Humans are a bi-pedal animal: the only in existence as far as we know. Sure, bears, primates and a few other animals are capable of standing on their hind legs and walking, but it is not their natural gait. So, feel special that you belong in this class of animals!
There are many studies, particularly in the field of evolutionary biology that theorize why homo sapiens evolved to be bi-pedal, and the impact of the resulting evolutionary changes in our design. For one, being bi-pedal allowed our eyes to see further down the plains. Our species evolved to favor intelligence at the expense of strength and agility, so we needed a survival adaptation to give us an edge over things like saber- toothed tigers and other beasts. Being bi-pedal allowed homo-sapiens to see over the thicket, and give him enough time to evade faster-running predators.
Thank you nature, right?
Well, being bi-pedal comes with disadvantages; disadvantages that magnified as man’s intelligence grew and allowed him to invent things such as chairs, desks and heavy furniture. Being bi-pedal frees up the forelimbs, or arms, to carry things. Heavy things. This is why low back pain is one of the leading causes of chronic pain and disability. You don’t see dogs or horses get low back pain much unless they are in their final years. This is because as a qudra-ped they can’t pick up heavy things of course, and there is little axial force on their spinal column joints and discs, which lie in a horizontal plane.
When in a bi-pedal state– standing, walking, running– the spine does a wonderful job balancing the muscles of the limbs and torso. It is the anchor point and nexus of the major muscles of the body. When working/moving properly, the spine instantly adapts to changing loads (bending, twisting, carrying and releasing weight). When not, injury then pain results, and you get sidelined for a while. Blown discs, strained back muscles and even stress fractures can happen when the spine is not properly aligned and physically & neurologically conditioned– common in those who are overweight, sedentary, sit hours and hours every day, do heavy lifting at work and have a bad diet and other adverse & unhealthy lifestyle habits.
So does that mean you should spend more time in a recliner? No. Even though the bi-pedal standing position puts the most pressure on your back and weight-bearing joints, for most people it still is preferred over sitting because your body was naturally designed for standing, walking, jumping, crawling, stooping and all the various movements that are required to navigate a primitive terrain. The muscles become more toned and responsive, you burn more calories, and your organs work better in the standing position.
I understand that most people prefer to sit when they can. If your body isn’t well conditioned, standing puts a lot of pressure to the feet, knees, hips, low back, and even shoulders (from the weight of heavy arms). Sit down, and that pressure is instantly relieved. But if sitting becomes your preference, and you avoid walking and exercising then you are in danger of cutting your life span short. Many studies show that exercise and regular, moderate physical activity are a positive correlation variable to life expectancy. If you remove that variable, your life expectancy, at least statistically, drops. So if you get comfortable sitting and avoiding exercise, it gets more difficult mentally and physically to start up again. The more you put exercise off, the less likely you are ever to do it.
So, what should you do if you are in the sedentary camp? If you have pain or discomfort in any of your weight bearing joints?
The first thing I recommend you do is to convince yourself you need to get moving. Regularly. And don’t be too hard on yourself. I’m not talking about suddenly going to the gym 3x/week for one hour workouts. No, start gradually.
In fact, once you make the decision to start exercising again, don’t do anything major for at least a month. Instead, spend that time learning how to eat healthy. Swap the junk food and eating out for wholesome, nutrient-dense food prepared at home; about 85% plant, 15% animal protein (or vegetable). Drop the concentrated carbs (grains–breads, pasta, crackers etc., sugar, and even fruit juice, unless it’s diluted). Replace them with greens, whole fruits, nuts and seeds, and water. Clean, naturally-occurring, unadulterated, unrefined, untreated food from the Earth. Grass fed and pastured meat only, in small portions (8 oz. day max).
If you have pain, try self-rehabilitating. There are many exercise programs, orthopedic exercisers and home use therapy devices like the home infrared lamp, red light/laser, lumbar traction and PEMF to name a few, to help you overcome them. Combined with a healthy diet like previously mentioned, you stand a very good chance of curing yourself or significantly lowering your pain.
By the end of the month, you are ready to get going. Start with speed walking with hand weights, about 3 miles. Do this for a week or two. Then, move up to light jogging and light, home exercise. Again, don’t be too hard on yourself. Go at a pace that you can handle. You can choose a treadmill in the gym, if you prefer. I’d say a good mile pace would be a nine-minute mile or better, to get the best cardio benefit. Aim for 2-3 miles max.
On some days, lift heavy weights. But, I highly recommend you get at least one session with a professional personal trainer at your local gym. Let the trainer show you basic strengthening exercises, and most importantly proper form. You want to make sure you don’t hurt yourself.
Oh, and lastly: if you must sit down for prolonged periods every day due to your job, check out this article for prolonged sitters. It’s got my recommendations for those who sit at a desk all day, or sit in a car/truck all day. These things can literally save you from spinal surgery years down the road!
Remember, the human body has a preference for being in the bi-pedal position most of the time when you are not sleeping. You must do all you can to move in a way that naturally accommodates the design of your body. Modern living has wreaked havoc on the body and resulted in countless of cases of chronic, musculoskeletal pain throughout the developed world; do what you can to prevent yourself from being a statistic.
Dr. Dan
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