Get a Workout at Your Desk

If you sit at a desk all day for work, you may be all too familiar with how you feel when you (finally) stand up. A stiff neck, stiff joints, leg muscles that need a good stretch, even aching back muscles – your entire musculoskeletal system can be impacted by too much sitting.

The fact is that the body likes to move, and any prolonged static positions – like sitting in front of your computer for long periods of time – are not good for keeping the muscles limber and loose.

There are lots of ways you can keep up your activity right at your desk. I often recommend this for my patients who have low back or neck pain, because a static body position can aggravate these problems. But doing some stretches and exercises at your desk is good for everyone – a proactive way to stay healthy rather a reactive approach to deal with a more chronic issue or injury. In fact, researchers at Duke University found that one hour of daily exercise was key to good health, but they also reported that exercise done in short bursts of time accumulated to have the same benefit as an equal amount of continuous exercise time. Therefore, even when you can’t make it to the gym, work out at your desk and feel good about it!

At the end of this blog, I’ve listed several exercises that you can try at your desk, but first, here are some exercise guidelines as well as a few other helpful tips:

1. As with any new exercise routine, it’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor to confirm the activity is appropriate for you.
2. If at any time an exercise causes you pain, stop the exercise. Muscular soreness or “burn” is normal and expected while doing these exercises. During the stretches, you should feel a moderate and comfortable stretch
3. If you can fit it into your routine (and I know it’s hard to interrupt working on a project when you’re “in the zone”), it’s ideal to exercise for 2-3 minutes every 25-30 minutes. If you need to stretch that time out to every hour, then do about 5 minutes at a time.
4. Pick 1 or 2 exercises to do at one time, and vary what you do throughout the day so you are stretching and working your entire body: legs, arms, neck, shoulders and back/core.
5. Be aware of your desk ergonomics, as poor ergonomics can detract from the positive impact an exercise routine may have. If your company offers ergonomic evaluations, take advantage of that service to get your desk set up properly for you.
6. Getting a standing desk can be a great idea, but remember to switch between sitting and standing. Prolonged static positions, sitting or standing, are not as good for the body as movement is.
7. We still recommend a goal of 10,000 steps each day. To accomplish this, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park in the farthest spot to fit in more steps, get off the T a stop or 2 earlier, or walk all the way around your office floor every hour.

Strengthening Exercises

Sit to stands

• Sit on the edge of your chair, with your feet flat on the floor
• Stand upright, extending your knees fully and only use your legs (don’t push with your arms)
• Lower yourself slowly and with control
• Repeat 10 times in a set, pause, then repeat two more times for a total of 3 sets

Desk or wall pushups

• Stand about 2-3 feet from the wall (whatever is comfortable for you) with both hands on the wall
• Perform 10 push-ups, then pause and repeat the set

Wall sits

• Keep head, shoulders, and back against the wall, with feet out in front and slightly wider than shoulder width.
• Slowly lower your body by sliding down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle – do not let your knees extend beyond the tips of your toes. You should feel a burn in your quads or thigh muscles
• Note that anywhere up to a 90-degree angle for the knees is okay (not everyone can tolerate the full bend to achieve 90 degrees). As long as you feel the quadriceps (thighs) working, you’re doing it correctly.
• Hold this position for 10-30 seconds, or however long you’re able to hold the form comfortably.

Long arc quad

• Sitting in your chair with your left foot on the floor, slowly extend your right leg straight out in front of you and hold it parallel to the floor for 3-5 seconds, and try to repeat 8-10 times.
• Bring your leg down and then repeat the exercise using your left leg

Heel raises or single leg heel raises

• With your hands resting on your hips (or rest your hand on the wall or a chair for balance), slowly rise up on the balls of your feet, hold at the top for as long as you can maintain balance, and then slowly descend
• There are a few variations: 1. remain seated in your chair and raise your heels, keeping your toes on the floor or 2. Balance on one leg and then rise up on the ball of your foot, switching legs after 10 times

Planks

• Get into a “push-up” position on the floor with your legs slightly apart
• Tightening stomach muscles to support your back and activate your core, hold that position for as long as you can (try at least 10 seconds, work up to 30 seconds)
• One variation (to rest your wrists) is to rest on your forearms with your lower arms and hands straight out. It’s important to keep your elbows in a straight line with your shoulders (upper arms perpendicular to the floor) so as not to strain your shoulder joints. Another variation is to do a desk plank

Scapular (shoulder blade) retractions

• With your arms at your sides, either sitting or standing, pinch or squeeze your shoulder blades together. Your shoulders and upper arms should be pulled back slightly. Make sure to keep your shoulders relaxed, down, and away from your ears
• Hold for 5-10 seconds, then release and repeat 10 times.

Lunges

• Standing with your legs together and hands on your hips, step forward with your right leg
• Slowly sink down, bending both knees and directing your left knee towards the floor as far as you can while making sure that your right knee does not extend over your right foot.
• Hold 2-3 seconds, then rise up and bring your legs together, repeating the movement with your left leg. Alternate legs about 8-10 times
• A variation can be stepping backward with one leg and then bending with both knees in the same way

Squats

• Place feet shoulder width apart and bend slightly at the knees
• With control, bend at the knees and squat down, as if you’re about to sit back in a chair.
• Extend arms in front of your body to help with balance and do not extend knees over toes. Keep a neutral back (do not arch).
• Hold position for a few seconds then rise back up and repeat 10 times.

Child’s Pose

• Kneel on the floor and slowly sink down so that your buttocks are resting on your heels
• Extend your arms above your head and then bend forward so that your forehead and arms touch the floor
• You can also do this stretch at your desk: sitting on your chair, place your hands on your desk and slowly slide the chair away from your desk until a stretch is felt
• Relax your lower back and hold for 30-60 seconds, then use your hands to walk your body upright to sit back on your heels

Stretching: hold each for a cumulative of 2-3min

Half kneeling hip flexor stretch

• Kneel on your left leg and extend right leg in front of you at a 90-degree angle with your foot on the floor
• Do a posterior pelvic tilt (tucking your tailbone under and straight down) to feel a stretch in the front of the left hip
• If you want a greater stretch, slowly bend your right knee forward – it takes very little movement and you do not want to extend over that right toe
• Hold for 10-30 seconds, release and repeat for another 10-30 seconds
• Repeat on the other side

Hamstring stretch

• Place your right heel on a stool or on the ground, bending at left knee to keep left leg relaxed
• Slowly lean forward, keeping back and right leg straight, until stretch is felt in the back of the right thigh
• Hold for 30 seconds, release and repeat for another 30 seconds
• Repeat on the other side

Standing knee to chest

• With your hand on your right knee, pull the knee up and into your chest until a comfortable stretch is felt in the lower back and buttocks. Keep back relaxed and use other arm to hold the desk for extra balance
• Hold for 30 seconds, release and repeat for another 30 seconds
• Repeat on the other side

Quadriceps stretch

• While standing, bend your right leg backwards, sending your heel towards your buttocks.
• Grab your right foot and slowly press it into your buttocks, stretching the quad or thigh muscle. Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
• Hold for 20 seconds or more (using desk for balance if necessary), then switch legs and repeat a few times

Neck and upper back stretches like the ones my colleague, Scott McDonough, demonstrated in this blog.

Gastroc stretch

• Stand, facing the wall, and place your right foot back, leg straight, and bend your left leg
• Keeping your right heel on the floor, lean into wall until stretch is felt in your right calf.
• Hold for 30 seconds, release and repeat for another 30 seconds
• Repeat on the other side

Wrist extensor muscle stretch (and other stretches that can help to avoid or lessen Carpal Tunnel Syndrome)

• Hold right arm in front of you, and while keeping elbow straight, grasp right hand and slowly bend the hand down at the wrist until a stretch is felt along the top of the arm.
• Hold for 30 seconds, release and repeat for another 30 seconds
• Repeat on the other hand

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