9 Best Stretching Routines For Professionals Who Sit All Day

We’ve gathered inputs to bring you specific stretching routines tailored for professionals anchored to their desks. Find out the routines and their benefits for improving posture and flexibility throughout the workday.

1. Incorporate Spontaneous Movement Breaks

While a structured stretching routine is excellent for maintaining mobility for those who sit for long periods, in my professional experience, incorporating general movement can have an equally significant impact. Prolonged sitting in front of a screen often leads to intense focus on tasks, resulting in a loss of postural awareness. 

My favorite recommendation is to set a timer for 30-45 minute intervals. When it goes off, stand up and move around spontaneously for 30-60 seconds, diverting your attention from work. This short break can effectively ‘reset’ your postural awareness, stimulate muscles crucial for good posture, and help prevent issues like low back pain.

Romin Ghassemi, Physical Therapist, MovementX

2. Try a 5-Minute Dynamic Desk Routine

Stuck in front of the computer all day? Are your neck, back, shoulders, and legs sore from sitting for hours? Try this 5-minute dynamic stretching routine to break up the tension between meetings. Remember that the focus is to get blood flow to your body and give your nervous system some variety!

1. Shoulder Rolls x20: Sit upright with your back off the chair. Bring your shoulders towards your ears, roll them back to pinch your shoulder blades together, and finally roll them down towards the ground. Repeat in a fluid motion to create a backward rolling motion.
2. Posterior Neck Stretch: Hold the right side of your head with your left hand and pull the head gently towards the left shoulder (think ear to shoulder). Gently turn your head to the right (think smelling your armpit) and hold for another 5 seconds. Repeat this sequence 5 times for the other side.
3. Seated Hamstring Stretch: Sit at the edge of your chair with one leg stretched out and your heel on the ground. The other foot will be flat on the floor. Without rounding your back, lean forward with your trunk until you feel a stretch behind the knee and the calf. Point the toes up for a greater stretch. Hold for 5 seconds on and off 10 times and repeat on the other leg.
4. Seated Figure-4 Stretch: Cross your left ankle over your right knee and gently push the inside of the right knee until you feel a stretch in the deep hip. Hold for 5 seconds, and then hug the right knee inwards towards the chest. Hold for 5 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

The great thing about this routine is that it can all be done from your desk! Even if you only have a few minutes, performing just a few of these will reboot your body to stay fresh and reduce the end-of-day soreness.

John Huang, Physical Therapist, MovementX

3. Apply Targeted Neck Stretches

One specific stretching routine I highly recommend for professionals who sit all day is neck stretches. Many people hold tension in their hips, shoulders, and neck due to prolonged sitting and stress buildup. Focusing on neck stretches can be particularly effective. Here are two key neck stretches I suggest:

1. Ear-To-Shoulder Stretch

Steps:

• Sit or stand up straight.
• Gently tilt your head to the right, bringing your right ear towards your right shoulder.
• Use your right hand to pull your head down gently for a deeper stretch.
• Hold for 2-3 deep breaths.
• Repeat on the left side.

2. Side Neck Stretch

Steps:

• Sit or stand up straight.
• Roll your shoulders back and clasp your hands behind your back. Take 2-3 deep breaths.
• Gently tilt your head to the right, bringing your right ear towards your right shoulder.
• Hold the stretch for 2-3 deep breaths on each side.

The benefits of neck stretches are the release of tension in the upper body muscles, which can prevent headaches, migraines, and fatigue. Incorporating these stretches into your daily routine can leave you feeling more energized and clear-headed.

Yana Carstens, Holistic Life & Wellness Coach, Realign And Thrive, LLC

4. Practice Quick Posture Fixes

Much of my job as an occupational therapist involves sitting in front of a computer and documenting my treatment sessions with my patients. It is easy to fall into the trap of poor posture unless I’m conscious about it. One posture I tend to adopt is rounded shoulders with a protruding chin.

One quick posture fix I do to bring myself back to an upright position is to focus on two specific body areas.

• Body Part #1: I focus on tucking my chin back (not down), which lifts up my upper chest and corrects my posture.
• Body Part #2: I then focus on the lower point of my shoulder blades and press them downward toward the ground. That allows my shoulders and chest to widen and open up.

It may not be easy to sustain this position for an extended period of time, but at least I know I have enough flexibility to bring myself into this position. I know that to maintain this posture with ease, I would need to focus on strengthening specific muscles to prevent feeling strained or fatigued.

Mayleen Torres, OT Reg (Ont.), Occupational Therapist, Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, Sinai Health

5. Stretch Your Spine In All Directions

Stretching your spine in all directions each morning is important since our backs get sore and compressed from sitting all day. If our spine stays flexible, we can prevent back pain and injury. From a seated cross-legged position, inhale to raise your arms up, then exhale and fold forward over your legs. 

Walk your hands over to the right, placing your left hand on top of the right to stretch the lower left side. Walk your hands to the left, placing your right hand over your left to stretch the lower right side. Next, inhale, stretch your arms, and stretch laterally to the right, then to the left, holding for at least five seconds. 

Next, hold onto your knees and, on an inhale, arch your back, looking upward; on the exhale, round your back, looking toward your belly. Repeat five to ten times. Finally, inhale, arms up, exhale, and twist to the right by placing your left hand on your right knee, your right hand behind you with tented fingers. Inhale, arms up, twist left with right hand on left knee, left hand behind you with tented fingers. I also recommend neck and shoulder stretches since we hold a lot of tension in these areas.

Dr. Jo L, Holistic Coach, Yoga Teacher, TulaSoul

6. Recommend Three Key Stretches

I don’t like to demonize sitting because, in the modern world, sitting is a large component of our lives—whether we are working, driving, or watching Christmas movies with our family. 

However, we must acknowledge the impact that being static in any position for prolonged periods of time will have on our muscles and joints. Therefore, for those who sit most of the day, here are three stretches or movements I often recommend:

1. Thoracic Extension: Thoracic extension over a BackBridge or yoga ball opens your thoracic cavity and hips. Sitting puts us in flexion, which can cause muscle shortening and stiffening. With thoracic extension, we maintain the length and flexibility of these muscles.
2. Lizard Pose: This is an excellent hip opener that is often seen in yoga practices and works well to relieve some tension in your pelvis and lower back.
3. Frog Pose: This is another excellent hip opener. Proper technique can also strengthen your back and promote good posture.

Taylor Rahe, Occupational Therapist, TRU Whole Care

7. Perform The Seated Spinal Twist

Sitting at a desk for extended periods of time can lead to muscle stiffness, joint pain, and poor posture. This is why it is crucial for professionals who sit all day to incorporate regular stretching into their daily routine. One specific stretching routine that I highly recommend is the “Seated Spinal Twist” stretch.

The Seated Spinal Twist stretch primarily targets the back muscles, including the lower back and spine, making it ideal for those who sit for long hours. By twisting your torso while seated, this stretch helps lengthen and release tension in the spine, improving posture and reducing lower back pain.

Additionally, it also stretches the hips, shoulders, and chest muscles, which can become tight from prolonged sitting. Regularly performing this stretch can improve flexibility, relieve tension in the body, and promote better overall physical well-being. Therefore, incorporating the Seated Spinal Twist into your daily routine is an excellent way to combat the negative effects of prolonged sitting and maintain a healthy body.

Evan Tunis, President, Florida Healthcare Insurance

8. Repeat The Superman Stretch

Due to the nature of my work, I sit all day, every day. Therefore, I recommend several repetitions of the so-called Superman stretch throughout the day. It’s incredibly simple: lie face-down and lift your arms, legs, and the upper half of your body off the ground as much as comfortably possible, then keep them in that position for several seconds. 

It stretches out all of your body, but it does something more: it strengthens the lower back, which can prevent your discs from slipping! The latter is probably the most common issue with a sedentary lifestyle.

Jelena Ciric, Content Manager, eBusiness Institute

9. Try Wrist And Forearm Stretches

Even though I spend much of my time as a digital nomad on the go, I often spend hours at my desk with my laptop. For me, wrist and forearm stretches have become essential for maintaining my productivity and overall well-being because prolonged typing and mouse usage can lead to stiffness and discomfort in these areas, impacting my work performance and my ability to enjoy daily activities.

When those who sit all day in front of a computer incorporate regular wrist and forearm stretches into their routine, they can experience significant benefits. These stretches alleviate immediate tension and discomfort and promote better circulation and flexibility, reducing the risk of repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, which can be common for those who type all day long.

It also helps to take short breaks to stretch, rejuvenate your muscles, and refresh your mind, allowing people to return to work with increased focus and energy.

Danielle Hu, Founder, The Wanderlover

Those are some of the best stretching routines for professionals who sit most of the day; as fellow professionals, we hope you learn and apply these routines to your benefit.

source https://freeduhm.com/stretching-routines-for-professionals-who-sit-all-day/