Top 5 Movements for Desk Work Stiffness and Aches

Desk jobs are the most common and some of the few that I know will cause increased aches and pains. The common issues with the stillness of these jobs include back pain, hip pain or leg pain, a constant aching in the shoulder, mid or upper back and even chronic migraines or tension headaches! All relating back to the immobile body that has to sit through 8-10 hours a day with work and commuting.

These are my top 5 movements to help ease these aches and likely allow you to feel a little bit less old and achey.

1. Thoracic Spine rotations

2. Kneeling lunge with T-spine rotation

3. Lizard stretch

4. Abdominal crunches with extension

5. Sideline glute clamshells with feet elevated

The goals with each of these exercises are not to passively stretch but to engage muscles in both in stillness and in movement. Thoracic spine rotations passively can hurt some people while starting in active movement will allow the body to ease into further range and increased mobility. Eventually adding on some sort of weight or band to create a further increase in range through opposite forces (synergist and antagonistic muscles).

I would include these once a work day for at least 2 minutes per movement done at a slow pace to a more static hold.