Do these stretches every day if you sit for a living!

Jane Arlow • May 14, 2021

Do you sit or stand in the same position all day?

If you’re nodding right now, you’ll know how uncomfortable it can be when you don’t move around.

We all know that this is because the human body is designed to move and not to spend extended hours sitting in chairs! 
Our man, Joseph Pilates said “modern furniture is the primary cause of acquiring harmful postural habits.” 

And after the last year, where we've all be sitting more than ever, many of us are feeling slumped and slow.

Why's it bad for us to sit for long periods of time?

It’s pretty simple - sitting on chairs and couches for long periods of time is bad because they support your body weight. With a chair holding you up, your ankles, knees, and hips stiffen, your muscles get weaker, your shoulders round forward, your back hunches and your spine becomes compressed.


Your circulation also slows down, depressing your metabolism. 


That’s a jolly little read isn’t it?

What can I do to improve my posture and health even though I sit all day?

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Firstly, set your alarm to get up at least once an hour!


Secondly, while seated on all of those long web calls, why not incorporate some simple stretches into your day? Switch your camera off for five minutes if you feel that your colleagues don’t need to see your stretches!

Where should I focus first?


Be sure to stretch the parts of your body that take the most strain such as shoulders, neck, mid-section and forearms. Check out this quick three minute video of upper body stretches


You’d be surprised by the amount of strain that your lower body also takes from sitting all day. Do you find that you’re fidgeting because you’re uncomfortable in your calf muscles, hips, hamstrings or glutes? Check out this lower body stretches   video to see how you can make those feel more comfortable. 


And of course, let's not forget your trusty hard ball that I know you're keeping under your desk! Get rolling!


(By the way, fidgeting is good for your health if you sit all day. A study over 12 years, that compared low, medium and high fidgeting among sedentary women concluded that the high fidgeting group had the lowest health risks from being sedentary).

If you do nothing else, do these three stretches every day and feel better!

When stretching, remember to hold for about 20 to 30 seconds in each stretch; don't forget to breathe; and if your muscles start shaking, ease off!

Wrists & Fingers


Why? Fingers and wrists take strain from working on computers typing or using a computer mouse. 


Stretching and exercising the fingers and wrists can prevent carpel tunnel syndrome and discomfort from overuse of these muscles.


How? Rotate or circle your wrists inwards, while curling your fingers inwards one at a time, starting with your little finger and finishing with your thumb. 


Do a few of these rotations before reversing the wrist circle. This time, rotate or circle the wrists outwards, while curling the fingers outwards, one at a time, starting with the thumb.

Spine Extension


Extending your spine helps improve your posture and supports the muscles that stabilize your spine. It also opens your chest and shoulder muscles.


Why? Bending backward to extend your spine helps improve posture and supports the muscles that stabilize your spine.


How? Stand facing away from a wall, with your heels a couple of cm away from the wall. Stand with your arms over your head, elbows bent backward and palms facing the wall. 


Place the palms of your hands against the wall and slowly lean back towards the wall. Catch your body weight with your hands. 


Walk your hands down the wall until you begin to feel a stretch. (You may need to step farther away from the wall as your spine extends).

Neck stretch


Why? Sitting in front of a computer screen causes your chin to protrude forward and the muscles along the back of your neck to get tight as you try to hold your head level. This simple stretch returns length to the back and sides of your neck.


How?  Sit or stand upright with your spine straight, shoulders relaxed, and neck centre in a neutral position. 


Tuck in your chin towards your chest and let gravity gently pull your head down to stretch the back of your neck. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds. 


Lift your head, then tip your right ear towards your right shoulder, while keeping the right shoulder pulled away from the ear. 


Extend your left arm away from you to deepen the stretch.  If you want to make it even deeper, gently place your right hand on the right hand of your head for a little extra weight (as per the picture).


Now release the right hand from the head and rotate the head so that the chin comes into the armpit. 


Hold each of these positions for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side. 


Variation: From this position, once you’ve warmed up the neck with a few of these stretches, you can also loosen any more tightness by gently circling the neck once or twice clockwise and anti-clockwise, but be very careful to not over- extend the neck backwards when circling towards the back.


Looking for more stretch stuff? Grab your free twenty minute resistance band workout here


If you enjoyed these, join my online Strength and Stretch class (Fridays 7.45am)  for a full body workout followed by a really good stretch! Book a class with us for free here


* This blog contains Amazon affiliate links which mean that if you buy, I may receive a teeny, tiny commission at some unspecified point in the future. It won't cost you anything.

By Jane Arlow October 13, 2025
Because no one wants the lurgy!
By Jane Arlow October 13, 2025
And the first one's a doozie!
By Jane Arlow October 13, 2025
October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you haven't done it recently, please let this be the nudge you need to give them a good feel up. Here 's a link to the NHS website below showing how to perform your check and what to look for. If you're one of my gentlemen readers, please don't think this doesn't apply to you. It does. Men can still get breast cancer. And if you find something that doesn't seem right, please contact your GP as soon as possible. 80-90% of lumps are likely to be benign, but for the small percentage of those that aren't, early detection and treatment are your best chances of having successful treatment and being around to annoy friends and family for a long time. Don't skip your mammogram I know having mammograms is really uncomfortable. But this is one of the best ways to check for cancers that aren't otherwise easily spotted. So if you get invited, please go. (And don't skip your smear test either!!!) Know your risk factors 1 in 7 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Here are some of the risk factors: - Age : older women are more likely to get breast cancer than younger women and age is the highest risk factor. - Genetics : Breast cancer risk is higher if you have first-degree relatives who've had it (although 85% of women with a relative with breast cancer WON'T get it). - Breast density (relates to the percentage of non-fatty tissue): the risk is highest for those with the most dense tissue. You can ask your radiographer to tell you whether you have dense tissue at your mammogram. - Lifestyle factors: These include having overweight or obesity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and insufficient physical activity. - Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: These "forever" chemicals, such as pthalates and parabens, show up in makeup and toiletries. Risk doesn't normally come from one exposure to one chemical, but from prolonged exposure to many different chemicals over a long period of time. You can read more about the risks here It's worth noting that even if you get a diagnosis, it's unlikely you'll ever know if there was "one thing" that caused it. What happens if you get a diagnosis of breast cancer? I am in no way competent to comment on the treatment plan your medical team recommend for you. Everyone I know who's had breast cancer has had a different treatment plan, depending on: the stage of cancer; whether it had spread further; whether it was hormone-receptive; whether it was due to genetic mutation; and the age of the woman. I do know that for all of us, it was a really scary time. You should be given access to resources outside of the surgical and oncology team, often via a Macmillan nurse, who can answer questions on topics from your treatment and reactions, to claiming for extra benefits. They're also great if you're not sure what questions to ask. While you're in the heat of the panic, it can be difficult to think clearly about what you need to know. Using "what should I be asking that I'm not?" is super helpful. Keep moving after your diagnosis, during and after treatment The one thing I can advise you on with all confidence, is to keep moving. Exercise is safe, possible and helpful for individuals with breast cancer, throughout the treatment cycle. In fact, international guidelines say you should try to get back to your normal activities as soon as possible. Exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer coming back; and may stop stage 1 cancers from growing further; and can also reduce treatment side effects like tiredness, cognitive impairment or lympoedema. Yes, you may need to dial back your usual activities if treatment leaves you feeling exhausted. But whenever you can, please aim for 150 minutes of exercise in every week. Many forms of treatment also lead to a higher osteoporosis risk, so please also do resistance-based and/or some impact-based exercise every week. I'd also recommend paying attention to shoulder mobility. Scar tissue and "guarding" of surgery sites can reduce your range of movement a lot. Check in with your medical team to confirm if there's any specific movements you should avoid during your treatment plan, and when you'll be signed off to go back to them. One last piece of advice someone else gave me... When you tell people you have cancer, a lot of them will have an opinion on your treatment plan. Especially if they're of the "my friend cured their cancer by just eating this one thing.." type. Unless this person is an oncologist, you can safely ignore them! So, what are you still doing reading this? Go off and give yourself a fondle!
By Jane Arlow October 13, 2025
I bet you've asked these yourself!
By Jane Arlow September 22, 2025
Because resting is revolution in a world that wants to keep you agitated!
By Jane Arlow September 13, 2025
Why should I do Pilates?
By Jane Arlow September 2, 2025
Spoiler alert...
By Jane Arlow August 18, 2025
What are "Bungalow Legs"?
By Jane Arlow August 18, 2025
Struggling to get 10,000 steps a day?
By Jane Arlow August 18, 2025
Because knees are important!