Best Desk Exercises: Stretches to Do If You Sit All Day at Work

According to health experts, too much sitting is detrimental to your health. “Too much” means 3-4 hours a day, which is way below how long most office workers tend to sit. This puts many at a higher risk for multiple ill health effects that can shorten your quality of life, as well as simply cause muscle pain. Luckily, many desk exercises can help alleviate these ailments.

But what are these exercises? In this article, Real Business will outline them, including how to perform them, why you should and more.

Why do desk exercises?

Doing exercises at your desk can help alleviate issues that can occur as a result of being seated for long periods, such as:

• Musculoskeletal disorders – Prolonged periods of sitting in poorly supported postures can strain muscles, ligaments and spinal structures, leading to pain and injury. In an EU-wide occupational health survey conducted by Eurofound, 46% of workers reported back pain and 43% reported shoulder, neck or upper limb pain. Musculoskeletal conditions cost the NHS roughly £13 million daily, £5 billion per year.
• Cardiometabolic and mortality – Prolonged sedentary behaviour increases the risk for conditions that lead to death, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes (112% higher risk), metabolic syndrome, obesity and certain cancers. It also carries a 64% increase in the risk of fatal heart disease, a 147% risk of heart attack/stroke, a 50% risk of dementia at 12 hours and nearly triple at 15 hours a day.
• Lost work days and productivity – Office workers with MSD lose on average 13.9 working days per case per year. The total economic loss of new workplace ill-health and injuries was estimated at £21.6 billion in 2022/23.
• Hidden costs from “presenteeism” – Employees tend to soldier on through pain, reducing focus and slowing recovery.
• Chronic damage – Without intervention, you can suffer lasting spinal changes, degenerative disc disease and nerve compression.

What are the best desk stretches to counteract injury?

Below are ten simple desk exercises you can do to alleviate pain and prevent long-term injury:

1. Neck flexion – Sit tall, feet flat, head straight, and shoulders relaxed. Then, slowly bend your head forward with your chin toward your chest, until you feel a gentle stretch at the back of your neck. Keep your shoulder blades down, and don’t round your upper back.
2. Seated lateral neck stretch – Sitting tall as a starting position, keep your head straight and shoulders forward. Stabilise your left shoulder with your left hand, and reach your right arm overhead. With your right hand fingers on the right side of your head, gently push towards your left shoulder until you feel a neck stretch. Hold the stretch for 20 – 30 seconds.
3. Shoulder shrugs – Sit or stand with your arms straight by your sides. Gently lift both shoulders towards your ears like you’re shrugging, holding for two seconds, then slowly releasing down. Repeat between 10 and 15 times.
4. Shoulder blade squeeze – Sit tall with your arm by your side, palms facing in. Pull your shoulder blades together as if pinching a pencil between them, holding for five seconds, then releasing. Repeat ten times.
5. Chest stretch (opener) – Stand facing your desk or a wall, with your palms flat on the surface at shoulder height. Step back until your arms are straight, learn forward from your hips with your head straight until you feel a stretch across your chest and front shoulders.
6. Seated hip-flexor stretch – You can perform a hip-stretch by sitting on the front edge of your chair with your feet flat on the floor, and slide your right foot back so your right knee drops slightly behind you, whilst keeping your torso upright. Lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in the front of your right hip. Then switch sides, repeating with your left leg back.
7. Seated glute stretch – Sit tall with your feet flat. Cross your right ankle over your left knee. Gently press the right knee down (or bend forward slightly with a straight back) until you feel a stretch in your right glute. Once done, switch to the other side.
8. Seated hamstring stretch – Sit at the front of your chair and extend your right leg straight out with your heel on the floor and toes pointing up. Keeping your back straight, hinge at your hips and lean forward until you feel a stretch behind your right thigh.
9. Upper body stretches – Sit straight, then reach your left arm across your body. With your other arm, gently pull your left arm just below until you feel upper back tension. Hold the stretch, then repeat on the opposite side with the same positions.
10. Standing one leg raise – Stand tall with your shoulders relaxed and facing forward. Gently raise one leg, lifting one foot off the floor whilst the hips are levelled. You should feel a lower body stretch in your standing leg. Hold, then repeat on the opposite side.

How will these desk stretches benefit you?

Desk stretches will have several effects on your body and health:

• Boosted circulation – Stretching widens your blood vessels to ensure that oxygen and nutrients reach your muscles and brain, lessening fatigue and sharpening your mind.
• Reduced soreness and stiffness – Circulation flushes out waste within your system and cuts down on aches/cramps.
• Posture – Realigning your spine through stretches, easing strain on your neck and upper back that builds up over time.
• Fewer tension headaches – Tightness in the muscles can build to the point that it pulls on the skull, and relieving that tightness lowers the pressure on your head.
• Increased energy/focus – A 30/60 second micro-break devoted to stretching can revitalise your motivation and concentration.
• Stress reduction – Stress hormones, chief of all cortisol, drop through brief stretches, and feel-good endorphines rise.
• Greater flexibility and injury prevention – Regular stretching maintains joint range of motion. This reduces the risk of strain or repetitive-use injuries.

How do you sit properly at your desk?

This is a slightly amusing question, but an important one. No matter how you sit, you will likely accumulate stress, but the best way to sit is with a straight back. Try not to slouch or lean forward towards your computer screen, and take regular breaks where applicable.

Remember to stay active throughout the workday to promote better posture and improve overall health.

How often should you stretch when working at a desk?

Current trends in medical research suggest you should get up from your desk at least every 30 minutes to reduce eye strain, alleviate wrist and joint pain, and boost blood circulation. Sitting for prolonged periods can lead to discomfort in the lower back and increase the risk of various health issues such as heart disease and diabetes. You don’t need to be stretching every time you get up, though; integrating movement throughout the day and staying active is essential for overall well-being.

Most medical professionals recommend doing stretches every 2 hours if you are stationary at a desk. That means most people can get away with a few stretches at morning break, lunch, and afternoon break. Prolonged sitting for long stretches can significantly impact health, increasing risks for conditions such as heart disease and obesity.

Take as much time as you can to stretch, knowing that it is good for your body, your health, and your mind. Prolonged sitting is associated with an increased risk of serious health issues, so incorporating movement and stretching into your daily routine is crucial.

Conclusion

All in all, it’s worthwhile to do simple stretches at work to prevent health issues and fix poor posture. If you feel pain consistently as a result of either sitting or stretching, you should contact healthcare professionals, as this may be indicative of a larger issue that could turn systemic.