Research suggests that even going to the gym won't offset the damage already done by sitting all day. Even if your workstation meets the display screen equipment regulations, you still need to move regularly to reduce your risk of discomfort and injury.

If you have a sit-stand desk , try to remember to stand up regularly for minutes at a time. Get up at least every hour for a toilet, water, or walking break.

Use facilities further from your desk; briskly march down the corridor and back, or climb a few floors to get your heart rate up. We recommend cycling through a series of gentle desk exercises to keep your limbs, back and shoulders feeling relaxed and supple.

Over the course of the day your muscles can tense up and become fatigued without you even knowing it, which can put strain on the musculoskeletal system and result in discomfort and longer term injuries, like RSI, carpal tunnel and back pain.

Never miss out on the latest new products, tips and offers to boost your wellbeing and comfort. Sign In. New Customer? Start Here. FREE DELIVERY. EXPERT HOME SET UP. Home Blog 12 easy desk exercises to keep you supple while you work. Zoe Thomas - February 17, Zoe is an accredited journalist with 10 years' experience writing in the health and wellbeing sector.

Share this post. Desk exercises for your fingers, wrists and forearms Finger exercise Make a fist with your thumb sticking straight up, not tucked under your fingers. Slide your fingertips up your palm, so your finger tips move towards the base of your fingers until you feel a stretch.

Hold this position for a slow count of Repeat 3 — 5 times. Wrist stretch exercise Hold your hand open, facing down and move your wrist from side to side until a stretch is felt at each extreme.

Hold at each side for a slow count of Wrist rotate exercise Hold your elbow close to the side of your body, slowly rotate your palm upwards and then downwards until stretch is felt at each extreme.

Hold each way for slow count of Wrist bend exercise Hold the upper part of your hand with your other hand and slowly bend your. wrist down and then upwards until a stretch is felt at each extreme.

Hold each for a slow count of Forearm exercise Sit with your elbows out and your palms together, then slowly rotate your palms down until a stretch is felt.

Hold for a slow count of It creates solid posture and stability around your spine, which can prevent all of the other imbalances we already discussed! Shoot for sets of seconds holding this position. Sink stretch - This is a great stretch to open up your shoulders, and feels AMAZING.

The sink stretch lengthens your pec majors and minors, biceps, and a little bit of your anterior deltoids shoulders. Make sure you take big deep breaths while holding the stretch, and see if you can sink a little lower as your body relaxes into it.

This can be done with a barbell, countertop ledge, banister railing, or anything else roughly shoulder height. Try to take little breaks throughout the day and hold this stretch for seconds.

Couch stretch - This is an excellent stretch for your hip flexors and opens up that whole area. As the name implies, a low ledge like a couch cushion or chair is the perfect support for your foot on the side you are stretching.

If you cannot get into the full position shown in the video, move your back knee forward away from the couch or chair until you can comfortable hold your torso upright while still feeling the stretch. Try 90 seconds each side, relaxing into the stretch while contracting your glutes.

Obviously, these exercises are a great start. But what REALLY helps you keep from getting locked up while sitting at a desk all day is not sitting at a desk all day!

The more you can get moving throughout the day, the better. Something else that will help you avoid chronic tightness is beginning a well balanced workout routine.

You need something that works your entire body and helps counter the positions we get stuck working in too often. If you're interested in having me or one of the Straight Shot Coaches personally write a program for you and provide 1-on-1 accountability, just head back to the main blog page and click Request A Coach to get started today!

Debunking Myths: Why Squatting Deep is Healthy for Your Knees. Using Traction to Relieve Your Joint Pain. More Muscle, Better Health. top of page. All Posts. Delaney Bodnar Jan 28, 4 min read. At-Home Mobility Exercises for Desk Workers. Recent Posts See All. Post not marked as liked 1.

This workshop will focus specifically on:. Join HPC's physiotherapy experts by registering now! Space is limited! You can submit questions when you register that will be answered during the talks.

After completing her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto, Julie attended McMaster University for the Master of Science in Physiotherapy program.

She is hoping to integrate both her clinical and personal experiences to provide high-quality, patient-centred care at the HPC. Julie has always had an interest in sports, being a competitive athlete and dancer for many years.

She is especially interested in the treatment and management of sport-related concussions and vestibular rehab. Julie will be working with many varsity teams this season, including the soccer, rugby, basketball, volleyball, and wrestling teams.

Brittany recently graduated from the Master of Science in Physical Therapy program at the Univerisity of Toronto. Her educational journey began with a foundation in Biomedical Science at the University of Guelph.

With a passion for helping individuals achieve their optimal physical health, Brittany is thrilled to return to the HPC team, where she previously volunteered. As a physiotherapy resident at the HPC, she is committed to delivering high-quality care and rehabilitation services.

In addition to her role at HPC, Brittany is working with a range of University of Guelph varsity sports teams, including swimming, basketball, rugby, and hockey.

Bonus: All of these moves can be performed without leaving your chair. Upper Trap Stretch. This targets the upper trapezius muscle on the outside of your neck.

Do three repetitions with a five-second hold. Neck CARs. These controlled articular rotations CARs are essentially neck circles that home in on your neck and upper back. Do three to five times slowly in each direction. Median Nerve Floss. You might have heard of carpal tunnel before.

This is a common injury that occurs when you're working at the desk or at the keyboard. To make it more of a challenge, bend your hand in the opposite direction to create tension at both the neck and also wrist.

Spine Extension. Desk exercises for your fingers, wrists and forearms Finger exercise Make a fist with your thumb sticking straight up, not tucked under your fingers. Slide your fingertips up your palm, so your finger tips move towards the base of your fingers until you feel a stretch.

Hold this position for a slow count of Repeat 3 — 5 times. Wrist stretch exercise Hold your hand open, facing down and move your wrist from side to side until a stretch is felt at each extreme. Hold at each side for a slow count of Wrist rotate exercise Hold your elbow close to the side of your body, slowly rotate your palm upwards and then downwards until stretch is felt at each extreme.

Hold each way for slow count of Wrist bend exercise Hold the upper part of your hand with your other hand and slowly bend your.

wrist down and then upwards until a stretch is felt at each extreme. Hold each for a slow count of Forearm exercise Sit with your elbows out and your palms together, then slowly rotate your palms down until a stretch is felt. Hold for a slow count of Desk exercises for your neck and shoulders Neck stretch Sit or stand upright.

Without lifting your chin, glide your head straight back until a stretch is felt as if you are trying to make a double chin. Return to neutral position. Neck exercise Drop your head slowly to one side, taking your ear towards your shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch. Shoulder stretch Raise your shoulders towards your ears until you feel a slight tension across the tops of your shoulders.

Hold up for a slow count of Shoulder roll Sitting with your back supported, slowly roll your shoulders up and backwards in circular motion.