Best Stretches for Office Workers: Home Edition

Best Stretches for Office Workers

For those of you that have made the move to working from home there will be a period of getting used to your new normal. Chances are you may not have the best set-up and you may already be feeling in your body.

  • Sore/stiff lower back.
  • Tight neck and shoulders.
  • Grippy muscles in your forearms.
  • Headaches.

Given the current situation we are living in, you may be working from home for the next 90 days or more. If you haven’t made adjustments to your home work station check out my previous blog here.

In this blog I would like to share my favourite stretches for the office worker, or those of you finding yourself working from home at a computer.

Sitting at a desk or a dining room table for hours a day is going to leave you feeling a bit stiff and sore, particularly if your set-up is not ideal for your body and work demands.

How do we minimise this?

Movement!

Limit how long you are sitting for to 30 minutes in a go.

Set a timer on your phone or computer. When the ringer goes, stand up, walk around, and do a stretch.

Some of you may have a standing desk – you can raise your desk and stand for the next 30 minutes, but also take the opportunity to stretch!

My top stretches:

The Table Top Stretch

Standing behind your chair or desk, place your hands on the back of your chair or on top of your desk. Walk your feet back, sinking into your hips and bending your knees. Aim to make your back flat, not rounded like the harbour bridge. Stretch your hands forward until you feel a stretch through your lats (back/side of shoulders and trunk). Hold here for 30-45 seconds. Repeat 3x.

If you suffer from shoulder pain, try taking your shoulders wider or try one the bonus stretches.

Chest Stretch

There are many ways to stretch your chest – in a door frame or up against all way. Sitting in your chair or standing at your desk, take your hands behind your back, interlacing your fingers. Draw your shoulder blades back and down and take your hands away from your body until a stretch is felt through your chest and across the front of your shoulders.

Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3x.

Glute Stretch

Sitting in your chair cross your ankle over your opposite knee. Sit up tall and lean forwards hinging through your hips until a stretch is felt in the back of your hip.

Hold here for 30 seconds. Repeat 3x on each side.

Seated Chair Twist.

Sitting forwards in your chair with your knees and feet together. Reach your right hands to the back of your chair and your left hand to your right knee. Drop your shoulders as you move into the stretch, which can be felt behind your shoulder blade or in your chest (may vary on individual).

Hold her for 15 seconds. Repeat 5x on each side.

Lancelot Hip Flexor stretch

Kneeling on the ground with your right shoulder, hip and knee stacked on one side, knee on the floor. Tuck or tilt your pelvis back on the right side until a stretch is felt across the front of your hip and thigh. Lunge forward for an extra stretch.

Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3x on each side.

Standing version: stand in lunge position with knees slightly bent, tuck pelvis under to feel stretch. Lunge forwards if needed.

Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3x on each side.

Bonus stretches:
Forward fold
Childs pose

Do you have a condition that is beyond stretching? Our team are on standby to help and you can speak to them here.  to improve your home office experience? 

For those of you that have made the move to working from home there will be a period of getting used to your new normal. Chances are you may not have the best set-up and you may already be feeling in your body.

  • Sore/stiff lower back.
  • Tight neck and shoulders.
  • Grippy muscles in your forearms.
  • Headaches.

Given the current situation we are living in, you may be working from home for the next 90 days or more. If you haven’t made adjustments to your home work station check out my previous blog here.

In this blog I would like to share my favourite stretches for the office worker, or those of you finding yourself working from home at a computer.

Sitting at a desk or a dining room table for hours a day is going to leave you feeling a bit stiff and sore, particularly if your set-up is not ideal for your body and work demands.

How do we minimise this?

Movement!

Limit how long you are sitting for to 30 minutes in a go.

Set a timer on your phone or computer. When the ringer goes, stand up, walk around, and do a stretch.

Some of you may have a standing desk – you can raise your desk and stand for the next 30 minutes, but also take the opportunity to stretch!

My top stretches:

The Table Top Stretch

Standing behind your chair or desk, place your hands on the back of your chair or on top of your desk. Walk your feet back, sinking into your hips and bending your knees. Aim to make your back flat, not rounded like the harbour bridge. Stretch your hands forward until you feel a stretch through your lats (back/side of shoulders and trunk). Hold here for 30-45 seconds. Repeat 3x.

If you suffer from shoulder pain, try taking your shoulders wider or try one the bonus stretches.

Chest Stretch

There are many ways to stretch your chest – in a door frame or up against all way. Sitting in your chair or standing at your desk, take your hands behind your back, interlacing your fingers. Draw your shoulder blades back and down and take your hands away from your body until a stretch is felt through your chest and across the front of your shoulders.

Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3x.

Glute Stretch

Sitting in your chair cross your ankle over your opposite knee. Sit up tall and lean forwards hinging through your hips until a stretch is felt in the back of your hip.

Hold here for 30 seconds. Repeat 3x on each side.

Seated Chair Twist.

Sitting forwards in your chair with your knees and feet together. Reach your right hands to the back of your chair and your left hand to your right knee. Drop your shoulders as you move into the stretch, which can be felt behind your shoulder blade or in your chest (may vary on individual).

Hold her for 15 seconds. Repeat 5x on each side.

Lancelot Hip Flexor stretch

Kneeling on the ground with your right shoulder, hip and knee stacked on one side, knee on the floor. Tuck or tilt your pelvis back on the right side until a stretch is felt across the front of your hip and thigh. Lunge forward for an extra stretch.

Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3x on each side.

Standing version: stand in lunge position with knees slightly bent, tuck pelvis under to feel stretch. Lunge forwards if needed.

Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3x on each side.Bonus stretches:
Forward fold
Childs pose

Do you have a condition that is beyond stretching? Our team are on standby to help you now.

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