Stretching for Strength at Work

Spending so much of your day sitting at a desk can be every bit as taxing on your body as it is on your energy levels. One of the keys to staying motivated and pain-free when you’re holding down a 9-to-5 is taking time out to move around and stretch. Stretching for strength at work won’t just help you prevent pain from sitting—it will make sure you have the energy to be active once you shut down for the day. If you know how to stretch at your desk, you can maximize the results even more.

How to Stretch at Your Desk

If you’re feeling locked in, you may feel locked to your desk during the workday. While you should make every effort possible to get up and move around a little every hour or so, stretching for strength is possible without needing to get out of your chair. Once you know how to stretch at your desk, you can make it part of your daily routine.

A great place to start is with your chair itself. Use the armrests and chair back to guide you while stretching for strength, helping you maintain good form. One example would be reaching your arms back so that your hands grasp behind your chair. Holding this stretch activates your shoulders and chest, which can help warm them up for a post-work workout.

If you’re not sure how to stretch at your desk effectively, look for any stretches that can be performed while sitting. Stretches like seated spinal rotations, shoulder rotations, and neck stretches can all be done in your office chair. Better still, working these stretches into your routine can help remind you of the importance of proper posture.

Take Breaks and Find a Space

Now that you know how to stretch at your desk, let’s reiterate: Get up and move around regularly throughout the day. Even when you have deadlines bearing down, taking 10 minutes away from your desk benefits your mental and physical health. This will help prevent and relieve pain from sitting for long stretches of time. Plus, it presents a great opportunity to make sure you’re stretching for strength and setting your body up for success.

When you’re working at home, you shouldn’t have trouble finding space to stretch. It might feel a bit more challenging at work—doing lunges in the aisle between everyone’s cubicles may not be the best look. If your office doesn’t have a fitness area, you could do your stretches in an unoccupied conference room or an area where there’s not a lot of foot traffic. Even better, you could take your stretching for strength outside and get a bit of fresh air.

Pain from Sitting at Your Desk? Contact Williamsburg Chiropractic

Putting in a hard day’s work can take its toll, and you deserve to enjoy your off hours free of pain from sitting. Schedule an adjustment at Williamsburg Chiropractic in Brooklyn, NY, and we’ll make sure you have the energy you need to get the most out of your work-life balance.