Last month, I had the pleasure of attending a lunch and learn put on by LiveWell Kitsap at the Silverdale Library. The presenter was Cynthia Land, a local massage therapist and yoga instructor from Expansions Massage. Land is also an expert on stretching, and her presentation highlighted several stretches and exercises people can do when sitting for long periods.

The information is especially pertinent when you consider that the average American sits for more than six hours per day. That number has risen in recent years, and with that, the phrase “sitting is the new smoking” has become popular. While I wouldn’t quite compare the two, it is undoubtedly harder on our bodies than many of us think.

One consequence is that the more time we spend in a chair, the more likely our body is to adapt to the seated posture. We know that our tissues, including muscles, ligaments, and tendons, can undergo structural changes when held in certain positions for prolonged periods, rendering them more vulnerable to aggravation and injury.

Land covered stretches to combat those adaptations, including forward head posture, tight hip flexors and rounded shoulders. The moves she demonstrated were easy to perform, targeted much-needed areas and provided a productive way for participants to break up their days seated at a desk.

Land mentioned that sitting for too long without looking after your body can increase your susceptibility to ailments such as back and neck pain, and headaches. Because of that, she encouraged people to incorporate a few of the stretches and exercises she showed into their usual work breaks. Simply move your body throughout the day, especially in ways that counter the effects of sustained positioning, is a good start.

Land is passionate about helping people decrease pain and improve flexibility naturally. Unique to her peers, Land has specialized training in Thai yoga massage and assisted stretching, both of which blend nicely with her education as a massage therapist.

Using those tools, Land enjoys working with people ranging from competitive athletes to older folks to improve their mobility in a safe and effective way. She tailors her sessions to the unique and individual needs of her clients, understanding that each person’s body is different.

Dr. Jordan Duncan is from Kitsap County and writes a monthly online health column for Kitsap News Group. He is the owner of Silverdale Sport & Spine.