Office Exercises to Decrease the Aches, Pains, and Strains

In the perfect world, office professionals would start each day with a 30-40 minute exercise program followed by a 50-minute massage at a posh resort, like the historic Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver. They would be invigorated, relaxed and ready to greet the workday that, for the most part, is often spent seated in front of a computer.

Statistics reveal that 70 percent of the U.S. work force now sits on the job, many in front of computers. With so much work being done in a seated position today, poor sitting posture (and poorly designed workspace) results in chronic neck and back pain.

Office ergonomics should include daily in-office exercises to help decrease the aches, pains and strains of sitting in front of a computer, according to Kerrie Sullivan, CMT, massage therapist and Pilates instructor at the Spa at the Brown Palace Hotel. "At a minimum, every hour, get up from your desk and move around your cubicle. It only takes a few minutes, but your body will thank you."

EXERCISES

How often are you waiting for a returned call? Or patiently waiting for a file to load or download? In those few moments of suspended activity, Sullivan recommends the following stretches and exercises**:

**As with any exercise, DO NOT CONTINUE TO PERFORM ANY STRETCHES THAT CAUSE PAIN, NUMBNESS, AND/OR TINGLING!!! ** If these symptoms occur, consult your physician.

Exercise without leaving your desk.

• Cervical (Neck) Flexion: Sit up straight, both feet flat on the floor. Bend your head forward so your chin touches your chest. For further stretching, apply gentle pressure to the back of your head with either hand. Hold for 30 seconds. You should feel a stretch along the back of your neck, sometimes even down your spine.

• Cervical Extension: Sit up straight, both feet flat on the floor. The opposite of flexion, tip your head back to look at the ceiling. Gentle pressure to left side of head with your right hand, and reach for the floor with your left. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat using the opposite hand for pressure and try to touch the floor. Again hold for 30 seconds. This stretch should be felt along the left side of your neck between your ear and shoulder.

• Cervical Rotation: With right hand on the back of your head, turn your head to the left, stretch to look over your left shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat to the other side. This stretches and loosens tension in your neck.

• Lumbar (Back) Extension: With hands at the small of your back, lean back and look to the ceiling to stretch and relieve pressure on your lower back. Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat several times.

While standing at your desk.

While standing as straight as possible behind or beside your desk, repeat these exercises at least twice a day:

• Touch your toes. We've all done this exercise at school during gym class. It's simple and it really works to stretch your back muscles, especially after a long period of time sitting at your desk. Simply stand straight and tall, bend and twist, touching your right toe with your left hand, and hold for several seconds. Return to upright position and repeat with right hand touching left foot. Five repetitions are good, taking only a couple of minutes.

• Spinal Twists: With one hand near opposite buttock area, twist the other direction to stretch your back muscles. Hold for several seconds. Repeat with opposite hand. Great way to stretch the spine!

• Shoulder Shrugs: Keep both arms at your side, shrug your shoulders toward your ears. Hold for 3 seconds. Roll and lower your shoulders backwards. Keep elbows straight! Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

• Arm Stretches: Put right arm straight in front of you. Place left hand on right elbow and pull to your chin. Hold for 10 seconds. Switch arms, left hand on right elbow and pull to chin.

• Arm/Finger Stretches: Great for long stretches of typing. Fold fingers together, push palms out and stretch arms. Hold for 10 seconds. Relax. Repeat 10 times.

Are you a Phoneaholic?

Telephone Neck Syndrome (TNS) is common in the workplace. While talking on the phone, we often "scrunch" the receiver between our ear and shoulder, so that we can use both hands to complete a task. Worse, we spend many minutes, even hours in this position.

For those office professionals that spend a lot of time on the phone, Erin Johnston, spa manager at the Brown Palace, suggested, "Install telephone neck savers on the phone to save your neck. Speakerphone is a great alternative, but it is more difficult for private conversations if you're in a shared space or in a noisy setting. A headset is probably one of the most common and effective solutions."

Johnston also recommends periodically mentally reminding yourself to sit up straight and arching your back. "Once you get in the habit of sitting up straight at your desk, you'll find a decrease in the aches and pains."