Half of a person's life today, is spent sitting in front of a computer. The desk-bound job of 9 to 5 is slowly and gradually sucking the life out of our body. If this continues, pretty soon we all will be walking with our hand at our backs all the time.The one complaint that every office goer has is back pain. The constant sitting that too in one position creates pressure on the back causing the nerves and blood vessels to compress. Although a majority of them do search for exercises to relieve back pain, they hardly practice it or skip making an excuse, "how to perform them at the office?" Well, as an answer to that, here are 5 simple and easy back stretches that be done sitting at your desk.
- Lower Spine Stretch
It is our lower back that hurts the most, sitting all day at the office chair. One among lower back stretches, known as lower spine stretch, will help the muscles surrounding the length of your spine get a good stretch in a sideways direction. To achieve this;- sit firmly on your chair
- keep your feet flat on the floor and let your armrests low down
- place your right hand on the armrest and reach your left hand up above your head
- bend your spine slightly to the right
- hold for 30 seconds and repeat on each side
- Seated Knee to Chest Stretch
If you want to relieve your back pain as well as relax your leg muscles, practice this knee to chest stretch without fail, every day at work. To achieve this;- sit comfortably on your chair
- raise one knee until you can reach it with your hands
- bring both your hands together and pull the bent knee up toward your chest until you feel a gentle stretch in the lower back and back of the hip
- you can place your hands either on top of or behind your knee
- hold for 15-20 seconds, then repeat 3-5 times on each side.
- Seated Hamstring Stretch
Did you know tight hamstring muscles can affect the natural curve of the spine? To loosen them up and to relieve back pain you need to exercise it. To achieve this;- sit on the edge of your chair and rest your heel on the floor with your knee straight
- slide your right leg out with your heel to the ground and flex your toes up towards your shin
- gently lean forward towards your toes keeping your back and spine straight, until a stretch is felt behind your knee/thigh
- hold for 30 seconds and repeat with your left leg
- Seated Side Bend Stretch
It can be called a yoga pose for relieving back pain, seated side bend stretch is apt for loosening up your back, neck, and shoulder muscles. To achieve this;- sit up tall on the edge of your office chair with your shoulders back
- place your left hand on the edge of your chair with your elbow slightly bent
- reach your right arm up and overhead and exhale as you gently reach over to the left side.
- don't stretch too far.
- hold for few seconds and repeat the other side
- Seated Figure 4 Stretch
It is important to stretch your lower back at regular intervals while you are working because that's the spot where the back pain becomes extremely unbearable. This lower back stretch will not only benefit your back but will work on your hip and leg muscles as well. To achieve this;- sit comfortably on your chair and cross one leg on top of the other so that your ankle is sitting over the opposite knee
- place one hand on the knee of the crossed leg.
- now gradually lean your trunk forward while pressing gently on the crossed knee until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in the hip and buttock area.
- hold for 15-20 seconds, then repeat 3-5 times on each side