Arthritis Self-Management

Office Workouts: 8 Exercises to Do at Your Desk

by Margaret Barr, BSc(PT), MA

How do you know you’ve sat for too long at your desk? Do you — like me — feel that nagging knot at the base of your neck, or the dull, persistent throb of an irritable low back? Or is it the misery of a tension headache that won’t go away and it’s going to drive you crazy but you can’t leave work now because there’s that deadline to meet for tomorrow morning and if you don’t get this assignment done you won’t hear the end of it…? Then read on. I’m happy to say there are ways to make life at your desk more comfortable.

You’d think that sitting at a desk would be straightforward. The truth is it can be a strain on your whole system. The sluggish blood flow plus diminished oxygen intake that sitting can bring about is one problem. But holding yourself in a single position for a long time poses a significant risk to your musculoskeletal system, bringing about symptoms that people with arthritis may already be familiar with: stiffness and weakness in the joints and muscles, and even the loss of your ability to straighten some of your joints normally.

There are, of course, things you can do to make your work space easier on your body. For example, you could get an adjustable chair, a back support, or a user-friendly computer keyboard. There are also simple solutions such as organizing your desk space to put tools within easy reach. But the mainstay of keeping your mind and body in good shape at work is to find a balance between activity and relaxation. To do this, you’ll need to take time to move, breathe, and stretch. Your reward will be improved comfort and performance.

Move

“If I get up and move about, my neck pain feels better,” my mother tells me when I ask about her discomfort from sitting too long in her chair. By the time she’s walked to the bathroom and back, she’s often forgotten the problem. The same principle applies when you’re at work. Moving about regularly keeps blood flowing, shifts loads from one muscle group to another, helps muscles work across a more complete range of motion, and burns calories. It also helps oxygen flow to your brain and other organs. So plan to move and change positions frequently during your workday and make it a priority. You’ll have more energy and feel better as a result. (For more tips on building movement into your workday, see “Keep Moving.”)

Breathe

When we’re feeling stressed, most of us forget to breathe — we resort to shallow, quick intakes of air into our upper lungs — and our upper back, shoulders, and neck muscles tighten. But this only adds to the stress. What we really need is to get more air into our lungs so we feel more relaxed and are able to focus on the job at hand. To get more air, use your diaphragm, the muscle “dome” attached to your lower ribs and spine. When you use your diaphragm properly, your lungs can take advantage of all that air being drawn in and out, and your body can relax with all that potential energy at hand. Use the tips that follow to practice breathing with your diaphragm. And practice lots — it takes time to get it right, to the point where breathing properly becomes second nature.

• Sit comfortably with your back supported, your feet flat on the floor, and your knees and hips bent to a little over 90 degrees;
• Place one hand on your upper chest, the other over your stomach at the level of your lower ribs;
• Breathe in by pushing your stomach out against your lower hand —your diaphragm will be contracting and your ribs lifting out a little, but the hand on your upper chest will remain still;
• Breathe out as you suck your stomach back in and your diaphragm relaxes;
• Keep your breathing slow, rhythmic and continuous, and at a comfortable depth, giving equal time to inhaling and exhaling;
• Make sure the action happens in your stomach area. Keep your shoulders, upper chest, and lower abdomen still and relaxed.

Stretch

Proper alignment of the spine and limbs lets us move efficiently and makes the body less prone to injury. For each of us, there is a “best” posture — a stable, upright position that takes a minimum of energy to maintain and allows full movement of the trunk, head, and limbs. When you stay too long in one position, however, as happens when you are sitting at a desk, some muscles can become less elastic. Other muscles can become overstretched, which can eventually make them weaker. Muscle problems like these can make joints less mobile and put strain on other muscles and soft tissue. This simple stretching routine, done at frequent intervals during your workday, can help with some of these problems. It won’t cure established postural problems or ease the symptoms of your arthritis (for this, you’ll need to see your doctor or other health professional), but it can relieve the temporary symptoms of muscle fatigue and spasm. It can keep your postural muscles aligned and in good shape. And it can prevent muscle and joint strain. In addition, it can help you relax and restore your energy and focus.

Last Reviewed on September 1, 2010

Margaret Barr is an exercise consultant and freelance writer based in British Columbia.

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