5 Needed Stretches After Working from Home

Exercise

Oct 5

Many of us are working remotely these days. While it’s great to no longer have a lengthy commute, home office set-ups aren’t always ideal. Dinning rooms, basements, and even closets have been turned into make-shift offices. Even if you’re lucky enough to have an actual room for your home office, your workstation may not even be slightly close to being ergonomic.

Don’t forget to add in the additional amount of time we’re sitting at our workstations. With almost all interactions taking place virtually over Zoom and other tools, we’re moving around less. It’s no wonder our backs, necks, wrists, and eyes may be hurting.

Here are 5 stretches that can help relieve some tension from sitting too much.

1. Forward Fold

This is a gentle stretch for the lower spine. It also loosens the thigh muscles, particularly the hamstrings and quadriceps.

Fwd Fold.png — To get into this pose, stand up with feet hip-width apart (think two fists side-by-side). Then slightly bend your knees and begin to fold forward. Either sway your arms in a figure eight, let them dangle, or even grasp opposite hand to opposite elbow. After a minute begin to *SLOWLY* rise back up.

2. Cat/ Cow

Here we’re moving the spine in flexion and extension. It really helps get rid of any kinks in the back and neck. By pairing our breath to the movements (exhale as you arch your back and inhale as you allow your belly to lower) we can also help relieve stress and anxiety.

Cat Cow Pose.png — Come to your hands and knees in a table-top position, making sure wrists are under shoulders and knees are under hips. Then as you inhale, lift your chest and head as you allow your belly to expand. As you exhale, allow your belly to fall into your spine as you arch your back and tuck your chin to your chest. Do several rounds of these two poses.

3. Spinal Twist

In this pose you’re releasing tension on the spine and getting an added bonus of massaging your internal organs.

Spinal Twist.png — Lie on your back, draw both knees up to your chest, open your arms out to make a T shape and then drop both knees to one side. Your head can stay centered or look out to the opposite side of your knees. After a minute, bring one knee up at a time back to center and then allow them to fall to the opposite side.

4. Wrist Stretches

After typing all day our wrists have been in a long state of extension. This stretch counters that with flexion.

Seagull Wrist Pose.png — While sitting or standing, extend your arms out to a T shape. Bend your elbows allowing your wrists to aim down and palms face behind you. Then begin to bring your wrists to under your arm pits, keeping the palms facing out and fingers aiming behind you. If it’s available, you can bring your elbows down slightly. Once getting out of this pose, add a few wrist circles.

5. Eye Exercises

More screen time means more eye strain, especially after repeated virtual face-to-face meetings. These exercises will help strengthen our eyes and give them a little relief after a day on the computer.