Desk Job: 5 daily Mobility Exercise to Reverse Damage

When you spend most of the time sitting in front of computers, in zoom meetings, and commuting, your back start to ache. You experience a stiff back. To overcome this back pain you need a set of exercises called as desk jobs exercises.

Studies suggest that prolonged sitting causes major health issues in body. These health issues include heart disease, diabetes, muscles and skeletal problems.

New York post writes that when you are sitting on your desk during job hours it is actually more dangerous than smoking for your health. It writes that although you consider that you doing physical work by going to offices but actually it is not. Whether you are sitting behind screen or standing on reception, both are non-physical works.

A Taiwanese study conducted on half a million people over 13 years found that sedentary jobs increased cardiovascular risk by 32% and overall mortality by 16%.

Even daily work out are not enough for maintaining both brain and circulatory health. There must be active sitting which is essential for health.

Targeted mobility exercises performs the following tasks in the body

• Restore joint range of motion
• Improves postures
• Stimulate circulation
• Work friendly
• Quick and effective

Now we will provide you with 5 daily mobility exercises to reverse damage from desk jobs. Main focus areas of these exercises are hips, thoracic spine and shoulders.

World’s Greatest Stretch

The main focus of these compound movements of desk job exercises is target areas which are tighten after long bouts of sitting. These areas are hip flexors, thoracic spine, hamstrings and adductors.

As you sit for prolonged time it will keep the hip flexors short and tight. This is the main cause of back pain in desk jobbers. When you stretch these muscles it will help you to unlock your hips and restore natural gait.

How to Perform

1. Step your right foot forward into high lunge
2. Place both hands inside the front foot
3. Lower left elbow toward the ground, then rotate it towards the ceiling
4. Return to start and switch legs

Benefits and Routine

1.      It improves your hip and spine mobility.

2.      It enhances your thoracic rotation for better posture

3.      Do 2-3 reps per side in the morning and evening or during breaks.

Seated Thoracic Rotations

Most of the time area which is neglected by sedentary work is mid upper back. So the main focus of this exercise is mid upper back.

Many desk worker complaint that they have thoracic stiffness and rounded shoulders, which cause pain and fatigue.

How to Perform

1. Sit upright with flat feet.
2. Cross the arms or place hands behind your head.
3. Twist torso to the right, hold for 5 sec and return to center.
4. Repeat on the left side.

Benefits and Routine

• Loosens thoracic spine
• Encourages proper breathing and opens chest
• Aim for 8-210 reps per side daily

90/90Hip Transitions

When you sit continuously it impacts the functional hip rotation. This exercise targets to restore hip rotation smoothly.

When you sit in one plane for longer period of time, it locks hip-joint mobility. This exercise strengthens control through external and internal rotation.

How to Perform

1. Sit with right leg in front at 90 degree (shin Vertical) left leg behind at angle of 90 degrees.
2. Keeping upright, switch legs in place, without using your hands.
3. Transition smoothly to the opposite side.

Benefits and Routine

• Reopens hip capsule
• Builds motor control and joint strength
• Comlee 5-10 transition per side, daily.

Cat-Cow Spinal Mobility Flow

This exercise is inspired from yoga and it reactivates the full spinal chain.

In sedentary work spinal stiffness is hallmark. Cat-cow improves your mobility and provides relieve compression.

How to Perform

1. Start on all four (tabletop).
2. Inhale into Cow: arch the back, lift chest and tailbone.
3. Exhale cat: round back, tuck chin and pelvis.
4. Repeat for 10-15 cycles.

Benefits and Routine

• Improves spinal fluid movements
• Relieve tension in back and neck
• A great start or end of workday ritual

 Wall Angels

Most of the time desk worker sits in forward head posture. This exercise will boost the shoulder health and reverse the effect caused by forward head posture.

When you sit with forward head and your arms on the desk then your shoulders becomes rounded that eventually lead to tight chest muscles and weak stabilizers. Wall angels help you to retrain shoulder posture.

How to Perform

1. Stand 15cm from a wall with back, upper back and head touching it.
2. Bent arms from a W shape and wrists on wall.
3. Slowly raise arms into a Y overhead, keeping contact.
4. Lower back down.

Benefits and Routine

• Opens chest and upper back
• Strengthens scapular stabilizers
• Perform 8-12 reps daily, building up over time.

Office Mobility moves

There are some micro breaks which you can perform without leaving your desk and they will provde yo with some relief.

1. You can perform neck circles. In this you slowly moves you neck in both directions for 3-5 times. It will help your neck to release tension
2. Perform shoulder roll in which you will give your shoulders roll for 10 times in forward direction and 10 times in backward direction. It will help your shoulders tightness.
3. You can extend one leg and hold it for 3 sec and then other leg. It will boost blood circulation.
4. If you are doing typing or writing work then you can perform wrist and finger stretches. In this you need to hold and stretch your fingers one by one for 15-30 seconds each. It will reduce typing strain.
5. When you are sitting for longer period you must perform seated pelvic tilts. In this movement you will tilt anterior and then posterior hip for 10 sec. It will realign pelvis and core.

Daily Routine for Exercises (15 Minutes)

We are providing you with the time table that how much time these exercises will take.

Tips for Setting Reminder

1. You can set reminder on your phone for every 45-60 minutes.
2. You can use visual cues like sticky notes or phone alerts.
3. Keep this routine schedule visible on your work place
4. Keep the track of improvement in pain, posture and flexibility.
5. Combine these exercises with walking, drinking water on empty stomach and staying hydrated.

Small Movements, Big Impact

You don’t need expensive gadgets and gym time to perform these simple yet powerful exercises. These daily mobility exercises reverse sitting damage. They are office friendly and can be perform within 15 minutes.

Its best to say goodbye to hips, stiff spines, poor posture and workplace fatigue.