Author: bambach-admin

All of us, particularly those with physical impairments, need to sit in the best posture chair possible to avoid deformities developing or deteriorating. The key to good posture and a healthy spine is the pelvis being secure in an upright, neutral position while sitting. Using the best ergonomic office chair available can help to prevent future disabilities, and improve the quality of life for children and adults with special needs. The Bambach Saddle Seat is used by health professionals and carers worldwide as a posture chair, with case studies showing dramatic improvement for people with mild to severe disabilities aged from two to ninety years old.

This month, we discuss the advantages of using the Bambach Saddle Seat as an ergonomic chair for children and adults with special needs:

 

Postural Control

The first advantage of the Bambach is that it allows more postural control for people with disabilities. Many specially made seats are often bulky, cumbersome to move, and distort natural spinal alignment, with the result that function is actually impaired and can further disable and disempower those with special needs. In a Bambach saddle stool, the muscles of postural control are activated so that they can work in balance, rather than being inactive as in conventional seating and wheelchairs. We provide the best ergonomic office chair for postural control, helping users maintain an upright stable pelvis, and placing the hips in their optimal resting position of 45 degree flexion. 

A Bambach posture chair helps make trunk and head control easier so that functional activity, such as speech and swallowing, is improved. It also helps the chest and abdomen to open up and maintain maximum space, so that breathing and digestion are easier, and allows individuals to bend forward from the hips rather than the waist. This allows both children and adults to maintain balance while reading and writing, even when leaning forward. 

Read our case studies to learn more about how the Bambach ergonomic desk chair can improve postural control.

 

Functional Improvements

The Bambach saddle stool also offers several functional improvements for children and adults living with special needs. Our range of saddle seats encourage independent sitting, and facilitate upper limb and hand coordination. By promoting an upright posture, the individual’s muscles are actively engaged, rather than in an inactive and collapsed state as we see in conventional seats or wheelchairs. In many cases, the Bambach Saddle Seat has improved breathing, digestion, circulation and lung function in users through maintaining thoracic, abdominal and pelvic spaces in an open position. 

By positioning the body with the centre of gravity over the seat bones, our saddle stools promote balance and symmetry, and aid coordination and dexterity. The active sitting position reduces the fatigue associated with poor posture, and encourages muscle activity and partial weight bearing with full plantar contact enabled. Providing a greater control of sensory output can also help reduce involuntary motor responses. These functional benefits are growing with every new and varied disability case, improving quality of life for the individual as well as for their families and friends. 

Each Bambach chair is tailored specifically to meet individual needs and requirements. Browse our range of ergonomic desk chairs to find the best saddle stool for you.

 

Positive Social and Psychological Impact

Another advantage of the Bambach is the way it can positively impact the self-esteem and independence of users. This is particularly important for the healthy psychological development of children. Most disabled children wish to be as much like other children as possible, participating in school activities, excursions, family outings and other activities like their peers. Wheelchairs can inhibit socialisation, with disabled children unable to easily see or communicate with others because of the bulk of the seat. With a Bambach posture chair, maintaining an upright posture, eye contact and speech all become easier, making socialising more natural. 

We pride ourselves on providing the best ergonomic office chair to facilitate enhanced functional ability and mobility. In conventional seating, poor posture can inhibit writing, drawing and the use of educational equipment, resulting in learning deficiencies. With a saddle stool, writing, schoolwork and performance in hobbies improve due to increased efficiency and the ability to control the upper body and arms in an upright, stable position. The Bambach Saddle Seat can also improve self-esteem in users, who are able to perform personal self-care tasks such as meal preparation, washing and dressing more easily than in a wheelchair. 

On our Bambach Accessories page, you will find a range of special needs accessories to increase mobility including the H-harness, which offers additional body stability, and the LAP Strap, for our customers who require the option of being clipped into their seat for safety or added pelvic support. 

 

Growth In Children And Adolescents

Finally, using the Bambach Saddle Seat can stimulate normal bone growth in children and adolescents. In both children and teenagers, muscles and tendons often grow at unpredictably differing rates. Conventional seating and wheelchairs are not designed to allow for healthy growth, which can create deformities in the future. In a Bambach posture chair, muscle activity and movement is increased due to the dynamic sitting position, stimulating bone growth. Muscle length and range of movement in the joints are also maintained in our ergonomic desk chair because of the half-stand position of the Bambach, righting reactions as well as midline alignment.

The Bambach is the original saddle seat, designed and manufactured in Australia by occupational therapist Mary Gale. Our saddle stools are tested by AFRDI to the highest standards and are recommended by health professionals worldwide. 

Contact one of our experienced staff members today to discuss how the Bambach Saddle Seat can be customised to suit individuals and help a wide range of special needs conditions. It is also recommended that you contact your healthcare provider, as you may be eligible for funding and a trial of a posture chair in your home, workplace or school.

Due to the incredible pace and demands placed on dental, medical and health professionals, the industry has one of the highest incidences of back injury. Whether you work as a general practitioner, physiotherapist, optician, sonographer, radiologist, veterinarian or dental hygienist, our saddle chairs provide ergonomic support seating to meet your requirements.

The Bambach Saddle Seat can suit any working environment, tailored to your personal attributes including height, gender, occupation and workstation. By choosing one of our ergonomic saddle chairs, you will experience a significant improvement in your level of comfort and health, keeping you productive and preventing injury, or worse still, early retirement.

This month, we discuss the benefits of using the Bambach Saddle Seat in the dental and medical professions: 

Dental

Dentistry is a profession that requires focus and absolute precision. Procedures are often performed over long periods of time, with practitioners staying in static positions which impact on the spine, joints and muscles. It is no surprise that dentists often report experiencing pain in their lower back, neck, shoulders and hands. Dentists may have a high tendency towards neck and back pain because they subconsciously tend to lean towards their patients when rendering treatment for better visualisation. This poor ergonomic positioning is made worse by traditional dental chairs, which crunch the spine into a ‘C’ shape and place strain on the lower back. Switching your current dental chair to a Bambach Saddle Seat can not only maintain optimal spinal function, but improve your productivity. Dental hygienists find that saddle chairs allow them close access to their patients with minimal bending. Your pelvis and spine are supported in a natural position even when leaning forward, while the correct seating posture improves dexterity, precision and mobility. 

Over 50,000 Bambach saddle chairs are used by dental professionals worldwide. Read our dental case studies to learn more about how the Bambach Saddle Seat can help you. 

Medical 

In the medical profession, you work may involve varying work heights, long periods of standing, getting up and down from your seat, or close work requiring accuracy and excellent hand-eye coordination. Surgeons, nurses, podiatrists, general practitioners and other medical professionals may also have to work at lower than ideal heights to operate dialysis machines or treat patients. In traditional task seating, this limits your mobility and can result in back and neck pain. The Bambach Saddle Seat is frequently used as a low ergonomic medical stool, medical imaging tool, laboratory stool, bedside chair, neo-natal stool and special care nursery stool. Our saddle chairs allow for free movement and safe, easy reaching while keeping your legs and feet stable, improving your mobility. The Bambach Saddle Seat also offers a solution for injury and rehabilitation, helping patients move towards recovery and wellbeing.

The Bambach Saddle Seat is used in over 200 hospitals in more than 20 different departments. Browse our range of accessories designed for hospital use today, including foot-rings, swing arms, specialised castors and multiple height options.

Optical

Opticians, like dentists and general practitioners, can find themselves adopting poor ergonomic habits when treating their patients. Traditional seating is often not suited for delicate procedures such as eye surgery or laser surgery, making it difficult for practitioners to get into an optimal position to provide treatment. The outstanding range of saddle chairs from Bambach is the best seating solution for the optical industry. Our saddle seats can be used by ophthalmic surgeons and opticians, letting your arms work at a more natural angle and height. This ensures precision, and reduces the strain on your neck, shoulders and lower back. Investing in a low ergonomic medical stool from Bambach will also enable you to move more efficiently around the surgery or consulting room, with the wide foot stance of the straddle position keeping you balanced. The Bambach Saddle Seat is available in four seat sizes and over 100 colours and fabrics to suit the aesthetics of your practice, including surgical grade vinyl. 

Whether you are working in a busy clinical practice, in surgery or an in-demand dispensary, the Bambach Saddle Seat will deliver the best back support seating solution for you. Find out more about the benefits of using our saddle chairs in this FAQ post.

Medical Imaging

Incredibly, over 95% of people working in the medical imaging industry are affected by musculoskeletal injuries. Medical imaging requires leaning forward, reaching and holding unnatural static positions, all of which can result in mild to debilitating chronic pain in the future. The Bambach Saddle Seat can be used as a sonographer stool and radiologist chair, helping you maintain good posture and increasing your reach for balanced scanning. Saddle chairs also engage the core muscles, enabling you to move without straining and actually enhancing muscle tone from the active sitting position. Our saddle seats are the only seat offering multiple height options to suit shared scanning rooms, customised with specialised castors to meet Australian WHS requirements, and fitted with shorter adjustment paddles to allow you to get closer to patient beds. We also offer saddle chairs with a swing arm option to help reduce spinal stress while leaning. 

Bambach ergonomic seating is used in over 150 medical imaging departments and private practices across Australia. We can provide saddle chairs with backs and without to suit your requirements. Find out which saddle seat is right for you in this helpful video guide. 

Veterinary

Being devoted to the care of their furry, feathered or scaly patients can mean that veterinarians overlook their own health and wellbeing. 67% of veterinary surgeons have suffered musculoskeletal injuries at work, mostly due to having to hold static postures whilst performing medical procedures. Changing to an ergonomic saddle stool can make a huge difference to your productivity and efficiency, preventing the onset of back, neck and shoulder strain. When sitting on a Bambach saddle seat, your spine is allowed to maintain its natural ‘S’ shape, while your pelvis is supported and all your joints kept in balance. This reduces fatigue and helps you maintain optimal spinal function throughout your veterinary career. The open position of your hips and abdomen promotes good blood circulation, and increases your stability when treating patients. Used by over 300 practices Australia wide, the Bambach Saddle Seat is the perfect ergonomic seating solution for veterinarians.

The Bambach is the original saddle seat, designed and manufactured in Australia by occupational therapist Mary Gale. Bambach chairs are tested by AFRDI to the highest standards and are recommended by health professionals worldwide. To find the best Bambach seating solution for you, use our online seat calculator to choose a chair model or Contact Us today.

In the modern workplace, people can spend up to 70% of their day sitting at their desk in front of a computer. This shift in the way we work has resulted in an increase in posture-related injuries, as well as a heightened awareness of the importance of ergonomics for office workers. The use of ergonomic office furniture, including an ergonomic office chair such as the Bambach Saddle Seat, is more important than ever before to maintain good health during our working lives. Whether you work in a corporate, SME or home office environment, poor ergonomics can impact on your productivity, quality of life and overall health, leaving you with mild to debilitating chronic pain.

This month, we discuss how to improve ergonomics in the office, including posture, back support and the best office chair for lower back pain:

 

Conventional vs Ergonomic Office Chairs

Ergonomic experts agree that although conventional office chairs are useful to relieve the fatigue of standing, they are a potential cause of back pain and trauma due to an increase in intradiscal pressure on the spine. This can in turn result in disc displacement, disc prolapse and damage to the sciatic nerve. When sitting on a conventional office chair for a long period of time we tend to slouch or hunch forwards, which overstretches the spinal ligaments, and strain the discs and surrounding structures of the spine. Over time, this can cause damage to the spine and significantly contribute to back, neck and shoulder pain. In comparison, an ergonomic office chair like the Bambach Saddle Seat supports the natural curve of the spine, improving your posture and reducing back pain.To learn more, see our post on the benefits of using ergonomic office chairs.

 

Body-Conscious Seat Design

It seems like common sense that people should not hold unnatural positions for long periods of time. The price of postural stress on the body is often paid for by not being able to perform activities that we want to do outside of work, like picking up a child, travelling, enjoying leisure activities or even just being able to relax watching TV. However, the majority of ergonomic office chairs available can actually end up increasing postural stress. Some ‘ergonomic’ chairs support the lumbar curve by pushing into your back, while alternative ergonomic seating such as kneeling chairs and bicycle seats can put sustained pressure on your joints and become uncomfortable to use over the working day. At Bambach, we are interested in body-conscious seat design. Our saddle seats are designed to improve the productivity, mobility and health of workers across a range of industries by creating the ideal sitting posture. 

 

Improving Seated Posture at Work

Although standing desks are becoming more popular across workplaces, there are a number of advantages to sitting down to work. Sitting relieves the joints of the lower limbs from load bearing, reduces energy consumption which in turn lowers demands on the respiratory and vascular systems, provides greater stability and a better range of movement, and prevents you from working in unnatural positions. The design of our saddle seat allows you to sit naturally and comfortably, while improving your seated posture and even enhancing muscle tone due to the active seating position. In a saddle stool, your spine maintains its natural ‘S’ shape, with all your major joints in a neutral, stress-free position. Our philosophy is to give people a sound ergonomic seating solution with the Bambach Saddle Seat, which encourages correct seating posture instead of the slouching and hunching caused by conventional office seating.

 

Avoiding Lower Back Pain

In the office, one of the worst things you can do is end up in a prolonged static posture. The body can only tolerate staying in the same position for a short amount of time before stress begins to build in the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the back, eventually turning into discomfort and then pain. Investing in an ergonomic office chair will help you avoid postural stress and back pain, as will adopting the habit of taking frequent breaks to stand, stretch, walk and change positions during your work day. The best chair for lower back pain is one which is customised for your individual use. Every saddle seat created by Bambach is tailored to its user, with multiple stem heights, four seat sizes and a range of accessories available. We ensure that your seat fits all your personal attributes and applications, including gender, height, occupation, environment and workstation. 

 

Back Support and the Office Chair

When choosing an office chair, back support is another important consideration. Unlike other ergonomic chairs, the groundbreaking design of the Bambach Saddle Seat supports the lumbar curve of the spine through the straddle posture and open hip angle of the seat. Purpose-designed to position the pelvis in an upright, neutral position and keep it there, back support is provided by the saddle stool and your upright posture on the seat. Therefore for most work which involves sitting or leaning forward, you should not need a backrest. We supply saddle seats both with and without backs to accommodate different requirements. In order to get used to the new seating position, we recommend a period of a few weeks to adjust to using your saddle stool. You can also choose a saddle seat with a backrest, to use as a rest point during the day when thinking or in a meeting.   

 

Increasing Comfort and Productivity at Work

Improving the ergonomics of your office can have a range of benefits, including increasing your comfort, focus and productivity at work. Bambach Saddle Seats can help improve work performance in three significant ways. Firstly, using a saddle stool helps to reduce fatigue, opening up the chest to improve breathing and circulation. As a result of the muscles and joints being in balance, a saddle seat also helps increase dexterity for those undertaking task work or procedures requiring a high level of precision. Finally, our ergonomic office chairs improve your mobility and reach no matter what your profession is, ensuring free movement around your workspace while maintaining stability.

 

The Bambach is the original saddle seat, designed and manufactured in Australia by occupational therapist Mary Gale. Our ergonomic office chairs are tested by AFRDI to the highest standards and are recommended by health professionals worldwide. To find the best saddle seat for you, use our online seat calculator to choose a chair model or Contact Us today.

The Bambach Saddle Seat was the first of its kind in the world, and experts agree that it continues to lead the way in seating practice today. The Bambach is customised specifically for the needs of our customers, made to support your body, health and profession. Guaranteed for quality assurance, our range of saddle stools are ergonomically sound, tough, durable and safe. With or without a back, the Bambach range provides the right seat for any environment or purpose.

This month, we answer some frequently answered questions about the Bambach Saddle Seat:

 

Are saddle seats good for your back?

Bambach Saddle Seats support and encourage correct seating posture, making it a sound ergonomic seating solution for both children and adults. If you suffer from pain in your back, neck or upper limbs, then you could benefit from switching to a saddle seat. Our saddle seats are ideal for people whose work requires frequent reaching, varying work heights, close and accurate task work, long periods of standing, or has their work spread over a large area. A saddle seat will give you perfect posture along with the ability to use your hands for task work, and is suitable for a wide range of professionals including dentists, surgeons, lab workers, hairdressers, artists, therapists, veterinarians and teachers.

 

Are saddle stools comfortable?

Our customers find our saddle stools very comfortable, because of the way the Bambach helps improve posture, and minimises back and upper body pain. If you have been sitting with poor posture for many years, your body will need time to adjust, and it may take a few weeks to get used to your new saddle stool. We recommend an adjustment period of two weeks, using the saddle chair no more than one hour a day, and alternating between the Bambach and a flat seat. Explore all seat tilt and height variations to find what suits you, and consider investing in the sheepskin seat cover, which will both soften the seat and widen the support surface. You may feel tight in the hips and thighs at first, but these muscles and ligaments will stretch out and relax as your body adjusts. We also recommend not using the backrest of your saddle stool for the first few weeks, in order to help you adjust to your Bambach.

 

How do you sit on a saddle stool?

Bambach Saddle Seats differ from conventional seating in several ways. On a saddle stool, you sit higher than in a standard office chair, with your knee joints at a 45 degree angle. This ensures that your pelvis is supported in a neutral upright position. You may need to raise your computer screen or office desk to benefit from your saddle chair. If you usually work standing or on a high drafting stool, you can use your Bambach with a foot ring. If your work height is lower than recommended, you may need to tuck your feet under your saddle stool. As long as the knees are positioned lower than the hips, the benefits of using a saddle seat will still be achieved. To learn more, see our previous blog post on the benefits of using an ergonomic office chair.

 

How can I sit without back support?

The groundbreaking design of the Bambach Saddle Seat allows our customers to sit supported in comfort without back support. Unlike traditional ‘ergonomic’ chairs, which supports the lumbar curve by pushing into your back, the saddle seat supports the lumbar curve through the open hip angle and straddle posture. This position rotates the pelvis upright, keeping the spinal column in its neutral curves, opening up the chest and abdomen to allow full function of the lungs, and assisting in blood and lymphatic circulation. The active position of the saddle chair will also help enhance your muscle tone. Although you should not need a backrest for most upright and forward work, you can choose a Bambach with a backrest to use as a rest point while you think, listen or talk.

 

Are kneeling chairs bad for you?

Alternative ergonomic seating, including kneeling chairs and bicycle seats, do not support as many correct postures as the Bambach Saddle Seat. A kneeling chair puts sustained pressure on the knees, and locks your feet in underneath you. Getting in and out of a kneeling chair is difficult as your feet can become entangled in the kneeling pad. Similarly, bicycle seats can be uncomfortable over a long period and do not provide adequate stability. However, using a saddle seat puts no pressure on the knees, leaves your feet free to operate equipment or move around your work area, and supports and stabilises your body with its high, saddle posture. The hip joints rest in a relaxed, open position, and the spine is in perfect balance. The unique seat contour of the saddle chair will ensure that you bend forward from the hips, not from your back, creating the ideal sitting posture.

 

Are there different saddle stool sizes?

The Bambach range is available in four different saddle stool sizes, to fit everyone from small children to large adults. The Executive size seat is our most male-friendly seat, which is more anatomically comfortable for some men. To ensure that you benefit from your Bambach Saddle Seat, make sure that your clothing does not interfere with your hip abduction (leg spread). It is your hip abduction that stabilizes the pelvis and allows the spine to rest in a natural posture, ensuring your hip joints are in their ideal alignment in their sockets. As hip abduction decreases, the spine becomes less stable, the pelvis tilts backwards and the hip joints move out of ideal close contact. To benefit from your saddle stool, it is best to wear loose trousers or a wide skirt. For more tips on choosing the best saddle chair for you, see our helpful video guide.

 

The Bambach is the original saddle seat, designed and manufactured in Australia by occupational therapist Mary Gale. Bambach chairs are tested by AFRDI to the highest standards and are recommended by health professionals worldwide. To find the best Bambach seating solution for you, use our online seat calculator to choose a chair model or Contact Us today.

As our work lives become more sedentary, the importance of having a healthy, ergonomic work environment increases. At Bambach Saddle Seat, we strive to give our customers a sound ergonomic seating solution which supports and encourages correct seating posture. Our saddle seats are customised to suit the individual user, taking into account personal attributes such as height, gender, occupation, environment and workstation. Bambach chairs can be used in offices, dental surgeries, hospitals, veterinary clinics and art studios – basically anywhere where people need to sit down!

In our first blog post, we discuss the multiple benefits of using our ergonomic office chairs in the workplace:

 

Improves Posture

The first benefit of using a Bambach chair is that it helps improve your posture. Unlike traditional ‘ergonomic’ chairs which support the lumbar curve of your spine by pushing into your back, our saddle seats allow you to maintain optimum spinal function. Good task seating should position our centre of gravity over our seat bones, rotating the pelvis upright and allowing the spine to remain in its natural ‘S’ shape, rather than the crunched ‘C’ shape common in conventional seating. The Bambach Saddle Seat allows our joints to be in a neutral, stress-free position, while helping us maintain good posture throughout our work day. Our chairs can even help you build muscle tone, thanks to the active seating position.

 

Enhances Productivity

Another benefit which comes with using the Bambach Saddle Seat is enhanced productivity. Because the spine is held in a neutral position, breathing and circulation improves, reducing fatigue and allowing you to concentrate on your work. Our chairs also ensure that you can function optimally, with major joints at minimum stress enabling you to easily perform tasks. If your work involves a lot of reaching, varying work heights, long periods of standing, getting up and down from your seat or close work requiring accuracy and excellent hand-eye coordination, then you will especially benefit from our range of ergonomic office chairs.

 

Reduces Back Pain

Most of us spend up to 70% of their day at work sitting, which has resulted in a large increase in posture-related injuries and more people requiring an office chair with back support. Our tendency to slouch or hunch over when sitting for long periods can cause damage to the spine over time. This poor posture also contributes to shoulder, neck and back pain, as well as impacting on our productivity, overall health and quality of life. If you are looking for the best office chair for lower back pain, then you could benefit from using the Bambach Saddle Seat. The ergonomic design of our saddle seats allows your body to sit naturally and comfortably, providing a solution to poor posture and back problems.

 

Increases Dexterity and Mobility

For a range of professionals including dentists, vets, opticians, radiologists, chiropractors, general practitioners, massage therapists and hospital workers, mobility and dexterity are crucial. The Bambach Saddle Seat is the best ergonomic office chair to help increase your dexterity and precision in the workplace, as a result of muscles and joints being in balance. Our chairs support and stabilise your body, freeing your hands and feet for work and movement. The straddle posture improves hand accuracy and power as well as improving sitting balance, making it easy to move about your workspace, reach equipment or operate a foot switch as needed.

 

Provides Greater Stability

Bambach chairs also provide you with greater stability compared to conventional office chairs. Although standing desks are currently popular, ergonomic experts argue that sitting down to work has a range of benefits including relieving the lower limb joints from load bearing, reducing energy consumption, providing a better range of movement and stability for the worker, and preventing you from working for an extended amount of time in unnatural positions. Unlike alternative ergonomic seating options such as kneeling chairs, which are difficult to use and put pressure on the knees, or bicycle seats which tilt the pelvis back into an unstable position, the Bambach Saddle Seat is an office chair which provides back support while keeping your legs stable, ensuring free movement as well as safe and easy reaching.

 

Customisable to Suit Your Workplace

The final benefit of using the Bambach Saddle Seat is its ability to be easily customised to suit your workplace.The contemporary design of our saddle seats can be easily integrated into any office and customised to suit innovative fit-outs. Bambach is the only saddle seat which is custom-made to suit your individual needs and requirements, available in four different sizes, seven different stem heights, and a wide variety of colours, fabrics and accessories. Whether you are looking for the best office chair for lower back pain, an ergonomic office chair which will improve your posture and productivity, or a saddle seat which will give you the dexterity and mobility you need in the workplace, there is a Bambach to suit you.

The Bambach is the original saddle seat, designed and manufactured in Australia by occupational therapist Mary Gale. Bambach chairs are tested by AFRDI to the highest standards and are recommended by health professionals worldwide. To find the best Bambach seating solution for you, use our online seat calculator to choose a chair model or Contact Us today!

Article by Dr. Hans H. Sellmann, Marl, Germany. August 2015

 

THOSE INVOLVED IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, be it as dentists, hygienists, or assistants, are prone to back issues. These include lower back and neck problems that relate to how they position themselves while rendering treatment.

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Article from Dentaleconomics.com. USA. May 2015

 

THOSE INVOLVED IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, be it as dentists, hygienists, or assistants, are prone to back issues. These include lower back and neck problems that relate to how they position themselves while rendering treatment.

 

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Article from Daily Telegraph, Australia. Wednesday, March 2, 2016

 

Chairs are silent killers for too many Australians. Studies have linked prolonged sitting with a 24 percent increase in the likelihood of succumbing to some forms of cancer, heart disease and other preventable diseases.

 

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