I tried this five-minute mobility routine before starting work and I felt far more comfortable sitting at my desk
Is five minutes of stretching enough to reduce aches and pains? This physical therapist's routine did the trick for me
![Woman stretching at home. One foot and the opposite hand are in line on the floor at the top of a yoga mat, with the other foot on its toes at the back of the mat. The other arm reaches up and her torso is rotated. She is wearing green sports leggings and a cropped black top and her black hair is in a bun.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vNyG7NV5zhMCGkFsRFzE4G-415-80.jpg)
If you work a desk job like me, you might be used to dealing with aches and pains. Whether it's stiffness in the shoulders or an achy lower back, sitting down all day can be taxing on our bodies.
Fortunately, there is a way to reduce and prevent niggles and discomfort. Regular mobility exercises will strengthen your joints and increase your flexibility, and minimize the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
Physical therapist Sam Caddick recently shared a morning mobility routine designed to activate the entire body. The best part? It only takes five minutes.
I decided to give it a go before I started work for the day. Here's what happened.
How to do Sam Caddick's mobility routine
A post shared by Sam Caddick | Running Physio (@sjc.physio)
A photo posted by on
You don't need any equipment to complete this routine. I simply rolled out my yoga mat on my living room floor.
Caddick shares rep counts in his Instagram post and some modifications for the more challenging movements in the video.
My experience trying Sam Caddick's mobility routine
This is a really thorough full-body mobility flow, with exercises that strengthen and lengthen the joints and muscles.
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As well as targeting the hips and shoulders, this routine incorporates core-strengthening moves such as the long sitting segmentation and static inch worm.
Sitting at a desk all day long means our core muscles aren't working as hard as they would while moving around. I've noticed a weakening of my core since working a desk job full time, so I’m hoping doing this routine regularly will help me rebuild my core strength.
Several of the moves, including the world's greatest stretch and the 90/90 exercise, released tension and eased stiffness. I could feel the difference when I sat down to start work—I felt more comfortable and at ease.
Taking the time to stretch and mobilize in the morning meant I was more aware of how I was sitting at my desk—I caught myself slouching a few times—and where I had aches and pains around my body. I was also more committed to taking regular movement breaks to keep me mobile.
Alice Porter is a freelance journalist covering lifestyle topics including health, fitness and wellness. She is particularly interested in women's health, strength training and fitness trends and writes for publications including Stylist Magazine, Refinery29, The Independent and Glamour Magazine. Like many other people, Alice's personal interest in combining HIIT training with strength work quickly turned into a CrossFit obsession and she trains at a box in south London. When she's not throwing weights around or attempting handstand push-ups, you can probably find her on long walks in nature, buried in a book or hopping on a flight to just about anywhere it will take her.
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