# Interesting study--why sitting can kill you



## Lou (Apr 11, 2011)

For those of you who sit around all day (I'm guilty too!):

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/menshealth/most-dangerous-thing-youll-do-all-day

http://www.menshealth.com/health/staying-active?cm_mmc=Yahoo_Blog-_-Health-_-the_most_dangerous_thing-_-Office_Chair_Killing_You

Curiously, they found that despite other risk factors (smoking, heart disease) that sitting at the desk was independently associated with this increased risk of an infarction.

I wish that they'd link to the journal article rather than just give highlights. 

Considering their sample population was 17,000 individuals, I'd consider this advice out of the realm of quackery.

I guess it makes sense; we all know that driving long periods of time is bad and can lead to blood clots and the like from pooling blood in the legs. 

I wonder if they looked at truck drivers and other commercial drivers. That would be an interesting group to study since their job necessitates sitting for extended periods of time, often in a stressful environment. 


Be healthy all, and try and walk around!


----------



## Barren Realms 007 (Apr 11, 2011)

That's probably what caused the blood clots in captain Phil's leggs from deadlist catch that passed away last year.


----------



## goldenchild (Apr 11, 2011)

For sure. There is a whole industry dedicated to keeping your circulation going while sitting at your desk.

http://www.the-peddler.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=5

My one coworker has this abacus looking thing that he can roll his feet on.


----------



## shyknee (Apr 11, 2011)

that is it I'm going to give up the chair.


----------



## escrap (Apr 11, 2011)

My father was owned a trucking company back in the day and was guilty of being slightly over weight. Anyways his doctor advised him to wear compression stockings while driving in order to keep clots from forming. 

Zack


----------



## stihl88 (Apr 12, 2011)

Just by coincidence i only went to hospital yesterday to see if i had some clots in my legs, it turns out they are fine and the GP probably overreacted and referred me to the Hospital but because i sit down driving all day inspecting power-lines their was the possibility that recent leg numbness and foot swelling made the GP decide to send me to the hospital.

The guy performing the Ultrasound told me a few things about clotting,

He said that your heart is not designed particularly to pump blood too and fro throughout the body, but every time we move our legs our muscles compress the veins which in turn push/pump the blood back up towards the heart. He said it takes very very little leg movement to do this, even as much as a few toe wiggles is enough to get the blood moving again. It's when we sit in the one position for some time and don't move or wriggle around is when the blood just pools in your feet and clot's. When we move our leg or foot the muscle compresses the vein which int turn pushes the blood up one level where the blood rests on small valves inside the artery wall, after we move our foot again the blood then moves up to the next level and rests on the valve again where eventually it makes it's way back to the heart.

He also said that clotting above the knee is very very serious and you will be treated straight away if this is the case, if the clotting is below the knee then it can be treated by drugs to remove the clotting.

I asked if they still use leaches to release anti-co-coagulants into the blood stream he didn't know this but i think they mainly do this during open surgery etc :roll: 

Having just been through the rigmarole of this particular subject i thought it would be wise to post a few pointers for fellow members. The main thing is to move your feet every so often and maybe shuffle in you seat every now and then in case blood is pooling in your pelvic region also.

_*Edit:*_ On a side note the Ultrasound guy said that he doubts that my job; driving for approx 8 hrs a day in side streets getting out of the car approx 50 times during this period and the fact that the leg that is giving me grief is the leg that pushes the clutch in and out approx 500 times a day that clotting should not be an issue. We did not discuss whether blood can pool in your pelvic region so i will do a little research about blood pooling in the pelvic area.


----------



## dub8 (Apr 12, 2011)

stihl88 said:


> _*Edit:*_ On a side note the Ultrasound guy said that he doubts that my job; driving for approx 8 hrs a day in side streets getting out of the car approx 50 times during this period and the fact that the leg that is giving me grief is the leg that pushes the clutch in and out approx 500 times a day that clotting should not be an issue. We did not discuss *whether blood can pool in your pelvic region so i will do a little research about blood pooling in the pelvic area*.


that just sound just so wrong lol


----------

