The Inactivity Crisis

I just finished reading the WFSGI Physical Activity Impact Report, and wow it’s not exactly light reading. But it is important, especially for those of us in professions like law where “sedentary” is part of the job description.

The report highlights that 1.8 billion people were physically inactive in 2022 and that number could rise to 3 billion by 2030! It also highlighted that 81% of adolescents between 11 and 17 aren’t getting enough movement, with girls being more inactive than boys (85% vs. 78%).

Let that sink in.

For lawyers, especially those of us glued to a desk or bouncing from call to call, this should be a wake-up call. We talk about being high performers, making sharp decisions, being clear thinkers but we rarely talk about the role movement plays in all of that.

The companies featured as case studies in the report are doing more than just talking. They’re building movement into the workplace, into communities, and into everyday life. And while they’re mostly in the sporting goods industry, there’s plenty we can borrow from.

💥 ASICS launched a “Desk Break” campaign encouraging people to take 15 minutes during the workday to move. They even made it part of company policy.

💥 Decathlon created a whole “playground” during the Paris Olympics to give French youth access to sport, reaching 200,000 people in person and over a billion online.

💥 Under Armour is helping rebuild middle school sports in Baltimore, and in just a year, student participation in after-school sports jumped 104%. Graduation rates are up too.

💥 Nike’s “Team Go Girls” program in Paris focused on getting girls moving in neighborhoods where access is almost nonexistent and it worked. Over 70% of the participants were previously inactive.

What struck me most is how many barriers to movement still exist, especially for kids. In lower-income communities, children are three times more likely to miss out on physical activity. Not because they don’t want to move, but because they don’t have safe places to do it, or they don’t feel like they belong. That hit home as a parent, especially a parent of kids with special needs and as someone who believes access shouldn’t be a privilege.

So what does this have to do with us as lawyers?

A lot, actually.

We’re problem solvers. We know how to juggle competing priorities. But we often push physical activity to the bottom of the list because we’re “too busy.” But we all know we don’t need more time, we just need to use the time we have more efficiently. We need to prioritize oursleves and the energy we need to do the work we care about.

We all know movement improves focus, lowers stress, and helps prevent burnout. It gives us space to think more clearly and to just feel better.

I’m not saying we all need to become marathon runners (I’m not exactly a fan of running!). I’m saying: walk between meetings. Take a break to stretch. Organize a walking call with a colleague. Normalize moving, even if it’s just a little.

We owe it to ourselves. And if we’re leading teams, mentoring younger lawyers, or raising kids we owe it to them too.

So, how are you making space for movement in your day?

Link to the report: WFSGI Physical Activity Impact Report 2025: Moving the World Towards an Active Future | WFSGI - World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry