A few months ago, you may have been thankful that you work inside. You stayed warm in your seat while others had to carry on outside in the bitter cold. Now summer is on its way, and you might be wishing you could get out more.
However, the weather is not the only factor that should make you want to get up and out. Any job that requires you to spend most of your day sitting carries significant health risks.
Our bodies were not designed to sit all day
Here are some of the possible consequences of sitting at work all day long:
- Chronic back or neck pain: Ask your employer for an ergonomic seat or standing desk. If you use a screen, ensure it is at the correct height to reduce neck strain.
- Repetitive strain injuries: You do not need to be typing at a keyboard to get things like carpal tunnel syndrome. Counting money as a bank clerk all day or swiping endless items across the supermarket scanner could also cause long-term pain.
- Severe headaches: Staring at a screen all day is unnatural. It can affect some people much more than others.
- Long-term illness: Being sat stationary can increase the chance of diabetes, thrombosis and heart disease.
If you think sitting all day at work has harmed your health, you need to consult an attorney. Proving a one-off event is to blame for an injury is far easier than proving your injury or illness happened over time due to your job. Yet, many people have filed successful workers’ compensation claims for time accrued workplace injuries or illnesses. The pain you feel is real, regardless of what your employer or their insurance company might say.
