How many of you warm up for your working day?
Maybe a handful who are P.E teachers, in the police force, fire service or something else equally active. But I bet there are very few people thinking about getting their body and their muscles ready for a working day at their desk.
Yes – sitting all day does still benefit from you to do a warm up and some stretching while you carry out the strenuous activity of sitting statically in front of a computer for 8 hours a day.
If you have read any of our website or previous blogs, you will know that our solution to keeping your body healthy and reduce static joint pressure, is to sit actively on a moving chair. So this is my first recommendation; but beyond that, there are still things you can do to give yourself half a chance while seated at your desk or in the office.
Have a look here if you want to read more about active sitting: https://www.backinaction.co.uk/blog/why-movement-and-why-forward-tilt
1. Drink plenty of water, it will make you need the loo more and help aid your lymphatic system.
2.Your headrest on your chair should act as a training tool – when you lean back and rest, position it so that you feel a slight stretch through the upper back and top of your neck (don’t tilt your head, keep you chin to your chest) hold this pose for 30 second every 30-60 mins.
3. If you have arms on your chair, lean back and position your arms close to your body, slightly behind the midline of your body and push your chest forward. Again, hold the pose as above.
4. If you don’t have a headrest or arms – fret not! You can do the same just against a wall. (That horrible double chin look I’m afraid).
5. Your spinal joints need movement – if you don’t have an active chair, you can still take a few second in an hour to just flatten and round your lower back (like seated yoga cat and cow curls).
6. Take regular screen breaks. Stand up and walk around where possible. If you make and take calls, get yourself a headset so you can stand up and move around.
annnnnd - the double chin I mentioned.
