In today’s world of virtual meetings, virtual classrooms, virtual parties and virtual get together, everyone is spending considerable amount of time in front of a laptop or computer. Prolonged hours of sitting at desk impacts our musculoskeletal system. Not getting enough time to work out and lack of energy and enthusiasm for exercising after a hectic day at desk wreak havoc on the body. But, think if we can do some stretches and exercises while being at our desk, wouldn’t it be great. So let’s straight away move on to some amazing stretches and exercises that can be done within 15-20 minutes. You can also intersperse these exercises into 5-10 minutes sessions between your work schedule 2-3 times a day, targeting specific joints and body parts.

• Neck
  1. Try to touch your right shoulder by your right ear by bending your neck to the side and repeat it on your left side.
  2. Chin tucks.
  3. Try to look behind your right shoulder and then your left shoulder.
  4. Pull your head back.
• Shoulder
  1. Clasp your hands in front and raise your arms all the way above head.
  2. Raise your arms from the side and clasp hands above your head.
  3. Arm circles in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction.
  4. Touch your right shoulder with your left hand from behind the neck and vice versa.
  5. Try to touch your ears by raising your shoulders.
  6. Pull your shoulders back.
  7. Punches.
• Wrist and hand
  1. Do a Namaste Stretch, with your palms together in front of your chest and elbows pointing outwards.
  2. Outstretch your arms in front of your body with palms facing down, now bend your wrists so that fingers are pointing down.
  3. Rotations of the wrist.
  4. Closing of fist and opening to stretch your fingers.
• Upper back
  1. Clasp your hands behind your head with elbows pointing out, now rotate your upper back to the right and then repeat on the left.
  2. Pull your scapula together at the back.
• Lower back and Hips
  1. Rock your pelvis back and forth while seated on your chair.
  2. Shift weight from one hip to another by tilting your hip up and down.
  3. Lift your thigh up from the chair alternately as if doing seated marches.
  4. Seated leg circles.
  5. Move your knees apart and bring them together.
  6. Squeeze your buttocks.
• Knees
  1. Outstretch your legs in front and pull them back.
  2. Press your chair down with your thigh and release.
• Ankle and foot–
  1. With your outstretched legs, pull your feet towards you and all the way down.
  2. Clockwise and anti-clockwise rotations at the ankle.
  3. Clench your toes and open them.

Try to hold each of these stretches for 30seconds. Whenever you get a chance, get up and move around or march on the spot. The benefits of these short exercise breaks while sitting at work is cumulative.

START EXERCISING! BE ACTIVE!

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