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Chair exercises are becoming increasingly important. There is a common saying among office workers: “Sitting is the new smoking.” This may be true when it comes to the health risks of prolonged sitting, but not necessarily for prolonged sitting with no breaks. It is easy to sit for hours without even realizing it. This prolonged sitting can lead to serious health problems, including lower back pain and discomfort, frozen or tight hips, muscle tension in your neck and shoulders, as well as what are known as ‘sensorimotor rhythm disorders’ which can cause tingling sensations or even numbness in your hands. These symptoms often go hand-in-hand, so reducing one symptom often helps with others too.
Best Office Chair Exercises To Reduce Pain And Discomfort
Incline Push-ups
This push-up variation is a great chair exercise to open your chest and get more blood to your back muscles. If you typically have lower back pain, this push-up variation can help you open your chest so you can decrease pressure on your lower back. If you have shoulder pain, inversion exercises like incline push-ups can help you ease tension. Simply use your desk to elevate your upper body and use it as if you were doing a push-up. While you are doing the exercise, focus on moving your arms in a fluid motion and retracting your shoulder blades. Make sure to keep your back straight and your abdominals tight to avoid strain.
Chair twist
Chair twists can be done in the office, while sitting at your desk, or even while lounging at home. Sitting with your back straight, twist your neck from side to side while keeping your head upright. Make sure to switch your neck muscles to avoid tension and create a nice change in your tissue volume.
Seated calf stretch
One of the most common complaints among office workers is lower body pain. A good way to combat this is by doing this popular chair exercise Sitting with your back straight, place your feet on the edge of your desk while sitting, and slowly lower your heels to the floor. This seated calf stretch should be held for about 10 seconds and then slowly raised back to the starting position. Keep your lower back in a neutral position at all times and avoid rounding your lower back.
Side-to-side neck twists
Tapping into your parasympathetic nervous system with relaxing chair exercises like the side-to-side neck twists can help you feel more relaxed in your body and have less pain or tension. While you are sitting, turn your head from side to side while keeping your chin in line with your chest. This exercise is best done while your eyes are closed to encourage relaxation in your entire body.
Wrist and finger flexion
Doing wrist and finger flexion chair exercises while sitting can help you feel less tension in your neck and shoulders. Simply hold your hand or finger in front of you with your fingers bent at a 90-degree angle. Make sure to keep your wrist straight while gently rotating your hand and fingers. This movement is best done while you are sitting without looking.
Shoulder shrugs
Shoulder shrugs are a great upper-body chair exercise that you can do while sitting on the couch at home or in the office. Simply shrug your shoulders up and down as if trying to lift your shoulders off your chest as if you were trying to shrug your shoulders off your chest. Keep your upper back in a neutral position as you do this exercise as it is best not to round your shoulders as this can create tension.
Bench tricep dips
Dips on a bench are another great chair exercise that you can do while sitting at your desk or at home. Grip your chair's handles behind you so you can hold onto them for support as you do the bench tricep dips. While keeping your shoulder blades back, slowly lower yourself towards the bench until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep your elbows close to your body and your upper arms parallel to the floor at all times.
Prolonged sitting is a common problem among office workers. It can lead to lower back pain and other health issues as well as decrease your productivity and job satisfaction.
Fortunately, there are some simple sitting chair exercises that you can do to reduce pain and discomfort from sitting.
In addition, some of these chair exercises can be done while sitting at your desk or in your home.
Office chair exercises are easy to do and can improve your health while saving you a few dollars in chiropractor and personal trainer bills. They can be done at your desk or while doing other activities. If you have pain while sitting, try these exercises to reduce pain and discomfort.
