6 Stretches You Can Do at Your Desk

February 9, 2012

Photo courtesy of Swamibu

Sitting at a desk all day in front of a computer can cause back and neck pain, tight hip flexors, weak gluteus muscles and hand and wrist pain. The best remedy is to get up and move around as often as possible. Instead of emailing or calling your colleague in the next office, get up and walk down the hall! Just standing up will reduce strain on your entire body. Even when you’re tied to your desk for long periods of time, simple stretches throughout the day will help relieve tension and ease discomfort. Here are a few to get you started:

Hips. Put one foot 2’ in front of the other and drop your hips first to one side, then the other. This will stretch your hip flexors that get tight all day long as you sit.
Shoulders, Chest. Look up at the ceiling and clasp your hands behind your back if possible. This will open up the front of your body if you’ve been hunched over your desk.
Wrists. Holding both arms in front of you, grab the fingertips of one hand and gently pull back to stretch the wrist. Then bend your hand down and hold. Repeat with your other arm.
Calves. Place the balls of your feet on the wall and lean forward to stretch your calves.
Shoulders. Stretch your shoulders by raising one shoulder at a time to your ear, then rolling down and back. Do this 5- 10 times, then reverse.
Neck. Drop your head forward, then to the side, then back, then to the other side, holding for a few seconds at each position.

Take your time! Hold all stretches for 15-30 seconds and don’t forget to stretch both sides. To learn more about making your work environment more ergonomically-friendly, call Kristina to set up a consultation at 408-979-9999.

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