Stretched out on the couch with feet on the coffee table. Reclined on a chair in the backyard. Laid out in bed with a computer on the lap.
With so many people working from home during the pandemic, it’s led to new office spaces popping up in homes all over the world. While there is always a lot of emphasis on the proper way to sit at a traditional desk, the reality is that not everybody is seated the way they would be in an office.
It’s important to remember the body needs to move and stretch no matter how comfortable your new working posture.
Foot flexes are ideal for keeping your leg moving when otherwise you might by sitting motionless for a long stretch. It’s as simple as putting your foot down and then raising it or flexing it up for 30 seconds. Alternating this stretches your calf muscles and keeps the blood flowing to avoid discomfort.
Up to the midsection where posture is everything. It might look ridiculous – who can see you, anyway? – but sitting up straight with your shoulders back is a great way to strengthen stomach muscles and keep everything aligned. If you have bad posture (like many people who sit at a desk all day) it might be painful to start this exercise but over time you will find that you naturally sit up straight because it is actually more comfortable.
Put your arm against the wall and lean into it. This stretches out the muscles that are locked in place when your hands are planted on the keyboard for a long typing session. Do this on each side for 30 seconds.
Moving up to the head and neck – you might not feel the tension as you look straight ahead, but over time you know you find yourself rubbing your neck or doing head rolls to try to make it feel better. Again, the way to ease the pain is to keep moving.
Slight head tilts to the left and right, holding the position for 10 seconds before moving to the next side, will keep the blood flowing and the muscles active. Even tilting your chin up and to the left, and up and to the right while you look straight ahead is great to stretch out the neck.
In addition to your chiropractic and massage therapy appointments, there are little exercises you can do to keep the body in top shape while boosting your productivity. Watch this video for some examples of safe stretches.