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The first time that I heard the phrase cankles was from a person who indicated that by the end of her day at the desk, she could barely put her shoes back on and had swollen ankles and calves. While there are many potential contributors to this slang term, “cankles”, that can range from overweight to congestive heart conditions, most people who contract this symptom simply just do not move enough. 

Whether you sit or stand, gravity is playing a part on this and you can counter it through a more routine exercise program and introducing more movement into your day.

A recent study by the team at Guelph University under the leadership of Dr. Leah Bent, investigated the outcomes on an active sitting chair, CoreChair, versus a traditional ergonomic chair. With an objective to determine whether venous blood flow was affected by the subtle movements on this active sitting chair, the researchers found a significant reduction in calf circumference compared to the traditional chair during a four-hour data collection period. Their conclusion was that even this subtle movement was effective in enhancing venous return. 

While you should rule out the possibility of other influencing causes, if you find that your ankle definition is transforming over the course of the day, consider moving more. An active sitting chair is apparently beneficial and frequent walking breaks will add to this.  

The question on the minds of most people is whether standing is a better option over sitting. The reality is that it doesn’t matter if we sit or stand, we need to move. 

A great compliment is the use of an active sitting chair and a sit to stand desk with the development of a habitual routine of transitioning between both throughout the day.  

Exercises you can do at work: CoreChair Fit

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