Latest news with #officechairbutt
Fox News
11-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
How to avoid getting 'office chair butt' from prolonged sitting at work
Office workers have something new to worry about, according to a warning that's gone viral on social media. "Office chair butt" is trending as a side effect of sitting for too many hours, leaving the appearance of a flatter behind. Alissa Mosca, a certified fitness trainer with Planet Fitness in New York, confirmed that "office chair butt" refers to muscle loss due to sitting stagnant in one position and not activating the muscles in the posterior chain (along the back of the body). To combat this, Mosca recommends performing the following simple exercises throughout the day to stimulate muscle activation in the glutes, hamstrings and quads. "These four exercises require no equipment and can even be done from the office chair," she added. "It's important to not only focus on strength training exercises that activate the glutes, which are being sat on all day, but the surrounding muscles as well, which is what adds support to the whole posterior chain," Mosca said. She encourages office workers to incorporate some type of movement every time they get up from their seat — ideally picking one of the four movements above and performing 12 to 15 reps, two to three times. "Once that becomes more of a routine, try setting a timer to do this every 45 minutes to an hour," the trainer suggested. Incorporating these exercises into a gym routine is also a great way to prevent muscle loss, according to Mosca. This might include a circuit with kettlebell swings, Smith machine squats (performed on a machine with a fixed barbell), hip thrusts and walking on an incline. Jonathan Puleio, a board-certified professional ergonomist and global vice president at Humanscale – a New York City consulting practice focused on corporate ergonomics – also spoke about "office chair butt." "Not only are the muscle groups atrophying and weakening, but there's also a buildup of fat tissue, which has a very different consistency and density than muscle," he told Fox News Digital. "That's why … the shape of the tissue appears much flatter — and even saggy, in some scenarios." Puleio agreed that muscle atrophy can be supported by movement and posture shifts, but noted that chair design also plays a big role. "Any chair design that can promote movement and support postural shifts regularly throughout the day can certainly combat issues like this," the expert said. Sitting in a chair that supports movement, such as one with a self-adjusting recline mechanism, can help prevent this condition, according to Puleio. "The recline tension is based on the user's body weight," he said. "This removes the barriers to movement that we typically see on traditionally designed chairs." Puleio also recommends using sit-to-stand workstations and performing some tasks while standing, such as taking a phone call on your feet. "Taking micro-breaks, stepping away from your work, going to get a glass of water, taking a lap around the office, going outside and taking a quick walk – these are all great ways to combat this particular issue," he said. For more Health articles, visit The expert also urges employers to take their employees' comfort seriously and to take steps to ensure healthy workplace ergonomics. "Discomfort is the precursor to pain and injury," he warned, noting that injuries can be "costly and debilitating."
Fast Company
20-06-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
What is ‘office chair butt'? TikTok's viral term for a real health problem
Rather than the Sunday scaries or toxic bosses, employees have unlocked a new workplace fear: office chair butt. While not a new concern, the term has resurfaced on TikTok to describe how sitting for long stretches affects the look of your behind—what medical professionals call atrophy of your gluteal muscle group. 'A lack of conditioning in your gluteus maximus and surrounding tissue leads to weakness, making it build up fat tissue and appear flatter or saggy,' occupational therapist Michael Milicia told the Cleveland Clinic. And it's not just an aesthetic issue. Other symptoms of 'office chair butt' can include poor posture, lower back pain, and limited mobility over time. There's a reason researchers have dubbed sitting 'the new smoking,' linking chronic sitting to serious health problems including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, and anxiety. Now, the term has gone viral on TikTok. And they're not taking it sitting down. 'I refuse to be a victim,' posted one TikTok user, showing the routine of squats, lunges, and standing leg lifts she performs at her desk. 'I don't think you're in danger,' one person commented. 'No office chair butt for us,' another user posted, leading her coworkers through a series of exercises. The video quickly inspired others: 'Just saw this while at work and immediately put my desk to standing,' read one comment. Since most workplaces don't come with a fully equipped gym, employees have gotten creative. Some use the office escalator as a makeshift StairMaster. One video shows an employee swapping out traditional weights for a water cooler while performing Bulgarian split squats. 'Me every 30 minutes when I find out what office chair butt is,' another TikTok user wrote, running up and down stairs and doing laps around a conference room. If you're reading this: Give me 10 squats. Stat.
