If your lower back feels sore after a long day at your desk, or if you have noticed your posture getting worse despite your best efforts, you are not alone and it’s not just part of getting older. As an executive mom, your day is packed with back-to-back meetings, errands, and after-school pickups. Sitting for hours at a time might feel like a necessity, but over time, it can slowly weaken one of the most important foundations of your body: your core. In this blog lets discuss how sitting for long hours can weaken your core and some easy tips to manage it.
Most people think of the core as just the front of the stomach, but in reality, it’s a team effort that includes your pelvic floor, diaphragm, deep abdominals and back muscles. The core is a complex network of muscles that work together to stabilise and support your spine, allowing you to sit, stand, and move with ease. The core refers to the deepest muscles in the body that are present close to your joints and spine and act as stabilisers, providing them support to maintain alignment during all movements. The core muscles are the stabilisers of the spine while the superficial muscles are the movement muscles. They are both made of different kinds of muscle fibres. The core muscles are type one or slow twitch fibres, which basically lets them stay switched on all the time without getting fatigued. Its like a light switch that you leave on and it stays on all the time so your core muscles are activated or switched on all the time to keep your spine stabilised. The movement muscles are made up of type two or fast twitch fibres that are like a light switch that can be switched on or off as needed as they get fatigued with constant activity.
Why Sitting Slowly Wears You Down:
Sitting for a prolonged time turns off your core muscles. Your body starts relying on passive support like the backrest of your chair or slumping into your lower spine. The longer this goes on, the weaker those postural muscles become. This results in core weakness, spinal misalignment, poor posture and compensations in areas like your hips, shoulders, and neck.
- You feel tight or achy in your lower back by the end of the day.
- You catch yourself slumping or leaning into one hip while sitting or standing.
- You experience fatigue or discomfort even when doing light activity.
- You feel “disconnected” from your body or alignment.
Small Shifts = Big Relief:
You don’t need more crunches or gym time to fix this. You need intentional micro-movements throughout your day that keep your core engaged, not overwhelmed.
Try this:
- Sit with both feet flat, knees at 90 degrees, and gently lift through your pelvic floor and lower belly.
- Take posture breaks: 2 minutes every hour to stand, stretch, or breathe deeply into your belly.
- Incorporate breath-led core engagement while sitting.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing things smarter. Your posture and core can be your secret weapon for more energy, better focus, and fewer aches. Let’s take care of the body that takes care of everyone else.
HERE is a free guide to '10 Easy Desk- based Exercises To Strengthen Your Core' This checklist is designed for busy days when you don’t have time to leave your seat but still want to feel stronger and more supported. With these simple, discreet exercises, you’ll be able to activate your core and improve your posture without missing a beat.
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