If you work in an office, you've probably already experienced the tight joints, achy muscles and reduced mobility that can come from sitting all day, but a sedentary lifestyle can lead to more serious health issues down the line. Incorporating exercise into your daily routine will help to reduce the damage of your desk job, but it's also important to incorporate small amounts of movement into your day while you're working or sitting down.
"The key is to move little and often," explains Pilates instructor Jodi Montlake. This can include going for walks or even just moving around the house. Taking short breaks from work to stretch and move is also fantastic for your mental health and it can help you feel less stressed during the day.
Jodi Montlake is a qualified Pilates instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. She is a specialist in weight and pain management, among other things, and is a partner of the London Hormone Clinic. She is also the founder of the We Got This! clinic, a health coaching platform.
On top of this, Montlake has shared a simple stretch that you can do while sitting at your desk. It should provide some immediate relief if you have stiff muscles, particularly in your back, hips and shoulders. Plus, it will help to keep your body mobile in the long term.
The move Montlake recommends is a thoracic rotation exercise. "Often we turn to one side or face our screen in a particular way," Montlake says, explaining that this stretch will offset any imbalances in the body caused by the way you sit at your desk.
You don't need any equipment to do this movement and you can do it from any seated position.
How to do a thoracic rotation exercise from your desk
- Sit upright on a chair with your hips facing forward, your knees bent to 90° and your feet flat on the floor.
- Turn from the waist so your torso faces to the left side. Keep your feet on the floor and your hips facing forward.
- Bring your right hand to rest on your left leg.
- Switch sides and keep moving with your breath, inhaling as you turn your waist and exhaling as you bring your hand to your leg to move deeper into the stretch.
- Continue for 30 seconds.
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