Work at a Desk? Conquer Pain with These 5 Stretching Exercises for Beginners
If you work at a desk, you may be one of 20% of adults who feel muscle tension or pain most days. Try these stretching exercises for beginners, recommended by our very own licensed physical therapist, Erin Babineau, to lengthen and strengthen your muscles–and start feeling better, faster.
Why are Stretches Important for People Who Sit All Day?
While it’s not actually dangerous to sit all or most of the day, staying in any one position for long periods of time can reduce blood flow and lead to stiffness and discomfort. Stretching helps by increasing blood flow, loosening and strengthening your muscles, and improving your range of motion. It can also boost your energy, as does movement.
Our bodies are designed to move. Babineau recommends getting up and changing positions every 30 minutes or so–but she cautions to use this as a guideline, not a rule. Trying to be perfect can lead to anxiety, which can increase your pain.
It’s also important to note that there’s no “correct” posture that works for everyone. If you have to slouch to get in a more comfortable position because that’s what feels good at that time, that’s okay. You’re not going to damage or hurt anything. Your spine is strong and capable of many movements and positions, so be gentle with yourself, stay curious, and explore what feels good to your body.
To help you get started, here are a few simple exercises to help get up and move throughout your day.
Stretches for People Who Sit All Day
1 - Chest Stretch
This is a great stretching exercise for beginners and for those who often lean over a keyboard. It targets the muscles in your chest, shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands.
How to do it:
Put the palm of your hand on a wall or on a door frame, and step or lean forward to stretch the muscles in your chest and inside of your arm. Hold for 30-60 seconds on each side. You can also loosen your chest muscles by lying on a foam roller on the floor, stretching your hands out and above your head.
2 - Sun salutations
A sun salutation is a sequence of flowing movements taken from yoga. These exercises are great for stretching your whole body, strengthening your spine, and releasing tension in your chest, shoulders, and legs.
How to do it:
This series of fluid movements involves reaching your arms out and over your head, bending over to stretch your back, getting into a push-up position, and pushing your hips into the air to stretch the backs of your legs.
Start with one or two sun salutations, and do more as it feels good. You can modify each of these movements to suit your level of flexibility. Watch a detailed how-to on YouTube.
3 - SNAG Stretch
The SNAG stretch is a pain-free way to reduce tension in your neck and encourage movement in your spine.
How to do it:
Wrap one arm around your chest to gently grab your upper or mid neck. Find a tender point in your neck and turn your head the opposite way, rotating your head back and forth or up and down to see what feels good. For a deeper stretch, put your other hand behind you on your lower back.
You can also do this stretch with a belt, towel, or resistance band. Do this for 30-60 seconds total, alternating on and off the stretch to what is most comfortable for you.
4 - Book Opener Stretch
The “book opener” is a Pilates stretch that gently rotates the spine, opens chest muscles, and encourages movement in the shoulders, one at a time.
How to do it:
Lie on your side on a soft surface, such as a fitness mat, with your knees at a 90-degree angle and both arms straight out in front of you. Keeping your hips stacked on top of one another on this side, gradually open your arm out above you until it’s on the floor behind you–as if you’re opening your arms like a book–and your spine is twisted. Gently “close the book,” returning to your original position.
If this stretch is too intense, you can put your bottom hand behind your head. Do two reps or 30-60 seconds on each side, at a pace that feels good to you.
5 - Lacrosse Ball Upper Neck and Glute Massage
Using a ball to massage your muscles can reduce tension, boost blood flow and flexibility–plus, it feels great. You can use any type of ball for this, but a smaller, harder one (like a golf ball) will offer more intense pressure.
How to do it:
Lie down or lean on a wall with the ball between your neck or glutes (the muscles in your behind) and the hard surface, gently rolling around to massage your muscles. Aim for 30-60 seconds, or however long feels good.
Reducing Pain and Tension with Stretching
Stretching exercises are important for people who sit often–and that includes both beginners and fitness enthusiasts. So even if you’re active in your free time, stretching will help you increase flexibility and any pain or tension you may feel.
If you try these stretches and still have tension or pain, Nice’s virtual physical therapy and other comprehensive services can help. Muscular pain and tension that's been persistent–meaning it’s gradually come on and lasted for more than a few months–is a sign from your body's alarm system to do something differently.
Most of the time, it doesn't mean that something is terribly wrong, and the best treatment plan can be very person-specific. A thorough physical therapy exam and a well-rounded approach with support from various types of healthcare professionals can teach you new ways to move and relate to your tension or pain, which can reduce your discomfort and help you feel better. And with Nice, it’s more affordable and convenient than ever.