In the positive news, most of us were freed from the daily commute last year. Soon after we also realised what an impact it had on our body and mental health.

If the mode of transport was convenient, traffic was the problem. If traffic wasn’t an issue then long travelling hours made the day miserable.

But on second thought, we might be settling for something worse now—a sedentary lifestyle. 

If you’ve been sitting for prolonged hours without much movement, you must have already experienced periods of stiff, achy joints and muscles. Not all of us own an ergonomically designed office chair. Most of us have been working from our hard as nails dining room chair. 

But don’t worry, you can skip the lockdown joint pain by indulging in these super easy but super helpful desk stretches. 

Neck Stretch

Virtual meetings don’t require us to move our heads as frequently. It’s natural to see an increase in neck pain. Try to schedule your desk stretches on an hourly basis. 

Place one hand on your head and sit on the other one.Pull your head to the side, gently.Hold for 5 seconds.

Reps: 20 (10 on each side).

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Chest StretchTake your hands behind your back.Interlace your fingers.Draw your arms down while pushing your chest out.Squeeze your shoulder blades.Hold for 10 seconds.

Reps: 10

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Shoulder StretchAlign your arms across your chest.Hold for 30 seconds.Roll your shoulders backwards and forwards.

Reps: 10

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Lower Back & Glutes StretchPut your right ankle onto the left knee.Let the knee drop out.Bend forward towards your knee, gently.Stretch out your glutes and lower back.Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat the process with the left ankle.

Reps: 5 for each side

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Spinal RotationStraighten your legs and put them side by side.Take the support of the arms of your chair.Turn back to look at the wall behind you.Hold for 10 seconds.

Reps: 3 for each side 

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Tips To Increase MobilityUse a desk chair with arms so you can relax your hands every few seconds. Keep your knees in line with your hips, not higher. Don’t go to your screen while sitting, try to bring it closer to you instead. This will encourage you to use back support.Don’t cross your legs under the desk.Walk and stretch every hour.Get up for a glass of water every half an hour.Keep your laptop close to your eye level and voila, bye-bye body aches!

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