15 Mar Sedentary Behavior and medical transcriptionists

An average day job for medical transcriptionists, medical translators, and a lot of other jobs, includes sitting between 6 and 8 hours. That is a lot of time, don’t you think?

There is a downside. Physicians can tell, and medical transcriptionists can transcript, that sitting for too many hours can be an unhealthy habit.

Studies show a direct correlation between the number of sitting hours and the incremental risk of heart disease, obesity or diabetes. Excessive sedentary behavior can also negatively affect muscles, joints and bones.

To sum up, sedentary behavior is associated with non-communicable chronic diseases.

Sedentary lifestyle

But sedentary lifestyle not only concerns work, but the number of hours spent watching T.V., using modern means of transport and new technologies. The reason is that they all tend to reduce the amount of exercise that each individual practices.

Some medical studies estimate that the activity of about 20 % of people is insufficient. There is a potential risk threshold between exercise and inactivity. Or, in other words, an optimal amount of time consumed in physical activities reduces the risk of suffering disease, but also, there is a minimum amount of exercise needed, below which the risk of developing chronic diseases raises.

Therefore, in this article we analyze possible remedies to minify the aforementioned health risks for medical transcriptionists, medical translators, and people that sit a minimum of 6 hours a day to work.

Possible remedies for medical transcriptionists

Here is our first suggestion:

1.- What about switching from time to time to a standing desk?

It is probably an easy measure.

2.- Start exercising

If you lead a sedentary life, the best exercise to start with is walking. The recommended amount of time is, at least, half an hour a day. However, do not get overwhelmed. Start where you are. 10 minutes, is better than nothing. But, be consistent.

Do not go too far. You do not want to be stiff the next day. Exercise should be done gradually.

If you do not have time to walk half an hour all together, as some medical transcriptionists argument, divide it in two or three small walks per day.

Probably it will be difficult in the beginning. We are ruled by customs. But, if you continue, it becomes a habit. And then, it will be much easier to proceed.

To ensure you keep your intentions, use social commitment. Take care of a dog or even get one.

Did you know that just a minute and forty seconds of activity per half hour is good for your health? It affects your insulin and glucose levels. So,… take advantage of breaks at work.

The stairs are also a good exercise to start with.

Do you care about dancing?

The advantages of exercising include that your body burns calories not only while you are exercising, but also afterwards. Did you know that, at least, 4 calories are burned every 10 steps?

And, do not forget to move your hips.

Jumping is recommended for people with little time to spend exercising. It is one of the most effective exercises.

3.- Some alternatives

If you have time, you can go for the gym and try dumbbell exercises. The good part of the freelance medical transcriptionists’ work is that they can handle their agenda. Therefore, include exercise time in yours.

However, there are other alternatives.

Some medical transcriptionists are women with a family to take care of, working from home. Whether you are a female or a male, playing with your children will keep you in shape.

Another good exercise is to cycle. What about using the bicycle instead of the car, at least, for some journeys?

In conclusion, there is no excuse for medical transcriptionists that do not take care of their health by exercising. They work all day long with medical issues, so they know the consequences.

A last note, although basic, not only cardio exercises are needed. There are some exercises that you can practice even while sitting, as shoulder rotations or rib cage movements. And to rebalance your body after exercise, do not forget a few minutes stretching.