–goers tend to sit at one spot at a stretch every day at the cost of their health. So how about taking a little time out to exercise at your workplace every now and then? A survey done by Qi Spine Clinic in 2014 shows that 57 percent of professiols in office jobs are affected by visible symptoms of sedentary workplace behaviour. Experts agree and suggest that by taking breaks to stretch or to run on the spot, people can work towards a healthier lifestyle. “Desk work puts a huge mental and physical stress on our bodies, especially on our lower back, leading to low back pain,” Garima Andani, chief spine specialist at Qi Spine Clinic, told IANS. “The combition of high stress at jobs (which puts people at greater risk for habits such as smoking), sitting for long periods (sitting for over two hours at a stretch is considered a long period) at the desk in poor posture, and lack of physical activity, puts us at greater risk for low back pain,” she added. Stressing the importance of an active lifestyle, Ibrahim Khan, master trainer at Talwalkars gym, said: “A sitting job would lead to lower back pain and spondylosis. A side effect of not working out would be slowing down of Basal Metabolic Rate (the rate at which we burn our calories), and weight gain.” Leading holistic health guru Mickey Mehta has some easy–to–follow solutions. “Use the staircase at least three times a day. (IANS)