Move With Us To Improve Desk Posture
Welcome back to our Move With Us series. This week we will be taking you through a set of stretches that help to combat what we commonly call Desk Posture. These stretches will work to open up through your chest, alleviate tension through your neck, help reduce tension headaches and work to reverse the hunched posture we all seem to get at our desks.
We’ve filmed this week on a fit ball to demonstrate how you could do these exercises while seated at your desk throughout the day. So whether you’re sitting at your desk or back on your mat, take a deep breath and lets get started..
Thoracic Rotation
Our aim is to encourage more movement through your mid to upper back
Cross your arms across your chest and gently twist to one side as far as is comfortable
Return back to the center and then twist around to the other side
Repeat slowly and continuously 3 times each side or as many as you feel are needed
Thoracic Flexion and Extension
Our aim is to encourage more movement through your mid back in flexion (bending forwards) and extension
Interlace your hands and place then on the back of your neck
From here, tuck your chin towards your chest and curl forward through your spine while drawing your elbows together
Start to open up through your elbows while you sit tall and extend through your upper back, pushing your chest up towards the ceiling
Slowly move through both movements, flexing and extending your spine, repeating 3 times or more if you feel is needed
Seated Book openers
Our aim is to open up through your chest and help with shoulder and thoracic mobility
While seated bring both arms out in front of you with your palms facing each other
Run your right hand along the inside of your left arm towards your chest while rotating your upper body towards the right
Extend your arm fully and then bring the arm back to the start position
Alternate sides and repeat with the left arm
Remember to keep both shoulders relaxed and down
Make sure your hips stay facing forward and that the rotation is coming from your upper back
Repeat slowly and continuously 3 times on each side or more if desired
Seated Neck Stretches
Our aim is to decrease tension through your neck and shoulders while lengthening the muscles and increasing mobility
Sit on one hand with your palm facing down, place your other hand on top of your head and very gently pull your neck across to the side
Hold for 10 - 15 seconds feeling a stretch along the side of your neck
Rotate your head forward and downwards so you’re looking towards the armpit of the arm placed on top of your head
Hold for 10-15 seconds feeling a stretching along the back of your neck
Place your hand on top of your collarbone and rotate your head to look up towards the ceiling
Hold for 10-15 seconds feeling a stretch through the front of your neck
Sitting on the other hand now, repeat the stretches on the other side
We hope you found this helpful! Feel free to repeat this series multiple times through out the day and keep Moving With Us. If you have any questions or need any advice on any of these exercises, please don't hesitate to reach out and chat to us.
Remember that you shouldn’t feel pain during any of these exercises. If they are painful for you, consider avoiding that exercise or decreasing the intensity. We are always here to help if needed.
If you’re after some more advice or are in need of some hands on help, we’d love to see you at Collective Motion! Collective Motion offers Osteopathy and Pilates and is conveniently located to service our Bentleigh community as well as its surrounding suburbs including Bentleigh East, McKinnon, Ormond, Glenhuntly, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Oakleigh, Gardenvale, Brighton East and Hampton East. Click below to book an appointment and let us help you get moving again.
