Essential Stretches For Excess Sitting
Most of us spend a lot of our time sitting down.
Whether we are commuting to work, working behind a desk, or just relaxing at home after work we are probably going to spend at least a few hours a day sat down. It’s just a part of modern life that you can’t get away from.
Don’t get me wrong, sitting down is great but if you spend too much time sat down it will lead to aches & pains as tension builds up in your muscles. Over time this tension can lead to postural problems and chronic pain if not addressed properly!
The typical stuff that people experience from being sat too much are:
- Aches in the lower back & hips
- Pain inbetween the shoulder blades
- Stiff neck & headaches
- Aching wrists
- Rounded shoulders
- Forward head posture
- Decreased flexibility
The reason people experience these things is because when you are sat down the Hamstrings (muscles in the back of the thigh) are tensed in order to bend the legs, the glutes are supported by the seat and more often than not you are probably hunched over a laptop/ computer screen or are looking down at a phone.
This results in certain muscles becoming tight from overuse & other muscles “going to sleep” because they are not being properly used by the body. This then brings some of the joints out of proper alignment & causes the body to have bad posture.
As some of the muscles “go to sleep” the body will then recruit other muscles to step in & “pick up the slack” of the muscle that is not working properly, this causes the overused/ improperly used muscles to develop tensions, knots & repetitive strain type injuries.
As you can imagine, this sort of thing is very common & one of the main things I treat as a massage therapist.
When I treat somebody with issues caused by being sat too much I always recommend a number of stretches that can be done inbetween massage sessions to help get rid of the aches and pains.
Here is a quick guide on how to do the stretches.
Do each stretch for around 30 seconds - 1 minute. You should feel some discomfort from these stretches, especially if your muscles are particularly tight, but you should never feel pain.
When doing these stretches it is improtant to work with your body’s limits & not try to push yourself too hard.
Hamstring Stretch
This stretch targets the hamstrings, you will feel this stretch down the backs of the thighs.
Begin by standing up straight, feet shoulder width apart.
Keeping your back straight, push your hips backwards & begin to bend forward. Imagine you are being pulled towards the floor by your chest.
Bend forwards until you feel a stretch down the backs of the thighs & hold. You can use a chair to hold onto for support if you need it.
Glute Stretch
Start this one by lying straight on your back.
Bend your knee & start to bring it up towards your chest, hold your knee with both hands & pull it further.
Then, trying to keep your back & hips flat on the floor, pull your knee over to the opposite side of your body. You will feel a stretch in the side of the bum.
Repeat this stretch with the other leg.
I.T. Band Stretch
Start by laying flat on your back with your knees bent & feet flat on the floor.
Lift your left leg & place the left ankle on top of the right knee, then rotate your leg so that the left knee drops & greates a “figure 4” shape.
Lift your right foot off the floor & use both hands the grab the right leg behind the knee.
Pull your right leg up further to bring your legs towards your chest. You will feel the stretch down the side of your left leg & potentially into the glute as well.
Repeat this stretch on the opposite side.
Chest Stretch
Begin by standing straight & placing the inside of your right forearm flat on the side of a doorway or wardrobe.
Lunge forward with your left leg leading, your right forearm should now be slightly behind your body.
Turn towards your left side & you will feel a stretch in your chest.
Repeat this stretch with your opposite side.
Tricep Stretch
Start standing straight, feet shoulder width apart.
Lift your left arm up above your head & bend your elbow so your hand is touching the back of your shoulder.
Make sure your left hand & forearm are relaxed, then bring your right hand up to grab the left elbow.
Pull the left elbow towards the back of your body, you will feel a stretch going down the Tricep (back of the upper arm)
Repeat with the opposite arm.
Shoulder Stretch
Depending on where you have tension you might feel this stretch in the shoulder or in between the shoulder blades.
Start by standing straight, feet shoulder width apart.
Reach your right arm across your body, making sure to keep the hand relaxed.
Lift your left arm up to meet the right arm then bend your arm, this will pull your right arm in towards your body & you will begin to feel the stretch in your shoulder.
Repeat with the opposite arm.
Forearm Stretch
Begin by standing straight, feet shoulder width apart.
Reach forward with your left arm. Keep your arm straight, palms facing forwards & fingers pointing upwards
Grab your left fingertips from above with your right hand & pull backwards. You will feel the stretch along the bottom of your forearm.
After holding this stretck for 30 seconds - 1 minute let go of your left fingertips & bend your left wrist so that your palms are facing down and the fingertips are tucked underneath the hand.
Now grab your left knuckles with your right hand from below. Pull the lefr knuckles backwards & use your right palm to bend the figners further towards the palm.
You will feel this stretch in the top of the forearm or in the top of the wrist, hold thi stretch for the same amount of time as the other way.
Repeat with the other arm.
Neck Stretch
Stand straight with feet shoulder width apart.
Place your left hand on the top of your head, the palm should be on the top of the head with the fingertips resting just above the right ear.
Gently pull your head so that your left ear moves towards your left shoulder.
It is important to let the weight of your head do the stretching & not pull with your hand. You should feel the stretch down the right side of the neck.
Repeat this stretch on the opposite side.
Doing The Stretches
I recommend doing these stretches at the end of the day, you can do these stretches as often as you feel necessary.
Over time your muscles will gain flexibility & the tension will become less & less intense. By doing these stretches often you will train your muscles to stay tension free over the long term & the stretches will feel more & more enjoyable to do.
You will also find that you will be able to go deeper and deeper into the stretches over time as your flexibility increases.
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