Grad student stretches talents

Jamie Murphy, Fayetteville, Ark., graduate student, demonstrates stretching techniques developed by Overland Park grad student Matt Parrott. 1. Stand behind desk. 2. Lift right knee until leg is bent at 90-degree angle. 3. Place bent right leg on the desk with the foot facing left and the knee forward. 4. Slowly lean forward until right hip feels a good stretch. 5. Hold 20 to 30 seconds. 6. Repeat process with left leg. 7. Perform two to three sets of stretches for each hour spent sitting. R. Steve Dick/University Relations

For KU graduate student Matt Parrott, writing was—at first—a bit of a stretch.

The Overland Park doctoral candidate in exercise science writes “Master Class,” a weekly exercise column for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Parrott said he originally was recruited not for his writing ability but for his exercise innovations as a fitness center manager in Little Rock, Ark. He has written the weekly fitness column since January.

Recently, Parrott used one of his columns to address the needs of people who sit for long hours at a desk. In his column, Parrott described why stretching is so important for those whose jobs keep them immobile for long periods.

“The human body responds very poorly to inactivity,” he said. “The risk for developing obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes increases dramatically as an individual becomes more sedentary.”

Parrott’s theory is that office workers may become less likely to exercise if they develop chronic pain from sitting for long periods.