Call Now6 Stretches You Need to Practice If You Sit at A Desk All Day
There’s nothing quite like a great stretch to keep you limber and mobile. Flexibility is critical for good muscle and joint health, especially when your career has you sitting in a chair or behind a desk all day. But did you know that when you sit or even slump your body, that your metabolism slows down?
But you didn’t know this when you decided on a job working in front of a computer all day, and you may not want to or have the funds to invest in a standing desk. So, what can you do to get your blood flowing and keep your joints and muscles happy while maintaining a healthy metabolism?
Fortunately, your friends at Impact Medical Pompano Beach are here to help! We understand the importance of keeping your flexibility agile while helping you boost your calorie burn every day. So today, we wanted to discuss six stretches you need to incorporate into your daily routine if you find yourself sitting at a desk all day!
First things first, a great way to make the most of these stretches is to get up off your chair around every 20 minutes or so and try out these stretches for yourself!
1. Supported Backhand
Bending backward actually helps improve your posture and supports the muscles that stabilize your spine.
How to: Stand facing away from a wall with your heels about an inch away from the bottom. Now, put your arms over your head with your elbows bent backward so that your palms are facing the wall. And slowly lean back and catch your body weight with your hands. Next, walk your hands down the wall until you feel a stretch.
2. Lunge With Rotation
This stretch is designed to build strength in your legs and shoulders while also stretching your hips. In addition, the twisting motion will help maintain healthy spinal movement in your back.
How To: From standing, take a significant step forward with your right foot into a lunge, and be sure that your right knee doesn’t extend past your toes. Place your hands on either side of your foot, then lift your right arm toward the ceiling and turn your gaze upward at the same time. Hold this as you feel your body stretch, then switch sides and repeat.
3. Shoulder Opener
The shoulder opener stretch is great to help pull your shoulders outward and open up your chest. For example, when you’re sitting down typing all day, you tend to pull your shoulders inward and collapse your chest. This reverses that.
How To: Standing straight up and tall, hold a towel or even your belt in each hand behind your back, palms up. Then slowly raise your arms behind you as high as you can without being uncomfortable. Be sure to pull your shoulders back and together as you lift.
4. Low Cobra with Elevated Feet
This particular stretch is designed to focus on your hip flexors which naturally get super tight when you’re constantly in a seated position. You’ll also strengthen your glutes while opening the chest and shoulders and strengthen your lower back.
How To: Lie face down on the floor with your ankles resting on a foam roller or even some boxes you have by your desk. Start by pressing your forearms into the floor and pull your shoulders back as you slowly raise your head.
5. Star Reach
With this stretch, you’ll be able to stretch your shoulders, chest, hips, mid-back, as well as ankles. It’s the antithesis to sitting down all day!
How To: Stand with your legs a little wider than your hips, then reach your arms into the sky with your palms facing forward. Spread your fingers as wide as you can, then rise up on your tippy toes.
6. Number 4 Sit
There is a little muscle in your rear end called the piriformis that tightens and actually atrophies when you’re sitting down for too long. This easy stretch will keep that little muscle from becoming a far bigger problem over time.
How To: while you’re seated, preferably in a chair with no arms or even on a bench in your office, cross your right ankle over your left thigh. Then, use your right hand to apply a tiny bit of pressure on the inside of your knee while leaning slightly forward until you feel a stretch on the side of your glute muscle. Hold this as you inhale, then exhale and attempt to put a little more pressure and lean a little further. Finally, switch sides and repeat the process!
By spending time working on using these stretches even a few times during your workday, you can drastically improve your joint health and flexibility. Take it from the pros at Impact Medical Pompano Beach. You’ll thank us later!