Guide to Office Desk Stretching
The human body was not built to spend long hours sitting at a desk. Sitting for long stretches of time stiffens our muscles causing both neck and back pain. All the while our screens strain our eyes and reduce our ability to focus. There are mounds of research proving that sitting at a desk for prolonged periods of time is bad for our cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health. To help combat these strains, doctors suggest that you get up and move around every few hours, look away from the screen every hour and perform stretches that reduce back and neck muscle stiffness.
Preventative measures such as ergonomic sitting should be used to fend off back and neck pain. Here are a few options:
Maintain good posture when working at the keyboard and keep your feet supported on the floor or on a footrest when you work to reduce pressure on your lower back
Avoid twisting or bending your torso or neck. Routinely used items should be positioned directly in front of you (computer monitor directly at eye-level) and within easy reach
Elbows should be positioned at 100 to 110 degrees when working in order to keep a relaxed position at the keyboard. Your wrists should be in a neutral or straight position when typing
Take lots of breaks. These breaks can be brief even one or two-minute breaks can help. During these breaks you should be stretching your muscles and getting oxygen flowing. (See recommendations below).
Buy ergonomic office tools such as a standing desk, laptop stand, tilted keyboard, wrist rest and ergonomic office chairs with strong back support
It is important to take many breaks during your working day. During these breaks, stretching is a great way to alleviate any muscle strain. Here are 5 stretches to help counteract excessive desk sitting: