Remote work has taken desk work to an even more confining level. For those who can’t break away for a run or a gym workout during the day, deskercise can help loosen your limbs, prevent poor posture, and stave off aches and pains.
Dr. Haley Perlus, Sports and Performance Psychology Ph.D., joins Gayle Guyardo on the nationally syndicated health and wellness show Bloom to share a few exercises you can do right in your office.
- Neck and Shoulder Stretches
• Roll your chair away from your desk. Starting with your head facing forward, using your hand, gently stretch your head and neck to the left and right
• Practice this simple de-stressing technique: take a deep breath and shrug your shoulders as high as you can, and gently lower them, while breathing out deeply
- Hand and Forearm Stretches
• Continuous typing can lead to stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Help reduce the chances of an injury by giving your hands and fingers a break.
• Roll back from your desk and allow your hands to fall to your sides. Roll your wrists in a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction. Shake them out to relieve any tension
• Stretch your forearms by flexing your palms towards your arms, gently increasing the stretch with your other hand. Then extend your palm away from your arm, using your other hand to stretch the top of your hand towards your forearm. You should feel a stretch throughout the underside of your arm
- Back Stretches
• Sitting for long periods at a time is unnatural and can create pressure, especially in the lower back region. Haley recommends standing and walking as often as possible
• When standing, do a simple back stretch by bending at the waist and letting your arms lower towards the ground. Try to release all tension in your back and slowly “roll up,” one vertebra at a time
• If you don’t have a back injury, work on improving your range of motion by doing gentle torso twists, and rotating your trunk several times to help “loosen up.”
- Leg Stretches
• Sitting for long periods of time also cause blood to pool in your lower legs. Haley says getting moving, even walking around the block, can help improve circulation and “wake up” tired legs
• Simple leg stretches such as calf raises, quad stretches, and hamstring stretches can all be done in the comfort of your cubicle or desk area
• If you feel yourself getting drowsy at your desk, a neat trick you can try are leg lifts: from a sitting position, raise your foot 3-4 inches off the ground and hold it. You will start to feel a burn – keep going until your muscle gives out, repeat on the other side
Desk workers should take short stretch breaks at least once an hour. Taking frequent, shorter breaks that allow you to regularly relax and stretch is more effective than taking a few longer breaks. This can help relieve stress and tension in the body and mind.
Bloom airs in 40 markets across the country, with a reach of approximately 36 million households, and in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Madison, WI.
You can watch Bloom in the Tampa Bay Market weekdays at Noon on WTTA: Spectrum 1006; Frontier 514; DirecTV 38; Dish 38; Comcast 43, and look for Bloom early mornings on WFLA News Channel 8.
