According to Statistics Canada, Canadians spend about 10 hours of each day being sedentary. That is, not moving. That doesn’t even include the hours when we are sleeping. A recent study by researchers at the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Studies found that standing still too much isn’t good either. In short, whether sitting or standing, we don’t move very much.

And that’s a problem, says Joanne Dorion, a physiotherapist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

“The body wants to move. It was made to move,” she says. Daily activity can help reduce the risk of illness, help us maintain a healthy body weight, and improve our overall mood. Physical activity is also very important for bone and joint health.

In the summer, we are all typically a bit more active, Joanne says. But as summer turns to fall, and a hot afternoon swimming at the cottage becomes a cool evening bingeing on Netflix, it’s time to really think about how much time you spend sitting, laying, or standing still.

“We sit at our desks, or in the car on the way to and from work, or on the couch when we get home,” she says. “A good first step is to become aware of just how much time you spend not moving.”

Next step is becoming aware of how you sit.

“Most often, we aren’t sitting well, in terms of our posture,” Joanne says. “We all spend a lot of time hunched over our laptop or our phone or a book.”

At work, choose an office chair that you can raise or lower the height and has good lumbar support. Be sure to take it for a “test drive” before you buy it. (Here’s more tips for setting up your desk)

If you do sit for your job or are in still in school, be sure to switch your sitting position throughout the day. Stand up and stretch when you can. Stretch your neck by bringing your ear to your shoulder (left and right). Roll your shoulders forwards and backwards. Reach your arms out with your elbows straight, palm down. Bend your wrist down. Repeat with your palm up.

“Set a reminder in your phone or on your computer to get up and move every 30 minutes,” Joanne suggests.

There are a few other small things your family could do to be a little less sedentary, Joanne says.

“Get off the bus one stop early. Don’t go for the closest parking spot to the door. Park a little farther and walk,” she says.

For parents driving their little ones to school, park a block away and walk over to the school together.

At work, make a point of going to the farther washroom or the cafeteria that’s on the next block instead of in the building.

“Sometimes when we get home from work, we are just tired and want to sit down,” Joanne says. “Try a walk in the neighbourhood or a short bike ride before or after dinner. Even though you feel tired, doing something active will actually energize you.”

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Do you move enough?

Here are some simple ways to add a little movement into your day.

Park farther away.

Stretch at your desk.

Walk and talk after dinner.

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Yes, it could be.

Texting thumb is also known as ‘Gamer’s thumb’ or by its technical term “DeQuervain’s syndrome.”

There have been increased incidences of this thumb issue noted with use of smart phones and computerized hand held games. A recent study in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that increased texting led to an increased rate of issues with the thumbs, especially on the dominant side.

It occurs when two tendons on the back of the thumb and near the wrist become inflamed and the tissue starts to thicken. Over time, this gets worse and causes pain with movement and gripping. Eventually, movement and strength become limited.

So what can you do to prevent texting thumb?

• Ice 5-10 minutes and rest after a lot of texting, emailing or gaming.
• Use voice activated texting and emailing to rest the thumbs.
• Alternate by using index fingers to carry out the tasks.
• You may require a resting splint and some therapy to help reduce inflammation and increase range of motion and strength. Talk to a therapist or your health care provider.

Other health conditions can cause sore thumbs – speak to your health-care provider for a proper diagnosis.

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You’ve got arthritis. Painful joints, stiffness and inflammation.

But don’t let that be an excuse to be sedentary. Being active may actually help ease some of the symptoms.

Arthritis is inflammation of one or more of your joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. Joints may become damaged over time and can lead to increased pain and decreased function.

It’s a common misconception that a diagnosis of arthritis means hanging up your running shoes and packing away your tennis racquet. But there are many ways you can modify your activities, find new activities and stay active with arthritis.

“Physical activity does not worsen arthritis. Physical activity can help manage arthritis!” says physiotherapist Suzanne Denis. “It can make everyday day activity easier as well as provide many other health benefits.”

Suzanne has some tips for living active with arthritis:

Stand up! Research is pointing toward the importance of being active, whether or not you have arthritis. Sitting too much isn’t good for your arthritis. And it’s not good for your overall health either.

Find middle ground. If you have lower extremity arthritis, some load bearing is good for bone density, but too high impact might be painful. Try something in the middle: activities in water, cycling, Tai Chi, some light running. Doubles tennis. Golf. Curling with an extender.

Avoid activity that’s too intense.  Also avoid activities that have twisting, high speed uncontrolled movements (like singles tennis) forcing end range of movement, or kneeling (though not everyone has difficulty with that). Avoid only if painful or modify (with a kneeling pad or towel rolled under shin)

Hot or cold? “You can use heat before your activity to warm up your joints,” she says. “If your joint is red or swollen, don’t use heat.” After activity, if you have some swelling or your joint feels warm, use ice for 10 minutes, Suzanne says. There’s no hard and fast rule. “You have to find out what works for you.”

Talk to your doc about anti-inflammatory medicines. Check with a doctor before using any oral anti-inflammatory medications. There are many topical anti-inflammatories that can also be considered.

If you have been inactive, talk to your health care provider or seek the help of a physiotherapist before adding activity into your life.

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