Football support
Dated: 15 June 2012
It is no secret that us Brits seek sanctuary on our sofas and, as the European Football Championships really start to hot up, the temptation will be to stay stuck to the sofa for a little too long!
Tim Hutchful, a chiropractor with the BCA is concerned about the effect all this extra sitting down could have: ”Our lifestyles are sedentary enough but, during televised sporting events like the World Cup, people spend even more time sitting down. Lack of exercise is our worst enemy and we should avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time, as sitting incorrectly puts almost twice as much pressure on the back than when standing.”
And that’s not the only health hazard during this tournament. Football
fans will argue that jumping up to celebrate a goal or berate the
referee is an involuntary action, but doing it too quickly may be more
harmful than sitting down for prolonged periods. Tim Hutchful explains:
“Going from a fixed posture when sitting down to quickly jumping up on
your feet in excitement could be potentially damaging.”
With many more hours of viewing still to come, follow this simple advice from the BCA:
- Don't sit for more than 30-40 minutes, try standing up every twenty minutes and moving around.
- Make sure you keep active during half time to give your body a change of position and shake out any stiffness.
- Drink Up! - Try drinking water instead of beer, tea or coffee; it will be healthier, as well as help you concentrate on the game. If you are drinking, always consume plenty of water too. (More advice from
- Exercise needn’t to be dull. If you are enjoying watching football, get out there and play it too. With longer days and lighter evenings, kicking a ball around the park is the perfect way to end the day.