Life Hack: Three Stretches for Common Problem Areas
Many of us know that office life can wreak havoc on our body. Even with the best intentions, finding time to reverse the pressures of 8 hours a day in a chair can be difficult. Here are three easy stretches to do daily that focus on common problem areas for office workers.
Chest Stretch:
Find a large flat wall and stand facing away from it. You may need to bend your knees slightly or step a few inches forward. Your pelvis, thoracic and base of your head should all be in contact with the wall, with small gaps where the curves of your spine are. If you are unable to keep your head to the wall, you may need to use a towel behind your head to make this position comfortable.
Tuck your chin in gently and keeping your palms facing forward, slide your arms along the wall, as high as you can without your head coming away from the wall.
This will stretch your pectoral muscles and help you to develop a sense of head position alignment with your body.
Lunges:
Kneel on one knee, place your other foot on the floor in front of you and keep your knee bent to 90 degrees. Keeping your hips even, shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch at the front of your hip. Hold for 30seconds to 2 minutes and then swap legs.
This will stretch your Psoas muscles which are often tight from sitting for long periods.
Seated Hamstring Stretch:
Sit on the floor with one leg straight out in front of you. Bend your other leg and tuck your foot in towards your inner thigh. Reach forward and stretch towards your foot on the straightened leg, bending at your hips as much as possible. You should feel a stretch at the back of your thigh, if you feel a pull behind your knee you can point your toes or bend your knee slightly.
Hold for 30 seconds and slowly come back up, change legs and repeat three times on each side.
Check with your physiotherapist if there are other stretches that may benefit you.
Physio Direct is ACC accredited so you can come to us directly to get an injury registered with ACC without having to go to your GP first, followed by an assessment, treatment and follow up review, to ensure correct care and recovery. Physio Direct can also refer you directly for Cortisone injections, X-Rays and Ultra Sound Scans and on to Specialists if needed.
Please feel free to print out these news letters and put the in the staffroom and hand them out to your team. Understanding more about injuries, gives people the power to prevent an injury from occurring in the first place. Prevention and education is the key!