Stretching Exercises For Office Workers – To Relieve Muscle Aches

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n my opinion, sitting is the new smoking in the technological world. Quite often, the office-going people complain about headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, and leg pain. No wonder, these are all the most expected outcomes of forcing your body into one static position for too long. Lengthy sedentary periods of sitting can cause muscle imbalances and lead to misalignment.

The technological revolution has given us wonderful tools to work, but unfortunately, the computer-simulated environment and the so-called high-definition devices do not refer to define our muscle tone. The more engaged we become with computers, smartphones, and other apps, we also have to pay a big price to fix our health issues.

Don’t you think we have been too ignorant of our health? After all, work isn’t everything, we can still care for our health while sitting and doing the likely desk jobs.

Let’s learn in this blog how to fix musculoskeletal tension and pain with gentle mobility exercises.

Take 5 or 10 minutes break in your long work schedule (or perhaps a few minutes more if your boss is pleasant and if it’s going to increase your productivity, then for sure your boss won’t have a problem…ha ha…) Okay, jokes apart, time to stretch…the exercises numbered in the image is described accordingly below…

MOBILITY EXERCISES FOR NECK MUSCLES

1. LATERAL NECK FLEXION (bending neck from side to side) --- Slowly lower your head to one side such as bringing the right ear towards the right shoulder (your shoulders and back should remain still, don’t shrug your shoulders in an attempt to bring the head closer). Hold the stretch for 5 seconds before returning the head to the neutral position. Now, bend your neck in the left side and repeat the movement.

2. NECK LATERAL ROTATION (turning the neck to the left & right) --- While keeping the back straight, slowly turn your head to the left. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds and then slowly turn your neck back to the neutral position. Repeat on neck stretch in the right side.

3. NECK EXTENSION & FLEXION (forward bending) --- Extend the neck as in looking upward towards the ceiling, gradually lower the chin towards the chest. Without arching your back, flex your neck forward as far as it can. Hold the neck stretch for 5 seconds, before returning it back to the neutral position.

MOBILITY EXERCISES FOR SHOULDER MUSCLES

1. STRETCH YOUR ARMS OUT --- Interlace your fingers and straighten your arms in front of you. Feel the stretch in your arms and shoulders with palms facing away from you. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds.

2. SHOULDER STRETCH WITH HANDS BEHIND --- Interlace fingers behind your back, bring your shoulders back, and lift arms up, away from the pelvis. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds before returning to starting position.

3. OVERHEAD SHOULDER STRETCH --- Raise right arm overhead, bend it at the elbow, hold the right elbow with your left hand and then gently pull elbow behind the head. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds and then repeat the stretch on the left arm.

4. CROSS ARM STRETCH --- With the left arm, pull the elbow of the right arm across the body until you feel a comfortable stretch. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds. Return to start and gently pull across your left arm in front of your body.

MOBILITY EXERCISES FOR BACK MUSCLES

1. SEATED BACKBENDS --- Come on the edge of your chair, take your arms behind your back, lift up through the center of your chest to stretch your upper spine.  

2. GENTLE BACK TWIST --- Sit with left leg crossed over the right leg. Rest your right hand on the outside of your crossed leg, then take your other arm behind you and grab the chair. Now, apply some controlled, steady pressure towards the right and pull your upper torso into twist stretch. Hold for 5 seconds and then release. Return to the initial position and repeat the twist on the other side.     

3. SEATED FLEXION --- Sit on the edge of a chair, pull the core in and slowly bend upper body forward and try to touch the ankle (if possible, try to touch the floor). You’ll feel a stretch in the low back and core. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds before returning back to starting position.  

4. SIDE BEND REACH --- Stand straight, slowly bend to the right side with your right arm raised and bent overhead. You can rest the other hand on your hip. When you feel the stretch in lower back, hold for 5 seconds, before slowly returning to starting position.

MOBILITY EXERCISE FOR HANDS

1. STRETCH HANDS --- Stretch your both arms outside with your fist held tight. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds and then release fingers, again hold fist tight and repeat this motion 2-3 times.

2. FINGER STRETCH --- Straighten your fingers as flat as you can on a table until the tension of a stretch is felt. Hold for 5 seconds. Next, bend your fingers at the knuckles and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat this motion 2-3 times.

3. FIST TO FAN --- Pull your four fingers in clasped manner tightly held with your thumb. Hold for 5 seconds, spread your fingers wide into the fan, and repeat.

4. PALMS UP, PALMS DOWN --- Straighten your right arm out in front of you with palms facing out. Gently pull your wrist down with your left hand so that the fingers are pointing down towards you. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds and repeat this left hand.

MOBILITY EXERCISE FOR LEG MUSCLES

1. SEATED LEG RAISE --- Sit straight on a chair with your back held straight and your legs bent at 90 degrees. Slowly bring your right leg up to waist level, keeping your left leg planted on the floor. Hold for 5 seconds. Raise alternate leg and lower the leg. 

2. STANDING QUAD STRETCH --- Stand tall and hold onto the wall for assistance in balance. Pull your right knee back by grasping your ankle with one hand. Feel the quad stretch for 5 seconds and then return to starting position. Repeat this on the other leg.  

3. STANDING QUAD STRETCH --- Stand tall and hold onto the wall for assistance in balance. Pull your right knee back by grasping your ankle with one hand. Feel the quad stretch for 5 seconds and then return to starting position. Repeat this on the other leg.  

4. HALF SPLITS WITH A CHAIR --- Stand straight, straighten the right leg and rest your heel on the chair. Maintain balance and stability in your standing leg. Lower your leg down from the chair and repeat on the other leg.

It’s time for you to listen to your muscle pain, you can still stretch and strengthen your muscles in the absence of any sweating or grunting…

It all starts from over-stressed forward head posture while doing desk jobs,  the low-intensity stretching exercises suggested here can strengthen weak muscles, stretch the tight muscles and help prevent aches and pain…

Also read : 10 Ways To Boost Energy Naturally & Quickly

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