Aches and pain are the constant companions of those who work for a long time on the computer or laptop. Lower back discomfort, shoulder tightness, neck aches, wrist pain are some of the common problems people face when they work continuously on laptops or desktops for long. But you can easily get rid of these problems with exercises. But what can you do when you merely get time for work-out? Well, these exercises are so easy that you can do these in between your work breaks in office. We have enlisted some exercises a few remedies to ward off these aches and pain bothering you for a long time.
Exercises you can do at work:
Exercise is the key to resolve the issues related to pain, and aches caused by working at a posture for a long time. Here are some of the best stretches and exercises you can follow regularly at your office desk to get away with these discomforts. You can just do these exercises even when seated on your chair during the small intervals you get.
1. Shoulder Shrugs
Bring your shoulders up towards your ears and hold the posture for 3 to 5 seconds. Then release and repeat a minimum of 3 times to ease your shoulders and neck. This exercise helps in strengthening the shoulders, neck, and reduces neck and muscle strain.
2. Chin Tucks
While seated at your desk, bring your chin back towards your face. Make sure your chin doesn’t move downwards your chest and your head doesn’t move as well. Hold for three breaths and repeat 15 times twice a day. It saves your neck from soreness.
3. Seated Spiral Rotation
Cross your arms over your chest and grab your shoulders while you stay seated on your chair. Now rotate your upper body from left to right and vice versa as far as it feels comfortable. It will release the tightness around your lower back and spine.
4. Wrist Flexor and Extensor
When your arms and wrists get tired of typing, perform this exercise to soothe them. Bring one arm in front of your body while the palm faces the ground. Pull back the fingers and the palm of this outstretched arm with the other hand. Hold the position for 3 seconds and then push down the fingers and palm together towards your body. Hold it for 3 seconds and repeat with the other arm.
5. Sitting Back Extension
If you feel a strain in your lower back and your back is paining, just sit straight with your feet together. Now put both the palms into the lower back area and lean back over your hands. It helps your lower back to stretch out and provides relief from the pain.
6. Shoulder Blade Squeeze
Perform this exercise in small work intervals while you are still seated in your chair. Clasp your hands in the joint of your head or lower back and neck and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold this position for 5 to 6 seconds, take a deep breath, and release with exhaling. It relaxes the shoulder, upper back, and neck all at once.
7. Neck Rotation
This is one of the easiest and most efficient exercises you can do to soothe the soreness around your neck. Just keep your neck straight and gently turn your head from left to right and right to left. It stretches the muscles on the outside of your neck and saves you from intense neck pain.
8. Stretches
Stretches are a very easy and efficient way to relax tight muscles and aches. Perform triceps stretch, upper back stretch, hamstring stretch, neck stretch, and wrist stretch to prevent any kind of aches in the concerned areas.
Apart from these exercises, you need to follow some simple rules to prevent these pains and aches from happening.
Proper desk set-up
- Place your laptop or desktop at a height to keep your neck straight the entire time you work. You can also adjust the height of your chair for the same. The top of the screen should match your eye level.
- The screen should be at least an arm’s length away from you and the chair should be placed close to your desk.
- our feet should be resting on a tool or stay flat on the floor while your knees maintain a 90-degree angle.
Have a strong low-back support
Being one of the worst affected areas during work from home schedule, the low back needs proper support. Roll up towels or any kind of garments like it into a log-like form and place it horizontally in the chair where your low-back rests. It will improve your sitting posture and help you in seating straight.
Move time to time
If you don’t move often and work constantly in a particular posture, your body muscles will get tight and sore in no time. Try to take little breaks and your body once every hour and perform the exercises.
These steps will do wonders if you are trying to get rid of the muscle pain, back strain, and all the problems related to working at a desk for a long time. It will not only soothe your pain but also accelerate your effectiveness at the workplace.
