Prolonged Sitting At Work: Exercises To Help You Loosen Up

For most office workers this is normal, but sitting for long hours can wreak havoc on your body. Long hours of sitting can cause:

• Shoulder aches

• Eye strain

• Neck pain

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Lower back pain

If you are one of the many who have to be at a desk all day, make sure you follow these simple steps to minimize any injury:

• Sit properly – back straight, shoulders back and your monitor should be level with your eyes.

• Keep legs bent at the knees so they are slightly higher than your hips.

• Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a stool.

It’s also very important to do some stretching exercises during your workday. This will help alleviate the feeling of stiffness after long hours of sitting. These simple exercises will help you loosen up and reenergize your weary-from-sitting body:

Neck and shoulders:

To lessen tension and strain, bend your head forward/backward, side to side then look right and left.  Roll your shoulders forward around 8-10 times, then backward. This also helps release the tension. 

Wrists and ankles:

Roll your wrists around at least 10 times clockwise, then reverse. This will help prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if you type a lot. Do the same thing with your ankles. Rolling them around will help improve blood circulation.
 
Calves:

Lift up your legs on the balls of your feet while sitting and set them down. Repeat until your legs are comfortably tired. Repeat after about 10-15 minutes later. Do this several times during the day -- this will exercise your calves, and will help prevent blood clots from developing in your legs.

Last but not least, take a walk. 

A short walk around your building is not only good for your feet and legs but it’s also a great way to recharge. You can even go up and down the stairs for some much needed exercise. Aside from giving your legs and heart a good workout, a good walk will allow you to take in fresh air as well!