Desk stretch over half a year has significantly alleviated user's shoulder discomfort
Sitting for long hours at a desk can lead to aches, pains, or stiffness, especially in the shoulders. But there's a simple solution to this common problem - the seated sunbathing stretch.
This stretch can be done from any seated position and is particularly beneficial for improving posture while sitting, as well as increasing shoulder mobility. Here's how to do it:
- Sit upright in your chair with good posture.
- Interlock your hands behind your head.
- Open your elbows wide out to the sides, as if you are sunbathing.
- You can gently bend your torso from side to side or hold the stretch with your torso upright.
- Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds, keeping your shoulders relaxed and breathing deeply.
- Optionally, add a gentle shrug of your shoulders up towards your ears and then release to further alleviate tension.
The seated sunbathing stretch opens up your chest and shoulders, counteracting the forward-hunched posture often seen in desk work. It's practical and easy to do at your desk, making it a perfect choice for busy workdays. Regularly performing this stretch, combined with movement breaks every 30 to 60 minutes, helps keep shoulder joints lubricated and muscles relaxed, thus reducing stiffness and discomfort caused by prolonged sitting.
According to Helen O'Leary, human bodies are not designed to sit in one position for long periods of time. So, it's essential to take breaks and stretch throughout the day. The seated sunbathing stretch might just become a go-to pose for you.
This stretch has been helping many people, including the author, who discovered it provides relief for tight shoulders and discomfort while sitting. It's a simple yet effective way to melt away tension in the upper body and encourage the upper back to straighten up out of the hunched position often adopted while sitting.
So, next time you're feeling tense or stiff during work, remember the seated sunbathing stretch. It could be the relief you need to get through the rest of your day.
This stretch, known as the seated sunbathing stretch, can be incorporated into workplace-wellness routines for increasing flexibility and reducing discomfort caused by prolonged sitting. Regularly performing yoga-inspired workouts like this one, along with frequent fitness-and-exercise breaks, promotes health-and-wellness by keeping the shoulder joints lubricated and muscles relaxed. To alleviate tension in the upper body, science suggests adopting various fitness-and-exercise routines, such as the seated sunbathing stretch, throughout the workday.
