Did you know the average office worker sits for over 10 hours a day? If your job demands sitting at a desk for long hours, back and neck pains must already be your companions. Sitting for long hours is referred to as “sitting disease”. Yes, that’s a thing! And that’s why full-body stretching exercises are mandatory for you.
Long hours of sitting impact your health in many ways. It increases your risk of developing metabolic issues, musculoskeletal problems, and can impair your mental well-being. It can slow down your metabolism, which affects the body’s mechanism to regulate blood pressure and fat. This leaves one at a potentially high risk of heart attack and stroke.
The lack of movement leads to muscle atrophy, especially in the legs and core. Weak muscles can lead to back pain, joint pain, and neck stiffness. Your posture will also be affected. Sitting for long hours will increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
This blog is intended to detail the benefits of full-body stretching exercises and give you a comprehensive full-body stretching routine you can use.
The Consequences of Sitting Too Long
Before we dive into the full-body stretching exercises, let’s understand how long hours of sitting can impact our health.
Muscle Imbalances
Prolonged sitting can cause a variety of muscle imbalances. The hip flexor muscles become tight and tend to shorten. This tightness restricts hip extension and causes lower back pain. Tight hip flexors make the act of standing up painful and uncomfortable.
The gluteal and abdominal muscles are underused while sitting and become weak. This will impact your posture, gait, and spinal stability. This, in turn, compounds the back pain.
Sitting for long periods stretches your back muscles, and they may become weak. The overall effect of weak back muscles combined with weak hip flexors and abdominal muscles leads to muscle imbalances in the lower back.
Shoulder and neck muscles are also affected.
Poor Posture
The shoulder and neck muscles become tight, the back muscles become weak, and the hip flexors become tight with prolonged sitting. This imbalance in the muscles leads to poor posture and potential pain.
Reduced Circulation and Joint Stiffness
Prolonged sitting can restrict blood flow to the muscles. The muscles become tight, and the lubrication of the joints is also reduced. When lubrication is reduced, the joints become stiff.
Sitting can cause blood and fluid to pool in the legs, leading to swollen feet and ankles. This can potentially cause varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Potential Chronic Issues
If the pattern of sitting for long hours is not corrected, it can result in chronic back pain, neck pain, and fatigue.
Benefits of Full-body Stretching Exercises
Full-body stretching exercises can stretch the tight and weak muscles by increasing blood circulation. When the muscles have adequate oxygen and nutrients, they will contract and relax efficiently. The muscles can recover from weakness and fatigue. With improved circulation in the hip flexors and back, the spinal alignment will be corrected, and posture will improve.
With increased blood flow to the joints, stiffness reduces, and mobility is enhanced. There will be a marked decrease in joint pains.
The relief from pain and aches will be a mental boost. The energy levels will also be higher. The mental refreshment will also allow better focus.
Make time for full-body stretching exercises daily. It will keep your body flexible and increase mobility, which helps prevent long-term injuries.
Best Times to Stretch During the Workday
It is advisable to stretch as you begin your day. Simple full-body stretching exercises to wake up the muscles and prepare for the day. It can boost your energy by renewing the circulation and reducing muscle stiffness.
We all experience the afternoon slump when our energy levels nosedive. Combat this with a simple stretch at noon.
After the day when we close shop, it is good to stretch for recovery after hours of sitting and compromised posture.
If it is possible, it is best to stand up and stretch every 2 hours for 5-10 minutes. Simple full-body stretching exercises are a great way to feel energized.
10 Effective Full-body Stretching Exercises for Desk Workers
Here is a list of full-body stretching exercises:
Neck Side Stretch
As the name suggests, this exercise targets the muscles in the neck. In this stretch, you tilt your neck towards your shoulder to stretch the muscles on the opposite side. It is an easy stretch, and it eases the tension on the neck from craning at the screen. It can be done while you're sitting at your desk.
Shoulder Rolls
This stretch relaxes your shoulder muscles. They can be done standing or sitting. It is a simple exercise in which you rotate your shoulders in a circular motion, either forward or backward. This can be done as a warm-up or while working to help relieve tension in your neck.
Seated Spinal Twist
Spinal twists can relieve back pain and improve posture. It is done seated and rotating the torso to either side. It's better to perform this exercise on the floor.
Chest Opener
Prolonged sitting can cause tightness in the chest and shoulder muscles. Chest openers target the pectoral muscles and the front of the shoulders. The wheel pose, camel pose, and bow pose of yoga are all chest openers. They can be done simply by clasping the hands behind the back and lifting the arms. You can also place your hands on a wall and rotate your body away.
Wrist and Forearm Stretch
This is a good stretch for the forearm and wrist. In this exercise, lift your arm in front of you with the palms facing down. Bend your hand downward and gently pull it toward you using your other arm. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the stretch with your other arm.
Seated Figure-Four Stretch
This exercise targets the glutes and outer hip muscles. It helps relieve tension in those areas. This stretch can be done sitting or lying down. For the former variation, sit on a chair and prop one ankle over the other knee. Gently lean forward to feel the stretch. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat on the other side. For the latter variation, lie down with both feet facing down. Rest your right ankle over the left knee. Hold the back of the left knee and gently pull it toward your chest until you feel the stretch in your glutes. Hold for 20- 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Standing Forward Fold
This is a traditional yoga pose known as ‘Uttanasana’. This exercise provides a deep stretch along the back of the body, including the hamstrings and spine. The body folds forward from the hips until the torso comes in contact with the legs.
Lunge with Side Reach
This is a dynamic stretch. It improves balance and strengthens the core. This exercise starts in the lunge position with one arm overhead and then reaching to the side. This creates a side stretch. It targets the hips, legs, core, and shoulders.
Cat-Cow Stretch
A common flowing yoga exercise, it promotes flexibility and relieves back pain. The body supports itself on your wrists and knees. You alternate between arching your back and rounding your back. You arch your back by lifting the chest and tailbone (cow position), and round your back by tucking the chin to the chest (cat position). It is a good exercise to improve posture.
Make Full-Body Stretching Exercises Part of Your Daily Routine
Incorporate full-body stretching exercises in your daily routine to reap the benefits. Set phone or calendar reminders so you don’t forget to stretch. Associate stretching with habits, like after your coffee break or after morning calls. It also helps to have a resistance band or foam at hand, so when you have time, you can quickly get to it.
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Conclusion
If your job requires prolonged sitting, full-body stretching exercises help combat the negative effects of sitting. Desk jobs cause a variety of ailments, which can become chronic and painful over time. Try to incorporate full-body stretching exercises in your daily routine. Start small but be consistent. Consistency is better than occasional effort.
If the plethora of full-body stretching exercises seems daunting, start your day with just one stretch. Slowly incorporate more stretches until you are comfortable doing the whole range. Over time, your body will feel the difference.