Imagine not putting your butt on any surface for a whole week; That means don’t lie on the couch while watching TV, don’t sit on the office chair while working, or even don’t use the toilet seat.
Lucas Ballthe popular YouTuber known on YouTube as Pygmie, decided to spend seven whole days without sitting down. Not surprisingly, standing all the time makes everyday tasks like driving and working significantly more complicated. Bal’s motivation for doing this was health concerns and not just for stunts.
In the introduction of this experiment, Pygmy explains that Americans sit for an average of 9.5 hours a day; If long-term sitting and physical inactivity are associated with obesity and a series of obesity-related diseases.
Pygmy says chronic sitting is linked to problems such as back pain, spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, poor back, neck and shoulder posture, as well as vascular problems in the legs and many other health problems. Studies have linked an excessively sedentary lifestyle to reduced brain volume and an increased risk of early death. For this reason, people with office and desk jobs are encouraged not to sit continuously and to get up and move while working.
Pygmy bought a standing desk so that he could continue working while standing. The first thing he noticed was the immediate effect that standing still had on the intestines. “I felt like everything was moving easily in the right direction,” he says.
Prolonged standing can change the shape of the spine
Pygmy abandoned his experiment after five days due to joint pain, poor posture and extreme fatigue. After analyzing and comparing the before and after pictures, he realized that he had significant upper body bending or kyphosis. Defects in the spine cause kyphosis or hunchback and improper rounding of the shoulders, which can be hereditary or acquired.
All the changes that occurred in the pygmy body were not negative. He noticed that the shape of his lower spine had improved and there was more curvature. He also found that working while standing made him about 30 percent more productive, although this benefit diminished as fatigue developed throughout the day.
Pygmy gained about 450 grams, probably because he was eating more than usual to take his mind off the pain and fatigue of his legs. He believes that the most significant effect of working at a standing desk is the improvement in digestion. What do you think? Can you think about avoiding sitting for long periods of time?
