Do your shoulders, neck or back ever hurt after a day in the office? It can easily happen when we sit down for a long time – and many of us spend more than seven hours a day doing just that.
These aches and pains can make us more uncomfortable and less productive.
The good news is: it doesn’t have to be this way. Try these stretches, specially designed for you to do at your desk, to help ease the strain.
The first exercise is a wall slide
Position your feet shoulder-width apart, slightly forward of a wall. Place your hands overhead with the fingers spread and extended. Slowly squat down, keeping the arms elevated, while “actively” exhaling. Then return to the start position during inhalation. Perform 2 sets of 4 repetitions. Each repetition should occur over 3- 4 seconds.
Complete twice a day.
The second stretch is a pectoral stretch
Place both forearms on a door frame. Lunge forward. You should feel a stretch in the front part of your shoulder/chest region. Try this exercise at different angles to get different degrees of stretch. Hold for a minimum of 30 seconds.
The third stretch is an upper trapezius stretch
Sit with the right hand holding the edge of the chair. Move the chin toward the chest and tilt you left ear toward you left shoulder turn right to look up toward the ceiling.
Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 2 times.
Your left hand can be used to apply additional pull to increase the stretch.
The fourth exercise is a shoulder dip
Whilst keeping your hands on a chair behind you, slowly squat down until you feel a stretch at the front of your shoulder.
Make sure you maintain an upright posture. Hold for a minimum of 15 seconds.
Repeat 3 times.
The aim is to gently and slowly progress in order to achieve constructive outcomes.
If however, you are constantly finding you have strain and discomfort through the shoulders, upper body and neck, then a neuro-structural assessment by one of our chiropractors is vital to assess the structure of the spine and its relationship with the nervous system.
To make an appointment, please either book online via our website, or call our friendly staff.