Office Chair Exercise

Yes, there is such a thing as exercise for the office! And, with office chair exercise you can stretch out and boost your energy, without losing productive work time.

The primary reasons office workers begin to lose mobility and experience back and shoulder pain, sore hips and stiff necks, are:

• poor sitting posture
• improper typing ergonomics and desk ergonomics
• lack of intermittent exercise

This shouldn't be the case. Sitting posture is easy to correct, and even though you are probably busy there are many quick, easy exercises that can be done within seconds.

In addition to the exercises listed below you may want to add yoga or Pilates stretches, or a self neck massage. And, if you sit most of the day, improve the blood flow to your hip joints with hip exercises that can be done right at your desk. Or...

Have you heard about laughter therapy? Believe it or not, laughter is also is considered a form of exercise and can be a great way to relieve office stress.

This website is written by a patient NOT a practitioner. Exercises and techniques discussed here were provided to me - for my specific needs. To avoid risk of serious injury they should not be used by others without being discussed with a qualified health care provider.

Wrists

1. Extend your arm in front of you placing your palms up.
2. With your other hand, grab your fingers.
3. Gently stretch your hand down, bending your wrist backwards. Feel the stretch in your forearm?
4. Repeat with the other arm.

Wrists and Forearms

1. Press hands together in front of chest. Keep elbows bent and parallel to the floor.
2. Gently bend wrists to the right and left.
3. Repeat several times.

Back

1. Sit straight in your chair and place your right arm behind your right hip.
2. Twist to the right and hold for a few seconds.
3. Switch to your left arm on your left hip and repeat.

For more exercises and an exercise ball office chair demo you can watch this short video put together by the Healthy Back Institute.

Calves

1. While sitting, lift up your legs onto the balls of your feet and then release.
2. Continue until your legs and calves are tired.
3. Repeat every 10-15 minutes for an hour.

Leg

1. Holding abdominal muscles in, extend leg until it is level with hip.
2. Hold for a few seconds and then repeat with other leg.

Hips

1. While seated, lift one leg off the floor a few inches with knee bent.
2. Hold for a few seconds and then repeat with the other leg.

Arms, Shoulders, Back

This is my absolute favorite office chair exercise and stress relief activity. One that you can only appreciate after trying.

1. Find a small hand size ball, or even improvise with a rolled up piece of paper.
2. Throw it up in the air and try catching it.

It's amazing how well your arms, shoulders and back muscles loosen up after doing this only a few times. The missed catch is the best, because it stretches your whole back when you bend to pick it up!

Office chair exercises are often the quickest way to get instant relief for muscles that inevitably tighten up after sitting for long periods of time.

However, there are other ways to get exercise in the office.

Look for reasons to stand more often. Take calls on your feet and stretch while talking.

Better yet, if it is someone in the office you need to converse with, take a walk to see them. Besides, face-to-face meetings are a better way to communicate.

You may also be interested in:
Desk Ergonomics, Extreme Lower Back Pain, Self Neck Massage, Typing Ergonomics, Upper Back Exercises...

...or from Amazon, Stretching in the Office

Office Exercises Don't End at Your Desk

You've probably heard over and over to walk whenever possible and take the stairs. Are you doing it? Each bit of effort helps and after awhile can become habit forming. Imagine that!

A well inflated exercise ball, you may have heard it called a fitness ball or swiss ball, can do wonders to improve your balance and tone your muscles. The exercise ball can also be used for wall squats or other exercise in the office. Your colleagues and your boss may not be ready for this yet, but how about an exercise ball office chair?

Then, there is the ultimate office exercise equipment, the treadmill desk! What a great calorie burner, no gym time required. And yes, treadmill desks complete with room for your keyboard and monitor, are available for purchase.

Have you seen the mini-exercise bicycles that can fit under a table or desk? Some of the bikes are multi-purpose and will fit on most flat surfaces, allowing you to do upper body exercises, as well.

Beyond the Office

Did you know that being sedentary all day can put you at an increased risk for deep vein thrombosis, DVT? Office chair exercise is great for fatigue relief during the day, but...

...make the benefits greater by walking for exercise after you get home, or with a stop at the gym on your way there.

Then, before you call it a night, what better way to end the day than with the luxurious, pampered feel of a home spa treatment!