The negatives of sitting too much
Have you noticed after you have been sitting for prolonged periods you start to feel uncomfortable, tense, fatigued, and may even start to lose concentration? This happens at work when you are writing or using a keyboard, doing repetitive tasks, sitting at long meetings, or at home doing some knitting. Our bodies don’t like being in one position. Posture easily becomes slumped and unbalanced and this can become permanent unless you move your body in the opposite direction.
What are Pause exercises?
Pause exercises are exercises you do to alleviate fatigue in muscles which may be overused or not used correctly during a repetitive task or a sustained position/posture.
Fatigue of muscles may result in aching, cramping and tightness in a muscle. This may predispose you to injury. This is why it is important to take frequent short breaks to rest overworked muscles or to ensure that you are changing your position often. Pause exercises are used during these short breaks to help the muscles recover.
Why Pause Exercises?
Interrupting your work for a few minutes every hour is better for your mind and body than sitting for hours. The three main aims of pause exercises are to use unused muscles, to stretch tight or tired muscles and to change a sustained posture.
Here are three pause exercises to reduce neck and shoulder tension throughout your work day
• Do them anytime you have been sitting for more than one hour.
• Perform exercises slowly, smoothly and gently.
• STOP if you feel any pain or discomfort and see your physiotherapist if pain persists.
• Keep breathing comfortably as you do the exercises.
DOORWAY CHEST STRETCH
Open your arms out to the side at 90 degree angles. Walk toward a doorway and let your forearms and wrists touch the doorframe. Take a staggered stance, one leg slightly in front of the other, in the doorway, and gently push your chest forward to help open up your chest. Hold for 30 seconds. This is a very good way to combat rounded shoulders and poor posture.
NECK STRETCH
Sit on one hand with your palm facing down. Tilt your head towards the other shoulder and use your other hand to gently pull your head towards that shoulder. Keep your chin tucked towards your chest. Hold for 30 seconds. You can alter this stretch by turning your nose towards your armpit and pulling with your hand on the back of your head.
CHIN TUCK
Stand with the back of your head in contact with the wall. While tucking your chin to your chest, slide the back of your head up the wall. Hold for 30 seconds. This will stretch tight neck muscles while improving your head-on-neck posture. It is also an excellent exercise to do while driving. Simply get your head in contact with your headrest, tuck your chin to your chest and slide the back of your head up the headrest.
Janet
Great advise and exercises.