We hear you. You have a desk job that requires you to be seated for hours. You’re unable to move every 20 minutes, even though you’ve set an alarm. Walking between meetings or phone calls is only practical on paper. Your shoulders have started to creep up toward your ears. Your back aches when you lie down. And your neck? That seems like a lost cause. Prolonged sitting can lead to chronic back pain, knee pain, and poor posture. Here’s the good news: What if you could correct your posture with simple exercises that you can do at your desk? No, these stretches won’t look odd, and they’re a perfect way to regain your health starting from your workstation. Let’s take a look.
Tricep stretches
You don’t have to leave your workstation to do this exercise. Sit up straight. Now raise your arm and bend it overhead. Bend the elbow so that it drops behind your head. Use the other hand to pull the elbow toward your head. Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds. Now repeat on the other side.
Shoulder rolls
This exercise will help relieve stress on your shoulders while improving your posture. Sit straight in your chair and let your arms hang relaxed. Now slowly roll both shoulders forward. Imagine you are rolling them in circles. Count to five, stop, and roll backward. This simple exercise can improve your posture and also reduce pressure on your shoulders after continuous typing.
Forward stretch
This stretch helps loosen the upper back and shoulder muscles strained by prolonged sitting. Also known as the rhomboid upper back stretch, it reduces shoulder stiffness and improves posture. To do this stretch, sit straight. Now clasp your hands in front of you and lower your head in line with your arms, as if you are looking down. Press forward and hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Now release and repeat.
Overhead reach
You have done it standing; now do it sitting. Sit straight in your chair. Raise one arm and hold on to the side of the chair with the other arm for support. You know what to do. Extend the raised arm to the opposite side and hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Now repeat on the other side. This simple exercise will also reduce joint pain that is common in people who work at a computer.
Shoulder stretch
Most people with desk jobs complain about back pain. Here’s one way to reduce it. Sit toward the edge of your chair, leaving some space behind you. Now clasp your hands behind your back. Stretch them. Push your chest outward while doing this and raise your chin. Hold this pose for about 10 to 30 seconds. Release and repeat.
