Physical Therapy Tips: 5 Simple Stretches Using Your Desk Chair

One thing any physical therapy expert will tell you – whether you’re working from home or an office, sitting down for long periods of time can be detrimental to your health. We often correlate sitting with joint pain; however, it has several long-term health consequences.

According to Harvard Health “Habitual inactivity raises risks for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, deep-vein thrombosis, and metabolic syndrome.”

Although sitting can cause a variety of issues, stretching can help to heal and prevent these issues. Even though taking 5-10 minutes out of your workday to stretch may seem unproductive, it can help increase productivity by relieving stress and increasing energy levels.

Physical Benefits of Stretching

Stretching offers many physical benefits to your body. According to experts at Healthline, stretching daily can increase blood flow to your muscles, improve posture, expand range of motion, prepare your muscles for exercise, and relieve back pain. In fact, stretching your back often can increase strength and and reduce risk for future strains.

Mental Benefits of Stretching

In addition to the physical benefits, stretching can also relieve stress at work! According to experts at Marque Medical, stretching certain muscles can relieve tension. When this tension is relieved, it calms your mind and reduces stress. When stretching, focus on the specific areas that you feel tension in order to help manage stress.

5 Stretches Your Physical Therapist May Recommend

Trunk Rotation Stretch

• Sit up straight in your chair
• Plant your feet on the ground and keep your knees parallel
• Slowly twist your upper body to one side (you can use the side or back of your chair to help rotate)
• Twist on each side and hold for 10 seconds

Chest Opener Stretch

• Sit at the front of your chair
• Grasp the back of your chair with both hands
• Bring your chest forward and move your shoulder blades together
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 3 times

Upper Body Stretch 

• Sit up straight in your chair
• Put your hands above your head and interlock them (your palms should be facing upward)
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat times

Hamstring Stretch 

• Sit up straight in your chair
• Extend one leg outward
• Keep your other leg bent with your foot flat on the ground
• Reach your hands towards your toes
• Hold for 30 seconds
• Repeat on the other leg

Neck Stretch

• Grab the left side of your chair with one hand
• Turn your head to the right
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 3 times
• Repeat on the other side

‘

Other Physical Therapy Tips for Neck and Back Pain

The stretches above can help to not only relieve neck pain and back pain, but also prevent it! Here are some additional tips to help relieve and prevent neck/back pain:

• Move your body- if you are sedentary for the majority of the day, it is important to move your body from time to time. Try talking a few 10 minute walks throughout the day.
• Focus on your posture- be sure to sit up straight whenever you can. It may be beneficial to get a posture brace so your body gets in the habit of having good posture.
• Strengthen your abdominal muscles- core strength helps to keep the spine supported and promotes good posture.
• Invest in a new mattress- a mattress that is too hard or too soft can cause unwanted neck and back pain. Make sure to invest in a quality mattress that feels comfortable on your spine.

At MPOWER, we have created an amazing program for physical therapy near you in Nashville, TN and Franklin, TN. You will have access to a state-of-the-art facility with indoor and outdoor turf, advanced therapeutic technology, and the best physical therapists around!

Request an appointment with us to get started incorporating physical therapy exercises into your daily life!