Vascular surgeon with 18 years of experience warns '10k steps won't undo 10 hours of sitting', here's what works

Dr Kapadia warns that prolonged sitting can lead to serious health issues, as walking 10,000 steps cannot reverse hours of immobility.

Do you work from home or spend hours sitting at your desk for work or to complete projects? Well, we have news for you: sitting is the new smoking, and completing your daily steps will not reverse the damage done by hours of constant immobility.

If you’ve been desk-bound from 9 AM to 7 PM, your veins have already taken the damage. (Shutterstock)

Dr Sumit Kapadia, vascular surgeon and varicose vein specialist with over 18 years of experience, highlighted this issue in an Instagram post he shared on November 21. He warned that hours of sitting cannot be reversed by walking 10,000 steps daily. Instead, he recommended real measures you can adopt in your daily lifestyle.

10k steps don't undo long hours of sitting

Dr Kapadia, in the clip titled 'Your 10,000 steps don't undo 10 hours of sitting', revealed, “This is something I tell my patients almost every day. You can hit your step goal in the evening…but if you’ve been desk-bound from 9 AM to 7 PM, your veins have already taken the damage.”

He highlighted that this problem occurs because circulation doesn’t depend on how much you walk. Rather, it depends on how often you move. He explained that prolonged sitting leads to blood stagnation, which causes vein valve weakness, swelling, varicose veins, and an increased risk of blood clots.

“Even a healthy step count cannot reverse 10 hours of immobility,” Dr Kapadia warned. So, what can help reverse this issue?

Here's what actually works

According to Dr Kapadia, here are the real rules you need to follow to solve the problem of immobility and the health issues that arise with it:

1. Get up every 45–60 minutes.

2. Stretch.

3. Walk for 2 minutes.

4. Move your calf muscles – They’re your ‘peripheral heart.’

Lastly, he advised, “Tiny breaks make huge difference. Your veins don’t need marathons. They need movement.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.