Getting out of the chair is not quite the same as moving. In studies that interrupted long stretches of sitting in older adults, short bouts of easy walking outperformed simply standing up, according to research published in Sports Medicine. Standing still beat sitting. A lap around the room beat both.
A reasonable target is to break up sitting every 30 minutes, even briefly. Stretching while lying down or reclining is not a cop-out either — it takes the hips and shoulders through their full range without asking the back to hold up body weight.
Allyson Good curates senior living, health, and family content. She is formerly the Managing Editor of Active Life, a print newspaper published in 2016-2017 for seniors, choosing practical articles on health, money, safety, and everyday living for older readers. She is also an avid gardener and offers up Garden Hints and Tips on a regular basis.