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An expert teaches us three easy exercises for the back, neck and shoulders. You can even do them in your office chair!
“Your back will hurt,” “you’ll ruin your waistline,” and even the epic “you’ll screw up.” All I have heard is that I will get it because of the long hours I spend in front of the computer screen and the bad posture I have in the chair.
Yes, I know that long hours in front of the computer can “break” the neck, back or waist (and many more). Sometimes I wonder if a standing desk could solve my problem, but I always find that standing is probably more tiring.
Abby Halpin , physical therapist and personal trainer, reports in the online magazine Well+Good, that often the pain or stiffness we feel is not so much due to poor posture, as to how long we are in the same position with this posture .
As he explains to Well+Good, “sitting or standing in one place or position for an entire work day means that the same muscle groups are active all day, every day, and they feel fatigued. Spending weeks, months or years sitting in the same way at the same desk can cause hypersensitivity of the tissues involved in maintaining that position.”
Halpin recommends some mobility exercises during the day, which can relieve our muscles and joints , but also give our bodies a chance to relax.
3 mobility exercises that relieve the body
1. The cat-cow exercise
The cat-cow exercise helps the spine and back and you can perform it in your office chair as follows:
- As you sit with your feet flat on the floor, place your hands on the desk.
- Exhale as you lightly press your hands into the bench and round your back.
- Inhale and stretch, letting your chest rise straight up and the top of your head toward the ceiling.
- Repeat 5 to 10 times.
2. The “reach over the head” exercise
According to the expert, this exercise can increase shoulder mobility and prevent stiffness. Try it in the following way:
- Start in a seated position with your elbows bent and your hands up by your shoulders.
- Exhale as you stretch your arms straight up.
- Inhale as you bring your arms back down.
- Repeat 5 to 10 times. Then reverse the breathing pattern , inhaling as you reach up and exhaling as you bring your arms back down.
3. The “hug and reach”
This exercise compensates for the tendency we have to make movements in a forward direction when we are in the office. How to do it:
- Hug yourself by crossing both arms across your body and wrapping them around you as much as you can.
- Next, extend your arms straight out to the sides, stretching your fingers away from you.
- Repeat 5 to 10 times.
If you find that any of the exercises cause pain or discomfort, do not continue them. Also, if you are facing any health issue, consult your doctor first.
