Is Sitting Harmful for People with Parkinson’s Disease?

The answer to that question is YES!

Research shows that sitting too much is one of the biggest potential threats to our health, and it makes Parkinson’s progress faster.

I’m giving my readers a little tough love with this series. 💪❤️ We must break this habit of sitting most of the day! Last winter, many people with PD saw their health decline rapidly and their symptoms progress because they were sitting for long periods watching TV, on the computer, or reading. With PD, you just cannot do this.

“We are sitting ourselves to death. We are not designed to sit as much as we do,” says James Levine, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. “The chair is out to kill us.”

Did you know your metabolism slows down by 90% after just 30 minutes of sitting?That means YOU slow down after 30 minutes of sitting—and it makes all your PD symptoms a lot worse. Just think of how stiff you feel when you first stand up.

Watch this video to learn how to break up your sitting time and wake up your body by walking your hands to the ground and doing a sequence of sit-to-stands:

These are just a few of the problems too much sitting can cause:

• Back Pain – Up to 90% more pressure is in the lower back when sitting versus standing.
• Neck Pain – Poor sitting alignment will cause forward head posture.
• Stiffness and Slowness – Sitting can tighten up muscles and pull joints out of alignment.
• Cognitive Decline – “Foggy” brain
• Depression and Anxiety – Decline in mood
• Constipation – The gut slows down, too!

Of course, we can’t stop sitting altogether, but there are things we can do to protect our bodies from the negative effects of sitting.

Follow these steps to strengthen your core, back, and glute muscles, plus stretch your inner thigh and groin muscles. It will get your blood pumping!

• Sit at the edge of your chair.

• Distribute your body weight evenly on both hips (sit bones and pubic bone).
• Bend your knees at a right angle. Keep your knees even with your hips and aligned with your feet.

• Walk your hands down to the ground and try to touch the floor.

• Walk them back up and reach for the sky.

• Stand up by doing the “nose over toes” method and reach for the sky. You may use the arms of the chair if needed until you get stronger.

• Look behind you for the chair, aim your sit bones for the seat, and sit back down with control.
• Set an alarm for every 30 minutes to remind yourself that it’s time to get up. When you sit back down, sit tall and straight.

** If you have balance issues, have someone help you get up safely.

** If you are in a wheelchair and cannot stand up, still try to sit up with good posture. If you can, walk your hands down toward the ground. This core activation is important even if you cannot stand up. It still matters!

Practice this throughout your day, every day!

Go forth and conquer,

💜 Coach Kimberly