A day at a desk leaves your body in one shape for hours: hips bent, shoulders forward, head toward the screen. These three stretches target the areas that take the most strain, and you can do all of them without leaving your desk.
1. Doorway chest stretch
Sitting rounds your shoulders forward and tightens your chest. Stand in a doorway, place your forearms on the frame, and step gently through until you feel a stretch across your chest. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. This one helps counter the hunched-forward position screens encourage.
2. Neck release
Sit tall. Drop your right ear toward your right shoulder until you feel a stretch along the left side of your neck. Rest a hand lightly on your head for a touch more. Hold, then swap sides. Keep it gentle, and stop if anything sharpens.
3. Seated hip flexor stretch
Hours of sitting shorten the muscles at the front of your hips, which pulls on your lower back. Stand up, step one foot well back, and gently press your hips forward until you feel a stretch at the front of the back leg. Hold, then swap.
When stretching isn’t enough
Stretching helps, but it doesn’t undo everything sitting does. If posture or neck tension keeps returning no matter how much you stretch, it may be worth getting looked at.
Book an assessment
Our team can assess how your body is moving and suggest what may help beyond the stretches.
