Experiment with different angles for a full stretch. Rest your back against a wall and move your feet away from the wall. You can do these standing stretches throughout the day to unwind tight and tired muscles. 12 Yoga Poses You Can Do Wherever Youâre Working. For best results, stretch at least three times a week. Add some pulses in for a short office workout. Let your arms rest at the sides of your body, make gentle fists, then bend your elbows to align your fists with your shoulders, if comfortable. Static Stretches â stretching when the position is held for a given amount of time, usually 15-30 seconds. A standing workstation gives you ample space to make office exercise part of your daily ⦠4. Stretch at Your Desk . \"We need to take an active rol⦠If you have a hard time grabbing your ankle, grab your pant leg instead. Repeat the stretch with your other leg. Standing abs exercises are great for working the muscles of your entire coreâfrom your back to your hipsâand they're another great excuse to skip the dreaded crunches. You'll feel tension in the front of your thigh. Inhale and bring your right arm above your head while you lean to the left, stretching out your right side body. Take five deep breaths, then rest. Finish with a wide stance forward fold where you'll swing side to side, slowly roll up. Next, stand up straight and fold your arms in front of your chest, rotating your trunk in one direction. Roll up slowly to stand. Pressing your hip bones backward, you should feel a stretch ⦠Lisa Hoover. Bend your right knee and bring it close to your chest, standing tall with your left foot flat on the ground and your leg straight (b). Canadaâs Healthy Workplace Week 2004 A Stretch Break Program for your Workplace A Stretch-Break Program for Your Workplace! \"Tight muscles can cause undue strain on the neighboring joints during normal daily function, or they themselves can become injured,\" Sasha Cyrelson, D.P.T., clinical director at Professional Physical Therapy in Sicklerville, New Jersey, tells SELF. Reverse the stretch and repeat. 5 stretches to do every day if you stand all day at your job. Breaking up your workday with stretches and other physical activities can help keep you comfortable while you work. When you're stretching, keep it gentle. Shoulder Stretch. In addition to cardio and strength training, flexibility is an important but often neglected part of your fitness program. Finish with a refreshing inhale up and exhale down. For starters, you can set a timer to remind you to take a quick walk or stretch. Breathe freely as you hold each stretch, and be careful not to bounce. Youâll feel your chest open, which should feel great after hunching forward at your desk. There are two types of stretches â static and ballistic stretches. With both knees straight, place your left foot forward underneath the desk. Then, engage your core muscles as you gently curl your torso forward then return to standing. Grab one of your ankles and bring it up toward your buttock. Health Exercises for Standing All Day. (In yoga, this would be revolving triangle pose in a standing position. Another discreet exercise to do while standing at work is a squat hold. 2. Mayo Clinic facts about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Our COVID-19 patient and visitor guidelines, plus trusted health information, Mayo Clinic Health System patient vaccination updates. Stand with feet hip-width apart, hold a medicine ball or dumbbell with both hands, and extend arms in front of chest. Latest on COVID-19 vaccination by site: Armiger P, et al. Standing low back extension. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and return to the starting position. Hang on to a solid support, such as a kitchen counter, when exercising. Many of us are upper-body dominant, meaning we type and do all of our work with our upper body, while our hips and lower body remain still or disengaged.This can even be the case when we are standing to work versus sitting. You can strengthen your core standing and get great results. How to: Seated or standing, stretch the arms straight out and rotate the hands so that the palms face away from each other. Stretch it out: The right stretching exercises combined into a stretching routine can help you loosen up your joints and muscles. Cross the arms so that the palms are pressed together, contract the abs and round the back, reaching away as you relax the head. With your standing desk in the down position, place both hands on the desktop surface and your torso learning forward. Keep your hips facing forward and your feet hip-width distance apart. Lay your bent right knee on the desk and keep your hands on your hips. You might even be able to stretch while you're participating in a conference call or other workplace activities. Stretch one arm across your chest, and bring your other arm under and in front of it. But at your desk, youâll feel a similar sensation while sitting.) This content does not have an English version. For the first stretch, place one hand on a chair or desk for stability. After hours of sitting at your desk, looking at your computer, this quick 5 minute standing upper/lower body stretch is just what you need. Keep in Mind. Rubber Neck Sit up tall and drop your right ear down towards your right shoulder (you donât have to touch it!) The solution, experts say, is to break up your work by doing stretching exercises at your desk. These 10 stretches you can do at your desk will keep you bendy and feeling good. © 1998-2021 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Feel refreshed in no time at all, and help improve your posture. Hold each stretch for 30 to 60 ⦠Reach for the ⦠Standing or sitting for long periods of time can make areas of your body sore. and hold for a few seconds and repeat for the left side. Can You Actually Work Your Core Standing? Whether you have to be on your feet all day for your job or you have moved to a standing desk arrangement because youâre trying not to spend all day sitting down, standing up all day can lead to pain in your legs, swollen feet, tight calves and even lower ⦠"Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, FREE book offer â Mayo Clinic Health Letter, New Year Special -  40% off â Mayo Clinic Diet Online, Video Standing stretches for the workplace. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms down at your sides. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Standing Chest Stretch: Clasp your hands together behind your back, straighten your arms, and lift them up while drawing your shoulder blades down. Make sure that the foot on the ground is pointed forward with the knee bend slightly. To download my workout programs click here: https://freedom.fit/For my free fitness challenges click here:http://jennyford.com/category/free-fitness-challenges/Let's connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: https://freedom.fit/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennyfordfitness/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyfordfitness If no one is around, try some regular squats. Sitting at a desk or computer; or standing at your work station for extended periods of time can cause muscle tension, stiffness, and strain in the ⦠Expect to feel tension while you're stretching. Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch sides. TYPES OF STRETCHES . Keep a slight bend in your knees, then hinge at your hips and reach your arms long to grasp ⦠â Scroll down to continue reading article â â Scroll down to continue reading article â Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2010. Next, reach tall, lean side to side then dive forward into a forward fold. Simple Exercises You Can Do at Your Standing Work Station. Try This Glute Exercise to Make Your Standing Desk Even Better. Try all of my Quick Office Workouts here: https://bit.ly/2PuvAok Description: Begin in a standing position with stretches that will help open up the chest and stretch the upper back. For the first stretch, place one hand on a chair or desk for stability. Advance yourself to the following exercises done in a standing position. Why is stretching at work important? You can stretch while you're seated at your desk or standing in your workspace. If your work requires you to stand all day long, chances are you're going to experience some type of muscle soreness or stiffness. Grab one of your ankles and bring it up toward your buttock. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and return to the starting position. Wall sits. In: Stretching for Functional Flexibility. Next, side stretches, torso rotating twists, and windmills. This content does not have an Arabic version. Complete these quick, easy stretches in just a few minutes for a good stretch youâll thank yourself for later. The wall should be supporting the weight of your back and your knees should be bent. Stand facing your chair, about three feet away. If you feel pain, you've gone too far. Pull your arms close to your chest and hold. Yoga is a great tool for lowering stress and relieving tension. Lower Extremity Exercises â Standing. To prevent or reduce stiffness and pain, try these stretches. 3/03/10 2:00PM. Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Schedule your appointment now for safe in-person care. If youâre pressed for time, there are even certain stretches you can do at your desk. Repeat a second time. Workplace stretching programs. 1. You'll feel tension in your back. âStanding abs exercises work more muscles than crunchesâ says Sara Haley, creator of The Daily Sweat workout DVDs and a Reebok Global Master Trainer in Santa Monica, CA. Remember to maintain an upright position, keeping your back straight and your knees parallel to one another. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Standing or sitting for long periods of time can make areas of your body sore. 4) Standing Chair Lat Stretch | 5 Breaths, 2x. This is a standing crunch. To do a standing back extension stretch, (called the âOne Stretchâ in the clinical study), start with your feet shoulder width apart. Kick your butt back, slightly bend your legs and just hold the partial squat as long as you are able. Followed by a forward fold where you'll draw a circle with your upper body, stretching the hamstrings, glutes and back. Stand tall with feet planted firmly to the ground. See also Six Stretches to Do at Work Listening, Hands to Heart Release your arms to dangle down. Don't collapse but, instead, imagine you're curving up and over an ⦠Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Like yoga ⦠at your desk. As we age, our muscles get shorter and less elastic, she adds. Lean deeper into the stretch to feel the opening across your chest. This exercise has been clinically proven to reduce back pain at work! Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics. Release tensionand reduce back pain with this move. Simply stand up and place your wrists on the desk so they face away from you, and apply pressure until you feel the stretch. Work Listening, hands to Heart Release your arms in front of it your hands on desktop... Site constitutes your agreement to the starting position your sides bend your legs and just the..., rotating your trunk in one direction also Six stretches to do every day if you stand day. 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