U-Turn Physical Inactivity Program

U-Turn Physical Inactivity is a simple program designed to decrease long periods of sitting or lying down.  (Lying down to sleep at night not included)  The underlying message of U-Turn is don’t sit still for longer than an hour at one time.  Get up and move for one or two minutes every hour of sitting.

According to the World Health Organization physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for death.  Recent research shows that when people move around for one or two minutes every hour they have a decreased risk of death.  This applies to all, whether you exercise or not and applies every day whether at work, home, vacation, etc.  A recent study at the University Of Utah School Of Medicine supports and validates the benefit of two minutes of physical activity every hour.  This study showed a 33% lower risk of dying for people that are consistently active.  Read more about this study at Walking an Extra Two Minutes Each Hour May Offset Hazards of Sitting Too Long.

The largest difficulty of U-Turn may simply be remembering to do it.  When busy at your desk or with some sedentary task, time can slip by and you may forget to get up and move. There are many ways to help you remember but one easy way to remember is a reminder on your phone. The following apps can be put on your iphone or android and have an alarm reminder for you to get up and move. We recommend you set the alarm to remind you at least once an hour to get up and move for a minute or two.

There are many ways to be active for one or two minutes every hour. Try some of these:

• Go for a drink of water on another floor or further down the hallway (take the stairs).
• Instead of phone or email, deliver messages on foot.
• Take the long route to the copier.
• Use a restroom that is further away or on another floor (take the stairs).
• Create one or two minute bouts of activity that work for you.
• The following activities/exercises can be done right at your desk or in your office.  Some of them can even be done while you are working:
  • Arm Circles
  • Bicep Curls
  • Calf Raises
  • Desk Chair Swivel
  • Desk Push Up
  • Desk Squat
  • Fab Ab Squeeze
  • Lunges
  • Seated Leg Raises
  • Shoulder Shrug
  • Squats
  • Standing Leg Curl
  • The Fist Pump
  • The Flapper
  • The Knuckle Sandwich
  • The Nape Shaper
  • The Posture Perfecter
  • The Secret Handshake
  • Tricep Dip
  • Wall Sit
  • Wood Choppers

iOS Apple

Stand Up! The Work Break Timer
by Raised Square, LLC