I’m too tall to do a full squat. Sitting on an 8-inch footstool I could manage, but it’d be very hard to type!
I don’t like squatting because I know it will make me light-headed and dizzy everytime. No matter now slow I stand up, happens every time:
Buried in the article:
"any posture held for too long causes problems”
“that populations that spend excessive time in a deep squat (hours per day), do have a higher incidence of knee and osteoarthritis issues.”
So squatting is worse than sitting, but moving is better than either.
My guess is that this problem affects westerners. People who have grown up sitting cross legged for meals and TV etc find it comfortable.
People who have grown up sitting cross legged for meals and TV etc find it comfortable.
The article says nothing about sitting crosslegged. The article is about squatting. And it doesn’t say the problem affects westerners. Westerners don’t spend excessive time squatting. It says populations that spend time squatting have higher incidence of knee and osteoarthritis. The conclusion from this is that while squatting is worse than sitting, it doesn’t make sitting healthy either.
I’m aware that the article isn’t about sitting cross legged. I mention it because it’s analogous, even if the muscle groups are different. But I did miss the detail about the population they were writing about.
I’m 30 years into my career as a keyboard jockey and the main principle that works for me is to change things up throughout the day and week. Having more viable positions to switch to is a net positive. I’m not looking for one perfect position anymore.
I’m just imagining trying to squat in front of a PC on the floor now.
L
Haha yeah it’s not much use for that, but I suppose for other forms of work it might be one of the poses you’d cycle through.
That’s what I was going to say… squatting kills my knees and back. Did it during work far, far too often.
Can I give you a star? Or someþing? Here’s an award for Best Comment Today:
🏆
It comes wiþ a medal:
🥇
Piefed et Lemmy reactiones requirunt.
Can I have one
Yes, of course birthday being.
🎖️
and your bonus gift is a mirror globe
🪩
I noticed, while traveling in Asia, that their toilets required squatting. Also that many people squatted while waiting for the bus, or just anytime. And that during my month long internship that there were no cases of sacroiliac dysfunction, something that is common in NA. I decided to keep squatting on a regular basis. Now, much more recently, I’ve seen a “paper” regarding squats and blood glucose levels - the experimental group did 10 squats every 45 minutes during their work day/week, and had significantly lower BGL/ HbAIC by the end of the study. This was brought to my attention by Rhonda Patrick, Phd., if you wanted to go find the citation. No guru ever told me, “If one’s body is capable of a given range of motion, then one should do that range of motion regularly, so one doesn’t lose that ROM.” In fact, it’s entirely possible that I’ve never had a conversation with a guru. shrug
Squats, Lunges, Deadlifts, Pullups, Pushups, Dips - neither too much, nor too little.
What were they comparing against? If it was just your average office worker, it might just be the difference between moving and not moving in that time.
I simply don’t have the hamstring length to squat with my feet flat. No, I don’t just need to stretch, or try more often. I wish I could add squatting to my repertoire - it would be so useful when doing physical work for example, like bike maintenance. Instead, I carry around a stool.
Are you able to reach the same position when lying on your back?
So: I can squat flat-footed IF my back is up against a wall. I guess the main problem is that my center of gravity is just too far back for me to do it freestanding. I tip over backyard.
When I lay on my back and try bringing my knees in, I can’t really tell if I’m achieving the right position to have my center of gravity where it needs to be.
Ah, you probably just need to shift your weight on your feet and balance. Like a slav squat (track suit and cheap liquor optional).
Yeah, just can’t do it. Even with my arms extended all the way straight forward, I’m still tipping over backward. My ankles just won’t close to a tight enough angle.
Are the hamstrings stretched in a squat position? Are you sure it’s not hip or ankle mobility?
It may be ankle mobility. The hams definitely feel a stretch on the way down but at the full extremity of the squat I guess they aren’t the limitation.
This is plainly true.
Whenever I read a statement like this, my BS detector fires up.
A 2014 study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that test subjects who showed difficulty getting up off the floor without support of hands, or an elbow, or leg (what’s called the “sitting-rising test”) resulted in a three-year-shorter life expectancy than subjects who got up with ease.
I did a bit of judo and they made us get up without support. At first it was very difficult but after a bit it was pretty easy. I encourage you to try it, it’s a good skill to have. (besides adding 3 years on your life, allegedly?)
a higher incidence of knee and osteoarthritis issues.
Anecdotes are about as reliable as gurus, but anecdotally I find that there’s bad squatting and good squatting. e.g. keeping knees and feet pointed out as in Sumo, is much easier on my knees than keeping knees and feet pointed forward as in Shotokan.
The secret to extending your flexibility for getting up and down as a lazy person is a low platform western bed or a Japanese bed. It makes getting up and down a part of your routine.
Also overall for foot flexibility and knees health barefoot walking and barefoot shoes make a huge difference. I use a treadmill barefoot a few times a week, and barefoot shoes when I can.
If only I could, my leg proportions don’t allow it
