Mobility Exercises
Easy Flexibility and Mobility Stretches for at a Desk
By Kirsten Petersen, DC
Sometimes simple is better! Here are five super simple stretches to keep your mobility up when you’re sitting or standing at your desk. So many of us sit at a desk way more than our bodies would prefer, and taking stretch breaks can help reduce stiffness, prevent poor posture, and promote overall well-being.
Neck Tilts:
How-to:
- Sit or stand comfortably with your spine straight.
- Slowly tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear toward your shoulder.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, feeling a gentle stretch along the side of your neck.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Perform 2-3 sets on each side.
Tip: Avoid any sudden or jerky movements; keep the motion slow and controlled.
Hip Flexor Stretch:
- How-to:
- Begin in a lunge position with one foot on the chair and the other extended behind you.
- Lower your hips slightly and shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip. Try to keep your front knee over your foot.
- Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds on each side.
- Repeat 2-3 times.
- Tip: Keep your back straight and pelvis tilted slightly forward for an effective stretch. You can also modify this to do while sitting at your desk chair!
Triangle IT Band Stretch
How-to:
- Sit on a study chair with one leg straightened out in front of you and the other bent with your foot on the ground
- Flex the foot of the straightened leg and squeeze the quad
- Fold forward, reaching the opposite hand towards the leg that is straight
- Twist and reach the other arm towards the ceiling
- Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch sides
OR
- Stand next to your chair with one foot in front of the other
- Twist your abdomen as you lean forward, resting the lower arm onto your chair
- Reach the higher arm to the ceiling or twist behind your back
- Hold for 20-30 seconds, then slowly unwind and switch sides
Wrist Flexion & Extension
- Sit with your arms extended in front of you at shoulder height, palms facing down.
- Slowly bend your wrists upward, pointing your fingertips toward the ceiling.
- Next, bend your wrists downward, bringing your fingertips toward the floor.
- Repeat the wrist flexion and extension movements for 10-15 repetitions, or as many as feels comfortable for you.
Seated Cat Cow
How-to:
- Sit slightly forward on your desk chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands on your knees
- Exhale as you round your back, pulling your abdominals into your spine, tucking your tailbone under and tucking your chin into your chest.
- As you inhale, allow your belly to move foward, arch your back, push your chest forward and look up to the ceiling.
- Continue to move through cat and cow with your breath