Wednesday, May 5, 2021
In this article
Summary
- Explores the relationship between prolonged sitting and sciatica, a common condition characterized by pain radiating along the sciatic nerve.
- Discusses the potential connection between prolonged sitting and the development or exacerbation of sciatica symptoms.
- Provides insights into the impact of prolonged sitting on posture, spinal alignment, and compression of the sciatic nerve.
- Offers tips for reducing the risk of developing or worsening sciatica while sitting for extended periods, such as practicing good ergonomics, taking regular breaks, and incorporating movement and stretching into daily routines.
- Discusses the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle, engaging in regular exercise, and strengthening the core and back muscles to support spinal health.
- Provides recommendations for managing sciatica symptoms, including pain management techniques, physical therapy interventions, and seeking professional advice.
- Offers insights into the benefits of alternative sitting options, such as standing desks or ergonomic chairs, to alleviate the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
- Highlights the importance of individualized care and seeking appropriate medical guidance for accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plans.
- Aims to provide information and practical strategies to help individuals understand the potential relationship between prolonged sitting and sciatica and empower them to take proactive steps towards prevention and management.
These days, we might not realise how much we’re sitting down and how this prolonged sitting can have a negative effect on our health.
From sitting on the couch watching Netflix, enjoying long brunches on a Sunday, commuting to and from work on the train and sitting at our desks all day long, we’re sitting a lot.
In this blog post, we’re going over some of the health risks of prolonged sitting, how prolonged sitting affects our bodies, the details of sciatica and some of your most common questions about sciatica and other issues caused by sitting too long.
So, let’s get into it.
Prolonged Sitting Health Risks
Some experts suggest that prolonged sitting is more dangerous than smoking. And while this sounds extreme, sitting for long periods can do damage to our health in ways we might not realise.
As modern lifestyles become more and more sedentary, sitting for long periods of time can cause major issues to your spine. Somewhere between one and ten per cent of the population ages 25 to 45 report sciatica pain, one of the most painful risks of prolonged sitting.
According to a study from National Health and Nutrition Examinations Surveys, 70% of people spend six hours or more sitting down each day. Whether it’s sitting at a desk doing work, sitting to watch TV or sitting in a car, bus or train to commute, many spend most of their waking hours sitting down.
Even those who exercise regularly face health risks from prolonged sitting including:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Type 2 diabetes
- Sciatica
Still, regular exercise significantly reduces your risk of these health issues caused by sitting for long periods, but the statistics are unsettling. Essentially, if you sit for any prolonged period, it’s important to be aware of the risks and how to manage them.
Effects of Prolonged Sitting on Muscles
So, why does sitting wreak havoc on our health? Well, sitting has a profound impact on our muscles and spines.
When we sit, all of our upper body weight rests on our lower back. This increased compression in and on our spinal discs and spinal column increases the pressure against our nerve roots that make up our sciatic nerve. This is where sciatica symptoms come in.
Plus, if you have pre-existing back problems, sitting for long periods can worsen your symptoms. Whether it’s additional compression causing problems or it’s that extra irritation to previously irritated areas, the point is, prolonged sitting causes back pain.
Then, as more pain originates from the spinal column in the lower back, it’s bound to travel down to the hip joint, buttocks and back of the leg to the foot, causing a much bigger problem.
How long is too long to sit with sciatica?
Research suggests that sitting continuously for more than 30–45 minutes at a time can exacerbate sciatic pain. Every half-hour, aim to stand, walk or perform gentle hip and lower-back stretches for 2–3 minutes. Prolonged bouts exceeding an hour without movement increase pressure on the lumbar discs and narrow the spaces where the sciatic nerve exits the spine, deepening irritation.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a chronic condition caused by a narrowing of the spine, bone spurs, herniated discs and prolonged sitting. Sciatica can be incredibly painful, requiring physiotherapy and can even cause additional problems like leg and foot pain.
However, on many occasions, sciatica can be resolved by taking some preventative measures if you happen to sit for long periods.
Why did I suddenly develop sciatica?
Sciatica can arise abruptly when a previously healthy disc bulges or herniates, suddenly compressing the nerve root. Common “sudden” triggers include:
- Heavy lifting or awkward twist, placing acute load on a vulnerable disc
- Falling or jarring impact, causing micro-tears in the annulus fibrosus
- Rapid return to prolonged sitting after activity, leaving a disc swollen and inflamed
Oftentimes, an underlying degenerative change builds over months, then a single event, like bending to pick up a child, brings on the classic sharp, radiating leg pain.
The main causes of sciatica include:
- Prolonged sitting
- Wearing high heels
- Bone spurs
- Herniated discs
- Pinched nerves
Other less common causes of sciatica including:
- Tumours
- Diabetes
- Sciatic nerve injury
- Pelvic fractures
- Glute trauma
For those with desk jobs, jobs requiring wearing high heels, jobs requiring heavy lifting or those who are obese or elderly are at higher risk of developing sciatica.
Even simple things like carrying heavy items in your back pocket and wearing tight pants can contribute to sciatica.
The most common symptoms associated with sciatica include:
- Lower back pain, usually one-sided
- Pain in your glutes and down one or both legs
- Heightened pain during a sneeze or cough
- Numbness
- Tingling sensations
- Muscle weakness
The severity of these symptoms will vary from person to person ranging from a dull ache to unbearable shooting pains.
What can be mistaken for sciatica?
Several conditions mimic sciatic-type symptoms but require different treatments:
- Piriformis syndrome – tight buttock muscle compresses the nerve outside the spine
- Lumbar spinal stenosis – central canal narrowing causes leg pain on standing or walking
- Hip osteoarthritis – groin and thigh pain that sometimes radiates downward
- Hamstring tendinopathy – high-sit tendons cause distal thigh discomfort
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction – pain around the PSIS often mis-perceived as sciatica
A careful history, physical exam and, if needed, imaging will distinguish these from true nerve-root compression.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Sit with an open hip angle. Instead of sitting with your feet flat on the floor with your hips, knees and ankles at a 90-degree angle, try sitting in a way that allows your hips to be more open. You might raise your seat a bit higher, sit on a firm pillow or tuck your feet underneath you. With less compression in your hips, you’ll be taking some pressure off your sciatic nerve.
- Sit cross-legged. Sitting cross-legged or with one leg crossed over the other in a figure four position can give you some relief for sciatica pain. It also helps lengthen the piriformis muscle and decreases the pressure on your sciatic nerve.
- Sit with proper back support. With some lower back support from a lumbar roll cushion or by using a chair with lumbar support built-in, you can help the appropriate muscles relax to take some pressure off of your sciatic nerve.
Prolonged sitting is a modifiable risk factor for sciatica—and with simple strategies like standing breaks, correct posture and targeted stretches, you can greatly reduce your pain. Should your symptoms persist, a personalised assessment is vital to rule out disc herniation or mimicking conditions and to guide effective rehabilitation.
Next Steps
If sciatica is impacting your daily life, Physio Inq can help you stand up to pain:
- Physiotherapy for clinical assessment and hands-on treatment
- Exercise Physiology for bespoke strength, flexibility and movement programs
- Occupational Therapy to optimise your workspace and daily routines
Call us today on 1300 731 733 or book an appointment online for a tailored plan to relieve your sciatica and get you moving comfortably again.
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