Sitting at a desk all day can lead to neck trouble and a back pain, but you can help to prevent problems occurring by doing these stretches at your desk.

Release Tight Muscles

Begin by opening your chest and shoulders to awaken muscles that have become tight whilst hunched over your desk.  Do not attempt this if you have shoulder trouble.

How to do it: Begin in a seated or standing position, raise your arms so the elbows are at shoulder height, then take your arms back. Hold for 10-30 seconds.

 

 

 

 

Open Up Your Spine

Rotate your upper body to extend your muscles and open up your spine.

How to do it: Begin in a seated position with your feet flat on the floor. Contract your abdominal muscles, then gently twist your torso to the right. Make sure your back is straight and the hips are square and that you only twist as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

 

 

 

 

Reverse The Slump

Slumping at your desk causes you to suffer from backache. This easy move stretches all the muscles in your back, arms and sides to beat the pain.

How to do it: Begin in a seated or standing position, then intertwine your fingers and reach them up to the ceiling. Take a deep breath whilst you stretch as high as you can, then breath out as you open your arms and sweep them back down. Repeat 8-10 times.

 

 

Relax Your Neck

Release all the tension in your neck and avoid the resulting headaches with this stretch.

How to do it: Begin in a seated position, then reach down and grab the side of your chair with your right hand. Gently pull on the chair as you tilt your head to the left so you feel your body stretching down your right neck and shoulder. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

More Neck Pain Relief

This stretch follows on from Stretch 4.

How to do it: Turn your gaze towards your trouser pocket area so you feel the stretch move around your neck. Hold for 10-30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

 

 

 

For more information about stretches to do at your desk to help stop neck pain and a bad back, click here.